OWERRI, DIOCESE of. - It is situated on the southern coast of Nigeria and is entrusted to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
Before 12 Feb. 1948 its territory formed part of the apostolic vicariate of Onitsha-O. (v. ONITSHA), which, on the aforementioned date, was divided into two independent vicariates: that of Onitsha and that of O. On 18 Apr. 1950, upon the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in British West Africa, the apostolic vicariate of O. was raised to the status of a diocese suffragan to Onitsha, which became an archdiocese on the same occasion.
Area: 28,460 sq. km.; pop. approx. 2,500,000; Catholics 271,000, with 128,700 catechumens; Protestants 173,600; Mohammedans approx. 2,000; pagans approx. 1,925,000. Native priests
7, foreign priests 55; native lay brothers 9, with 1 novitiate and 16 novices; foreign lay brothers 3; native nuns 3, with 1 novitiate and 37 novices; foreign nuns 27; some major seminarians are educated at the interdiocesan Seminary of Onitsha and numerous minor seminarians at the minor Seminary of Okpala; catechists 27; male teachers 2,874, female teachers 483; physicians, one layman and one religious sister; qualified nurses 26 and 49 in training. Principal mission stations 26, secondary stations 957; churches 181, chapels 393; hospitals 1; dispensaries 12; maternity homes 9. Schools: elementary 504; secondary 301; vocational 1; teacher-training 5. Catholic Action is flourishing.