The Civil War: How The Catholic Missionaries Stuck With Biafra Even When They Were Advised To Return To Europe

 
This is the second and the most important reason. This is the reason that sealed the love and relationship of the igbos and the catholic church.

When the Civil war broke out More than half of all the catholic missions in Nigeria were situated in Igboland.

They received letters from their European countries asking them to leave the war zone but they refused.

They remained with the igbos and followed them deep into Igboland when the federal forces encircled igbo land.
 

They provided news of the immense suffering wrought by the civil war to outside media, and helped garner support for the Biafrans from the international Christian community.
 

They were hated by Nigerian forces and started coming under attack. Many of them lost their lives in the war.

They treated the sick, provided aid from the international community .

All those photos of starving children you see were taken by most of them which they sneaked outside the world so the world can know what is happening.
 
 In 1968 a Vatican mission visited Biafra, and Pope Paul VI (who had been the first European cardinal to visit Nigeria in 1962) personally spoke out on behalf of the Biafran Igbo.

Missionaries who supported the Biafran Igbo were expelled following the war—roughly 500 total—and no foreign priests were permitted to work in Nigeria until the mid-1970s.
 

The names of the catholic missions that stood with the igbos till death were the Irish Holy Ghost Fathers , Holy Rosary Sisters. Caritas and a host of all others.

The catholic church saved millions of lives during the war. Its vast global reach helped provide aid to the famished igbos during the war.

After the war the Catholic church also helped in rebuilding and shaping our schools and hospitals.
 
  The Nigerian forces were annoyed with the role the catholic church played during the war. They took over all the mission schools in a bid to weaken the catholic influence in Igboland.

Our schools suffered decay and neglect under Nigerian help. Thank God they have been returned to the Church.

The catholic church will forever reign in Igboland because of this two reasons. The catholic church shaped our socio cultural society and civilized us , then they fought and died with us during the horrible days of the war.

We igbos will forever be grateful to the mother church.   (Merit Intel)