BIDA
COMMUNITY:
In
the Southern part of the The
Etsu Nupe gave a ca=
utious
welcome to the Father, and the 2 Sisters, Srs. M. Florence Clerke
(Dympn) and M. Bartholomew (Veronica) Murray, w=
ho
first went around the villages in September, 1967 to recruit a class for the
new school, and three months were spent visiting Primary Schools and Parent=
s,
explaining the advantages that education would bring to their girls. Most of
the parents agreed to pay in kind with rice or guinea corn for their daught=
ers
up-keep, and they frequently visited the school. The children watched the
buildings grew, and the furnishing and equipment installed, and lay-out of =
the
compound. This varied and broad education was a privilege only to be afford=
ed
to the pioneer class, for the following classes found buildings and facilit=
ies
generously provided by the The
Governor of the The
work of the pioneer Sisters, and all who worked there cannot be over
emphasized. The standard of the schools, grew but like most mission school,=
the
government took it over. This led to the gradual withdrawing of Sisters from
there. However, others came, Sr. Mary Murray, when she came to Bida, joined=
the
staff of the The
involvement of the Sisters, shifted to the Zungeru
College of Advanced studies and then into Cathechesis<=
/span>,
women’s literacy, leadership and family care pro=
grammes
as well as youth apostolate. Work in the pastoral area was not left out. All
this while, Mary was alone though she sometimes got the assistance of the V=
SO
(A Voluntary Service Organization). A
fresh call came and Mary had to leave for home, hence the temporary closure=
of
the Bida house in June, 1991, with the hope that we will re-open it someday,
please God. That
day did come eventually. The new Catholic Bishop of Mi=
nna,
Bishop Martin Uzokwu invited us back to manage =
and
teach in a parish Nursery / Primary School. convent![](3D"BIDACOMMUNITYnew_files/image002.jpg")