The early missionaries had set up flourishing stations along the river banks at Onitsha,Nsugbe, Aguieri and Igbariam. As Nando is in the hinterland, there is no evidence that the 19th
century missionaries penetrated into Nando, but according to oral tradition two schools were set up in Nando by early farthers in 1908. One at Arnaokpobili Akamanao and the other at Ama Bito Ikem, with the bulk of pupils from Omann Awo Age Grade. Even at that, there was no permanent mission House at Nando. The educational and spiritual needs of the pupils and the faithful were attended to from Aguieri by a handful of resident teachers and Reverend Farthers “on trek”.
In this manner, the propagation of faith began in Nando. Baptisms were administered on both the dying converts, and equally the living that formed the early Christian community.
The First World War (1914-1918) affected the work and number of the missionaries. Another devastating effect was the attractive traditional way of life which speedily drove the pupils and the converts to relapse into paganism the final factor was the mal- administration of the resident teachers, which created a ripe ground for the decline in the school enrolment. These factors militate against and lead to closure of the schools and the departure of the resident teachers.
ii. The mid period (1918-1929) the year Pope Benedict XV canonized Joan of Arc a saint. With the assistance and support of late Chief Ezechukwu of Abube Uno and Nwakamma of Umuawo, Late Chief chieve Ezinso requested the Rev. Fathers at Aguieri to open a school and church, this was again granted. A school and church named St Joan of Arc Nando was located opposite the present premises of Central School, Nando.
Within a short space of time, the new mission school and church made huge progress. A place of worship was establish for the converts. Rev. Fr Farwell and his famous catechist late Mr. Martin Kwaza paid visits on regular basis to instruct the catechumens, administer sacraments, and supervise the resident teachers to ensure effective and good administration. The prince of hell later killed this happy trend in the Catholic faith by using a local rival of Chief Chieve. In 1924, the members of St Joan Church were punished by the local chief assisted by the corrupt Native Court officials, for not taking part in the forced labour organised by the local chief himself and the Court clerk. The converts were maliciously arraigned at the Agbalagidi native court and sent to three months imprisonment.
This had a devastating effect on Nando population of Catholic community. Many pupils from Akamanato Village stopped school. A few ardent faithful had to travel to other places for their sacraments and for schooling
Period of consolidation (1930 to date): in 1930 a third attempt was made to reestablish the Church in Nando, making use of the wisdom of concentrating on pupils in the introduction of faith in Igbo land. During the Easter season of 1930, the pupils who departed in the mid-twenties and the converts got together and convened a meeting during which they unanimously took a resolution to set up a new school. With the support of sympathizers they raised a small fund and put up a thatched building at the site now occupied by Central School Nando. The school and church still bore the name St Joan of Arc. The number of pupils and converts grew and in 1937, the ceremony of baptizing them took place. There was a large turnout of converts, mainly school children, assisted through the relentless efforts of teachers in the persons of Paul Makam, Leo Udekwe, Philip Akwu, Peter Anuwuobi, Lawrence Ekwealor, Gabriel Nduba and Isaac Ameke.
In 1954, there was a major change in the system with the coming of Gabriel Atuanya, a higher elementary certificated teacher, as the headmaster of the school. The school extended to Standard Five in 1954 and Standard Six in 1955.
In 1954 a school was established at Ikem Nando, which has given rise to St Francis outstation Ikem and in 1956 another school, was established at Abubu Agu, Nando which gave rise to St Jude’s outstation, Abube Agu. These two outstations have eventually become parishes.
Nando mission was being administered from Aguleri in the early sixties by the Holy Ghost missionaries. With later developments, the Nigerian missionaries took over, first, Fr. Stephen Obiukwu, followed by Msgr. Boniface Asuzu. Later Nando was administered from St Anthony’s Parish Igbariam by Frs late Henry Emekwue, ex-priest Benard Okoli, Fr Michael Ndive, Fr Edwin Emeli and the last administration that saw the separation of Igbariam and Nando was during the tenure of Rev. Fr George Ekwunife when Nando as an outstation was created out of Igbariam Parish in 1993 by His Grace Late Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya. It was after the inspection visit for the Fathers House by His Lordship Bishop Oitch in 1992 in the company of Rev. Fr Anthony Igweagu, that the late Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya raised it to the status of a parish in 1993 when Fr George Ekwunife was appointed the parish priest. He is currently the incumbent parish priest. However, a few years after the creation of St Joan of Arc Parish following another creation of parish in 2007, it was St Jude’s outstation Abube Agu that was raised to the status of a parish by his Grace most Rev. Dr Valerian M. Okeke the present Archbishop of Onitsha, with Rev. Fr Emeka Okafor as its pioneer parish priest. As the two already created parishes were functioning well, the Archbishop saw the need to create another parish this time it was St Francis Ikem Nando in 2009 with Rev. Fr Udeaja as the pioneer parish priest.
Here are the priests that have worked in St Joan of Arc Parish Nando.
1. Rev. Dr Emma Nwabude
2. Rev Fr Fabian Chikeluba
3. Rev Fr Paul Nwankwo, Fr Celestine Aniofor and Fr Emeka Okafor
4. Rev Fr Dr. Anthony Idigo
5. Rev Fr Gabriel Ogbaji
6. Rev Fr Francis Okafor
7. Rev Fr George Ekwunife (present Parish Priest)
Achievements 2020 to 2024
The present Parish Piest took over in 2020 from Rev Fr. Francis Okafor. From 2021 fencing of the church compound commenced, and by 2022 two main gates had been installed close to the main road.
In 2022 to 2023 the Parish Chapel of Perpetual Adoration was built and was blessed by His Lordship Bishop Denis Chidi Isizoh.
Conveniences for the use of faithful attending religious services were built, 2023 to 2024, and in 2023, 16 windows were installed in the primary school building. Also in 2023 the Parish Grotto of our Blessed Mother Mary was started. It is still under construction.
Parish Pious Societies : charismatic renewal, legion of mary, divine mercy, tansi solidarity, st. Anthony of Padua, Block Rosary crusade