Nigeria

NIGERIA. - It is the most important of the British possessions in West Africa. The territory comprises the entire lower basin of the Niger, that of its tributary the Benue, and the zone that continues it toward the NE, as far as Lake Chad. From the low and flat coastal strip (Niger delta), bordered by marshes and mangroves, and then by forests, one rises slowly to the inland plateaus, less humid or indeed arid (savanna and then steppe). In place of the natives (Sudanese Negroes) prevalent in most of the country, toward the N there are peoples of Hamitic origin (Fulbe). Palm nuts and palm oil are the main agricultural products, but peanuts, cotton and cocoa are also widely cultivated. The forest wealth (mahogany) and livestock raising (in the northern regions) are notable. Of the considerable mineral resources, only tin, coal and tantalum are exploited (for the latter, N. ranks first in the world). Significant progress has been made in recent years in the field of internal communications (over 3,500 km of railways, 8,000 km of roads), which ultimately condition the development of the vast and rich country. Maritime navigation centers on the ports of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Burutu and Calabar.

N. comprises a colony (Lagos and the surrounding territory) and a protectorate; the capital is at Lagos (180 thousand inhabitants), at the southwestern extremity of the territory. In N., statistics usually also include British Cameroons (97,256 sq km, with about one million inhabitants), stretched out like a long and slender strip between N. and French Cameroons.

Regions Surface area in sq km. Population in 1000s of inhabitants (2946) Density per sq km. Colony Protectorate: The capital is at Lagos (180 thousand inhabitants), at the southwestern extremity of the territory. In N., statistics usually also include British Cameroons (97,256 sq km, with about one million inhabitants), stretched out like a long and slender strip between N. and French Cameroons.

Giuseppe Caraci

EVANGELIZATION

During the course of the 17th century the region of the Niger River in West Africa became a field of Catholic missions. Propaganda entrusted the mission of Benin, whose king was said to be Catholic, to the Spanish Capuchins. But the Capuchins, on their arrival in 1651, found a pagan kingdom and after the first attempts at evangelization were driven out. In the neighboring kingdom of Owerri, however, whose king was Catholic, probably baptized by Portuguese missionaries from São Tomé, the Italian Capuchins from 1657 onward were able for some years to lato work with fruit. The attempts of 1695 and 1713 also failed.

The true systematic missionary work began only in the 19th century. The African Missionaries of Lyon settled in 1861 at Lagos, Benin, part of the vicariate of Dahomey, erected in 1860, from 1870 called the Coast of Benin. In 1884 they pushed forward as far as Lakoja on the western bank of the Niger. In the same year Propaganda erected the apostolic prefecture of Upper N. The Missionaries of the Holy Spirit arrived in 1885 from Gabon in the region east of the Niger, where in 1889 the apostolic prefecture of Lower N. was erected. In both missions the results were at first rather scanty. The missionaries of Lyon advanced more toward the north, where in 1911 the apostolic prefecture of Eastern N. was erected, later called Northern N., today Kaduna. The preponderant influence of the Mohammedans made the fruits very meager. In the southern part, on the other hand, both in Benin and in Upper N., called from 1911 Western N., once the first difficulties were overcome, the results were more conspicuous. Better results were obtained by the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit in Lower N., from 1920 the apostolic vicariate of Southern N.; especially from the moment when the apostolic prefect, later apostolic vicar Joseph Shanahan, increased the number of catechists and schools. The priests of his own Congregation were helped by Irish secular priests, who later united in the Missionary Society of St. Patrick. To this was entrusted in 1934 the eastern part of the vicariate, erecting it into the apostolic prefecture of Calabar. In recent years the White Fathers and the Eremites of St. Augustine have also founded their own missions in N.

On 18 April 1950 the ecclesiastical hierarchy was erected in N.: the archdiocese of Lagos with the suffragans of Benin and Ondo, the archdiocese of Onitsha with the suffragans of Calabar and Oweri, and six apostolic prefectures.

ECCLESIASTICAL ORGANIZATION

The circumscriptions are in alphabetical order. Benin City, erected as an apostolic prefecture of Upper N. in 1884, from 1911 bore the name of Western N., in 1918 became an apostolic vicariate, in 1943 changed its name to Asaba-Benin, in 1950 became a diocese under the name of Benin City, entrusted to the Society for African Missions. Calabar, erected as an apostolic prefecture in 1934, in 1947 an apostolic vicariate, in 1950 a diocese, entrusted to the Society of St. Patrick. Jos, erected as an apostolic prefecture in 1934, entrusted to the Society for African Missions. Kaduna, erected as an apostolic prefecture of Eastern N. in 1911, in 1929 took the name of Northern N., in 1934 that of Kaduna, entrusted to the Society for African Missions. Lagos, erected as an apostolic vicariate of Dahomey in 1860, in 1870 assumed the name of the Coast of Benin, in 1943 that of Lagos, in 1950 raised to an archdiocese, entrusted to the Society for African Missions. Ogoja, erected as an apostolic prefecture in 1938, entrusted to the Society of St. Patrick. Ondo, erected as an apostolic vicariate of Ondo-Ilorin in 1943, raised to a diocese in 1950, entrusted to the Society for African Missions. Onitsha, erected as an apostolic prefecture of Lower N. in 1889, an apostolic vicariate in 1920 under the name of Southern N., in 1934 under the name of Onitsha-Owerri, in 1948 under that of Onitsha, raised to an archdiocese in 1950, entrusted to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Oyo, erected as an apostolic prefecture in 1949, entrusted to the White Fathers. Yola, erected as an apostolic prefecture in 1950, entrusted to the Hermits of St. Augustine. - See plate CXX.

Giovanni Rommerskirchen