YOLA, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — Located in the north-eastern part of Nigeria and entrusted to the Augustinian Hermits (Irish Province).
It was erected on 14 July 1950 from 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. and a population of approximately 1,000,000 inhabitants, belonging to numerous tribes. Some of these, Muslim, are either of Hamitic origin (such as the Fulani tribe) or of mixed origin (such as the Hausa tribe) and engage in trade or pastoralism; others, pagan, are farmers and of Semitic origin, except those that have mixed with the Fulani. Muslims represent one third of the population, the other two thirds are pagans. Each tribe has its own vernacular, which, however, is akin to that of the others.
The Apostolic Prefecture initially encountered some difficulties with the government, but it now enjoys great prestige in the eyes of both British and indigenous authorities, to the extent that it has been invited to establish new missionary centres in certain places. Statistical data: Catholics 1,627, almost all native; catechumens 1,779; Protestants approximately 10,000; foreign priests 20; foreign sisters 3; catechists 28; teachers 56; principal missionary 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 and 239 female pupils.