In the first last topic, you read about the Portuguese traders who came to
Nigeria to trade as well as to spread Christianity which however
was short lived due to their involvement in slave / trade. In
this unit, you will study about the formation of the Society of the
African Mission by the Catholic missionaries in order to plant
Christianity in West Africa, especially, Nigeria.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
• identify the contribution of the Catholic Mission to the
growth of the Christian Church in Nigeria
• state how many mission stations were opened by Catholic
priests in Nigeria in the early period of Christianity.
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
3.1 The Formation of the Society of the African Mision for Spreading of the Roman Catholic Faith
The formation of the Society of the African Mission for the
spreading of the Roman Catholic faith helped in the planting of
Christianity in Nigeria. The Society attempted to plant Christianity
in Sierra-Leone around 1860, but, it failed. However, it moved
from Sierra-Leone to Dahomey to plant the Roman Catholic Faith.
The planting of the Catholic Faith at Dahomey, now the Republic of
Benin, began with Father Borghero who was assisted by two other
Missionaries. In 1860, the Italian Roman Catholic Father,
Borghero who was stationed at Whydah in Dahomey, paid a visit
to Abeokuta and Lagos. In 1862, he re-visited Lagos. However, on
reaching Lagos, he met some of Nigerians Catholic freed slaves
from Brazil who had settled there. In addition to this, Father
Borghero was also surprised at meeting some Brazilians who had
aptized in the Roman Catholic Church, but, were living in Lagos.
Father Borghero was encouraged when he saw some of his natives
and Nigerians who were adherents of the Roman Catholic faith in
Lagos. He established a Mission station at Lagos. But, it has no
permanent Priest. He made Lagos one of the out-stations of Ouidah in
Dahomey. By 1862, Father Borghero sent a Catechist named
Padre Antonio who was a freed slave from Sao Tome Island to
the Lagos Mission.
While Catechist Padre was stationed in Lagos, he taught Nigerians
and other nationals who lived in Lagos the Roman Catholic faith.
He baptized Children, prayed with the dying and buried the dead.
In 1868, Father Pierre Bouche was sent to Lagos by the Catholic
Mission to resume duty as the residential Priest in Nigeria. The
Roman Catholic Mission built a Chapel in Lagos in 1869 for the
adherents of the Catholic Faith. The Church also established a
Primary School in Lagos the same year. From Lagos, the Roman
Catholic Faith spread across Nigeria. The faith spread to Onitsha
through another Father named Lutz who worked around Onitsha
town. This marked the growth and expansion of the Roman
Catholic faith towards the Niger Delta area. The Catholic adherents
further sent Fathers Chauses and Holley from Onitsha, towards Ilorin,
and Ondo.
In 1885, the Catholic Mission sent two Irish Priests who were
members of the Society of the African Mission to Lagos. They
were Fathers Healey who stationed at Abeokuta and Father
Connaughton who was made the Lagos schools Manager in
Nigeria. In 1886, Father Chauses opened a Mission Station at Oyo.
In 1891, he was collated Bishop of Nigeria.
He died around 1894. Father Chauses was succeeded by Bishop
Paul Pellet who opened a Mission Station at Ibadan in 1895.
Around the period, Father John. M. Coquard established the Sacred
Heart Hospital at Ibadan.
The Spread of the Roman Catholic Faith to Lokoja,
Onitsha and Asaba
In 1884, the Roman Catholic Mission opened a Mission station
at Lokoja in Kogi State, Nigeria. Three Fathers were sent by the
Catholic Mission to Lokoja to continue spreading the Catholic
Faith in the area.
However, one of the fathers died at Lokoja in 1885. Father Andrew
Dornan was sent to replace the deceased Father. After some years, the
Roman Catholic Mission Headquarters was removed from Lokoja and
it was located to Asaba by Father Carlo Zappa who was placed
to head the Lokoja Mission area. Father Bishop Shanahan built a
Mission house at Onitsha. He spread the Catholic Faith to Oghuli,
where he built a Primary School, conducted baptism classes and
learnt Ibo language. His speaking the language made many Ibo
people to be converted into the Catholic faith. Bishop Shanahan
founded the congregation of the sisters of our Lady of the Holy
Rosary in Ireland in 1920. The sisters were trained to offer
service to the Catholic Missions of the Holy Ghost Fathers in
the Eastern parts of Nigeria.
In addition to these, Father Shanahan also converted many other
Nigerians into the Catholic Faith i n Ibo land. By 1924, the
Catholic Church in Nigeria was staffed by natives of Ibo who
were priests. In 1933, Father Shanahan consecrated the new
Cathedral that was built by the Church in Nigeria.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
Assess the roles of the Society of the African Mission in Nigeria.
CONCLUSION
The formation of the African Mission for the spread of the
Catholic faith helped in the expansion of the faith in Nigeria.
The Roman Catholic Mission began in Lagos around 1860 with Father
Borghero. The Church spread from Lagos to Onitsha, Ilorin, Ondo,
Oyo, Lokoja, Oghuli and other parts of Ibo land in Nigeria.
The mission had established Schools in all its mission stations in
the country where children were educated and converted the Catholic faith
SUMMARY
Father Borghero and the freed slaves of Nigerians championed the
planting of Catholic faith in Nigeria. Bishop Shanahan founded the
Roman Catholic Mission station at Onitsha in 1886. He evangelized
Oghuli. He built a mission house and School there. Many Nigerians
received Bible instructions in the Bible Classes at the various
Catholic Mission stations in Nigeria. In addition to these, many
Nigerians benefited from the Catholic Mission through the
receiving of Western education from them. The Catholic mission
spread from Lagos to other parts of Nigeria.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Examine the roles of the Nigerian freed slaves in the planting of
Roman Catholic Faith in Nigeria.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS
Ajayi, J.F.A. (1964).Christian Missions in Nigeria, 1814-1891, The
Marking of a New Elite, London: Longmans group Ltd.
Ayandele, E.A. (1966).The Missionary Impact on Modern Nigeria
1842-1914, London: Longmans Group Ltd.
Babalola, E.O. (1976).Christianity in West Africa, Ibadan: Scholar
Publications International (Nig) Ltd. 
