YOLA, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. - Located in the north-eastern part of Nigeria and entrusted to the Hermits of St. Augustine (Irish province).
It was erected on 14 July 1950 with parts of territory detached from the apostolic prefectures of Jos and Oturkpo and from the diocese of Buea. It has an area of 64,000 sq km with a population of about 1,000,000 inhabitants, belonging to numerous tribes. Some of these, Muslim, are either of Hamitic origin (such as the Fulani tribe) or mixed (such as the Hausa tribe) and engage in commerce or pastoralism; others, pagan, are farmers and are of semi-Bantu origin, except those that have intermingled with the Fulani. Muslims represent one third of the population, the other two thirds are pagan. Each tribe has its own vernacular, which is nonetheless akin in nature to that of the others.
The apostolic prefecture initially had some difficulties with the government, but now it enjoys great prestige before both the English and the native authorities, so much so that it has been invited to found new mission centres in certain places. Statistical data: Catholics 1627, almost all natives, catechumens 1779; Protestants about 10,000; foreign priests 20; foreign nuns 3; catechists 28; teachers 56; principal mission stations 7 (of which 2 in the south among the Jukon, Mumuye and Chamba tribes, 2 in the north among the Higi, Marghi and Fali tribes, 2 in the east near the Chamba, Verre, Koma, Bagirmi tribes and immigrants from the south, 1 in the west among the Bare, Bachama, Bata and Shellen tribes), secondary stations 36; churches 2, chapels 22, schools 29 with 284 male pupils and 239 female pupils.
Bibliography2 works
Carlo Corvo