[Part II] Documented history of Mbaise (1941 to 1990)

Documented history of Mbaise (1941 to 1990)

Contd. from Documented history of Mbaise (1899 to 1941)

Role of the Catholic Church

One singular institution that played an outstanding role in the overall development of Mbaise community is the Catholic Church. Little wonder till date, the Church has somewhat become synonymous with Mbaise community.

Documented history of Mbaise (1899 to 1941)

Documented history of Mbaise (1899 to 1941): Cross section of the ‘Nzes’ during the 2015 ‘Oji’ Mbaise cultural festival held at Udo, Ezinihitte Mbaise Imo State on 1/1/2015. (Udo Top Gist)

Mbaise is an amalgam of indigenous, autochthonous clans, connected by intermarriage, and situated in approximate area the heartland of Igboland. It occupies an area of 404 square kilometers. The quiddity of Mbaise is that this homogenous group of more than 1000 persons per square kilometer is the most densely populated area in West Africa. The population of Mbaise as at 2006 was estimated to be 611,204 people (Agulanna, 2008).