ONDO, Diocese of. - In the south-eastern part of Nigeria. The evangelization of the territory began in 1913 through the work of the Fathers of the Society for African Missions. The first residence of the missionaries was founded in 1916.
On 12 Jan. 1943, by division of the then vicariates of the Coast of Benin (today the archdiocese of Lagos) and of Western Nigeria (today the diocese of Benin City), the apostolic vicariate of O. Illorin was erected and entrusted to the same Society. On 18 Apr. 1950, with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in British West Africa, it was raised to the rank of diocese, under the name of O., a suffragan of Lagos.
The territory (68,000 sq. km.), is inhabited by the great Yoruba tribe. According to the statistical data of 1950: pop. approx. 1,000,000; Catholics approx. 30,000 with 5,831 catechumens; Protestants approx. 250,000 (established in the place well before the Catholics and with approx. 550 schools); Muslims approx. 200,000; pagans over 330,000. Native priests 3, foreign 28; foreign nuns 3; catechists 29; teachers 542; major seminarians 1, minor 5; principal mission stations 12, secondary 151; churches 12; chapels 144. Elementary schools 109. An interdiocesan school for the training of teachers is in Lagos. There is not yet a properly so-called Catholic Action, the diocese being at the beginning of its development.