Metropolitan Archdiocese of Benin City, Nigeria

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Benin City / Urbis Beninen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Auchi, Bomadi, Issele-Uku, Uromi, Warri

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1884.05.02: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Niger (English) / Niger Superiore (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Deux Guinées)
1911.08.24: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Western Nigeria (English) / Nigeria Occidentale (Italiano) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Eastern Nigeria)
1918.08.24: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Western Nigeria (English) / Nigeria Occidentale (Italiano)
1929.07.18: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Nigeria (English) / Nigeria Settentrionale (Italiano) (lost territory to Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Nigeria)
1934.07.09: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Benue and Apostolic Prefecture of Calabar
1943.01.12: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Asaba-Benin (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Ondo-Ilorin)
1950.04.18: Promoted as Diocese of Benin City / Urbis Beninen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Lagos)
1955.02.21: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Kabba
1964.03.10: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Warri
1973.07.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Issele-Uku
1994.03.26: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Benin City / Urbis Beninen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Issele-Uku and Warri)
2002.11.06: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Auchi and gained suffragan see Auchi
2005.12.14: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Uromi and gained suffragan see Uromi
2017.09.21: Gained suffragan see Bomadi

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2011.03.18 – ...):

Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze (68)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Benin City (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze (68)
(2011.03.18 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City (Nigeria)

Ut testimonium perhibeam veritat

Born:	1956.08.25 (Kaduna, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1987.10.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.02.25

Priest of Issele-Uku (Nigeria) (1987.10.03 – 2005.12.14)

Bishop of Uromi (Nigeria) (2005.12.14 – 2011.03.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (2011.03.18 – ...)

Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (2012.04 – 2018.02.22)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (2018.02.22 – 2022.03.09)

Apostolic Administrator of Warri (Nigeria) (2022.04.18 – 2022.12.28)

Bishop Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji (93)
(Apostolic Administrator 2010.05.31 – 2011.03.18)

Archbishop Richard Anthony Burke, S.P.S. (75)
(2007.12.24 – 2010.05.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Benin City (Nigeria)

Born:	1949.02.19 (Clonmel, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1975.05.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.01.06

Coadjutor Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1995.12.06 – 1997.03.03)

Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1997.03.03 – 2007.12.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (2007.12.24 – 2010.05.31)

Apostolic Administrator of Warri (Nigeria) (2008.01 – 2010.03.29)

Archbishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu
(1994.03.26 – 2006.11.21)

Ut unum sint

Born:	1931.10.26 (Uromi, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1963.07.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.11.21
Died:	2024.08.06 (Benin City, Nigeria † 92)

Priest of Benin City (Nigeria) (1963.07.07 – 1971.06.05)

Titular Bishop of Castabala (1971.06.05 – 1973.07.05)

Coadjutor Bishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (1971.06.05 – 1973.07.05)

Bishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (1973.07.05 – 1994.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (1994.03.26 – 2006.11.21)

Bishops of Benin City (Roman Rite)

Bishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu (later Archbishop)
(1973.07.05 – 1994.03.26)

(see above)

Bishop Patrick Joseph Kelly, S.M.A.
(1950.04.18 – 1973.07.05)

Born:	1894.08.31
Ordained Priest:	1921.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1940.06.02
Died:	1991.08.18 († 96)

Vicar Apostolic of Northern Nigeria (Nigeria) (1939.12.11 – 1943.01.12)

Titular Bishop of Thignica (1939.12.11 – 1950.04.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Asaba-Benin (Nigeria) (1943.01.12 – 1950.04.18)

Bishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (1950.04.18 – 1973.07.05)

Vicars Apostolic of Asaba-Benin (Roman Rite)

Bishop Patrick Joseph Kelly, S.M.A.
(1943.01.12 – 1950.04.18)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Northern Nigeria (Roman Rite)

Bishop Patrick Joseph Kelly, S.M.A.
(1939.12.11 – 1943.01.12)

(see above)

Bishop Leo Hale Taylor, S.M.A. (later Archbishop)
(1934.02.26 – 1939.06.13)

Born:	1889.09.27
Ordained Priest:	1914.06.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.06.24
Died:	1965.10.27 († 76)

Vicar Apostolic of Northern Nigeria (Nigeria) (1934.02.26 – 1939.06.13)

Titular Bishop of Vartana (1934.02.26 – 1950.04.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Bight of Benin (Nigeria) (1939.06.13 – 1943.01.12)

Vicar Apostolic of Lagos (Nigeria) (1943.01.12 – 1950.04.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos (Nigeria) (1950.04.18 – 1965.07.06)

Titular Archbishop of Madytus (1965.07.06 – 1965.10.27)

Bishop Thomas Broderick, S.M.A.
(1918.08.24 – 1933.10.13)

Born:	1882.12.23 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1906.07.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1918.09.10
Died:	1933.10.13 († 50)

Titular Bishop of Petnelissus (1918.08.24 – 1933.10.13)

Vicar Apostolic of Northern Nigeria (Nigeria) (1918.08.24 – 1933.10.13)

Prefects Apostolic of Western Nigeria (Roman Rite)

Fr. Carlo Zappa, S.M.A.
(1911 – 1917)

Died:

1917

Prefect Apostolic of Western Nigeria (Nigeria) (1911 – 1917)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu (later Archbishop) (1971.06.05 – 1973.07.05)