by Sr. Christine Gill, MMM                                 Ireland                             10.01.2026

Soon after my First Profession of Vows, I was on my way to Nigeria. I was in my late twenties and had no experience of Africa at all, so everything was new and exciting. Leaving Ireland I thought I was going to a hospital in Obudu, but I was met at the airport by my new Regional Superior and was told, no, not Obudu, but Nkalagu.
I had never heard of the place – was it an MMM mission? No, I was told, it was a cement factory which had its own hospital and MMM had

been asked to administer it in 1962. It was totally Nigerian, set up and administered by Nigerians, but the top engineers and technicians were international, mostly from European countries. They had their own hospital, which was bright, modern and equipped to a high standard. All the treatments were free for the employees of the cement factory, and the local people could be treated at a reduced rate.

I liked it in Nkalagu, and we were kept busy. We were four, Srs. Madeleine Canno, Oliver Murphy, Áine Lucey and myself. I remember one occasion when a local chief brought two of his wives to the hospital. The second wife was in labour and had a prolapse of the uterus during childbirth. Fortunately, we had a wonderful Spanish doctor who cared for her, and she recovered. The chief was so grateful he brought us a big fat ewe as a present!

However, we began to hear rumour of war. No, no, it will never happen, some said. But there were skirmishes, and injured soldiers began coming for treatment. One of the local army Coronels was friendly to us and began warning us to be ready to leave. So, we had our suitcases packed but continued on with our daily work in the hospital. Then, one day the Coronel came. “You must leave now! The troops are only three miles away and are coming in this direction.” But we were also warned not to leave before nightfall. At night we would not be visible for sniper fire. Just before leaving, our watchman called us to look at the fat ewe we had been given – three little lambs had appeared! But in spite of the rejoicing, we knew we had to leave.

It was a three-hour journey to the nearest MMM house, Abakaliki, but it took us several days as we had to take refuge in an abandoned priest’s house. But the story of the journey from Nkalagu is another story.

And the cement factory? It was taken into federal control and eventually closed in 2000. This year there are whispers to re-open it again, but MMM will not be returning.