Benue Region

Benue Region, Nigeria               

Our Lady Queen and Protectress of Nigeria, pray for us.

Holy Rosary Sisters in Benue
“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all those who encounter Jesus. A joy ever new. A joy that is shared.” Pope Francis.

 Benue Region, in the “Middle Belt” of Nigeria, lies south of the River Benue and stretches from Makurdi on the Benue to Idah on the Niger.                                                                                                                                                                 

Regional Headquarters: Holy Rosary Convent, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.
Regional Leader: Sister Rita Ogbusu.   Email:    chiriogbusu@yahoo.com
Vocation:  Contact number :+2348165095030

About Us
Benue Region lies south and east of the River Benue between Makurdi, capital of Benue State, and Idah, in Kogi State.The Region was separated from Southern Nigeria in 1956 to allow for development. The first post-primary schools for girls in the whole area were Queen of the Rosary Secondary School, Gboko; Holy Rosary Teacher Training College, Adoka; andHoly Rosary TC Idah. In due course our past students took over the administration of these schools; Adoka and Gboko are now run by the Sisters of the Nativity, founded by the Holy Rosary Sisters.
Medical work included Grimard Hospital, Anyigba;  St Monica’s Hospital, Adikpo; Adoka Maternity Centre, Adoka; Mother and Child Clinic, Ankpa, with Primary Health Care Services reaching out to the surrounding areas. Diocesan Development Services in Idah served the farmers in Idah Diocese.  Education includes Holy Rosary Nursery and Primary School in Makurdi, and Holy Innocents Secondary School in Otukpo. 

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Holy Innocents Secondary School Otukpo

Holy Innocents before

After

Sister Mary with her grads

This school belongs to the Diocese of Otukpo and Holy Rosary were asked to take it over four years ago.  A lot of renovation was needed, and in October 2019 a grant came for the classrooms.  Sister Mary Unwuchola tells of her joy when this happened:
“It is only those who have been to the school that would understand the story of these buildings. They were on the verge of collapsing. There were no proper doors, windows, no ceilings and all broken floors.  The school is not fenced and so many things are lacking. A school which a food vendor referred to as (pidgin English) “de school wey e name get respect passam” This means that the name of the school has respect more than the school itself!  God has started the work. We pray for better things to come!”

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Makurdi Diocese:  Holy Rosary Nursery and Primary School, Makurdi

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Idah Diocese: Ankpa: Mother and Child Health Clinic, Ankpa.

Efofe: Holy Rosary Clinic.
Anyigba: Grimard Memorial Hospital
Idah: Diocesan Development Services, teaching.

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Efofe Clinic

Health outreach to families and communities

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Grimard Catholic Hospital, Anyigba Updating all the time.

Sisters Ene, Cecilia and Christiana have been working, together with their dedicated staff, to give the famous hospital a face-lift, and on September 29th 2018 Bishop Adaji, Bishop of Idah Diocese, came to bless the new and refurbished buildings.  These included the new gate-house and mortuary, and the formal renaming  of some of the wards.  Bishop Shanahan Ward was the first port of call, followed Sister Bertilla Ward, plus some others.  (Sister Bertilla was matron of Grimard for many years and is well-known throughout Igala-land).  The School of Midwifery had matriculation that day, and the foundation stone was laid for the new School of Nursing. 

May this blessing today extend to all who come to the hospital seeking healing and comfort.

The Grimard Triplets 2019

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Mother and Child Health Clinic, Ankpa

In Ankpa, sadly, there are motherless babies too.  Women find it hard to pay the transport to come to the clinic for deliveries, and sometimes die in childbirth.  When this happens the wider family steps in to take care of the child, and the carer comes for support at the clinic.   Each month more than fifty motherless babies from the area come for vaccinations, health check, and food supplement, while we spread the message: Come in time, come and have your babies here in a safe environment. 

A joyful day:  Biliamu takes his first step at exactly nine months, with Sister Seraphine to hold his hand.

Below:  Little Joseph’s best friend:  his loving Grandmother.

Carers are glad to come  to discuss problems, get advice, and take home infant milk and food supplement.

Vaccination Day at Holy Rosary Clinic, Efofe.

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Development

This book, Food Most Royal,  by Sister Nora McNamara and Professor Stephen Morse,  is now availaable on Kindle.
Visit our Development Page to read more about yam improvement and surveys of trees in Igala and Idoma in Benue.

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Sister Chinyeaka C Ezeani presents her valuable new book on interculturality in religious life.

A new book on Interculturality and the Religious life has just been written by Sr Chinyeaka C Ezeani, published by Pauline Publications Africa.
    “Taking seriously the prayer of Jesus that all may be one (John 17:21), Sister Chinyeaka tries in this book to articulate clearly the challenges as well as the beauty of living as people from different cultures in religious life.  The underlying assumption in her work is that it is possible and necessary to appreciate the beauty that each culture brings.  This requires continuous to conversion to the heart of Christ, and prayerful attentiveness to biases and complexes that tend to support mischaracterization of other cultures. ” (From the Foreward)

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Building peace between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.  Hatred cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
  Martin Luther King.

In Ankpa town where the population is shared between Muslims and Christians, Sister Franca works to draw people together.  In simple ways, like sharing the same water bore hole joyfully; in serious ways, like the peace workshop with Christian and Muslim Women leaders, see photos below.

Below, Sister Franca with young people at a workshop in non-violent confrontation in Jos; with children in the  camp for internally displaced people in Yola, and with friend Mariam.

“Whether or not I create the peace and reconciliation I want in the world, I want to die knowing that I lived with the integrity of trying.”  Miki Kashtan, Little Book of Courageous.

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 Wild Flowers of Benue

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