THE CATHOLIC MISSIONARY PHASES IN NORTHERN IGBOLAND: A HISTORICAL APPROACH

Abstract

This paper discusses the Catholic Missionary phases in Northern Igboland since its inception in 1885 till date. The missionary team of four that implanted Roman Catholicism in this tedious vineyard was led by Father Joseph Lutz. The findings of this paper reveal, among other facts, that Onitsha was not the primary destination of the missionaries but Lokoja in order to begin the Upper Niger Mission. However, providence changed their course to Onitsha and they began the Lower Niger Mission of which the Northern Igboland, the local context of our study, constitutes a critical part. The missionary Phases in this area are identified as the French period (1885-1905), the Irish period (1905-1969) and the indigenous period (1970-2017). The historical narrative of these missionary phases are thrilling, engaging, informative and educative. Each phase holds great and noble lessons which the present and future missionaries, scholars, historians, researchers and indeed all, ought to learn from. History is the versatile custodian and teacher of past events. This paper presents some of these articulated lessons. The methodology employed in this paper is historical approach which means that our topic under study is considered in terms of its earliest phases through its subsequent historic evolution in the unfolding of events and their interconnectedness till the present time.