Diocese of

Ogoja

Nigeria

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Ogoja / Ogogiaën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Calabar

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1938.03.13: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Ogoja / de Ogoja (Latin) (from Apostolic Prefecture of Calabar)
1955.01.01: Promoted as Diocese of Ogoja / Ogogiaën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Onitsha)
1973.03.01: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Abakaliki
1994.03.26: Became suffragan of Calabar

Present Prelates

Bishop (2017.04.09 – ...):

Bishop Donatus Edet Akpan (72)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Ogoja (Roman Rite)

Bishop Donatus Edet Akpan (72)
(2017.04.09 – ...)

Bishop of Ogoja (Nigeria)

Quid restribuam Domino

Born:	1952.08.07 (Ikot Ada Utor, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1985.10.12
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.07.07

Priest of Ikot Ekpene (Nigeria) (1985.10.12 – 2017.04.09)

Bishop of Ogoja (Nigeria) (2017.04.09 – ...)

Bishop John Ebebe Ayah (65)
(Apostolic Administrator 2014.07.05 – 2017.04.09)

Bishop John Ebebe Ayah (65)
(2006.10.14 – 2014.07.05)

Bishop of Uyo (Nigeria)

Born:	1959.12.10 (Buja-Obanliku, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1993.07.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.01.06

Priest of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1993.07.24 – 2006.10.14)

Bishop of Ogoja (Nigeria) (2006.10.14 – 2014.07.05)

Apostolic Administrator of Ogoja (Nigeria) (2014.07.05 – 2017.04.09)

Bishop of Uyo (Nigeria) (2014.07.05 – ...)

Bishop Joseph Edra Ukpo (later Archbishop)
(1973.03.01 – 2003.12.17)

Born:	1937.06.06 (Okpoma, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1965.04.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.09.19
Died:	2023.03.01 (Nigeria † 85)

Priest of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1965.04.25 – 1971.04.24)

Titular Bishop of Chullu (1971.04.24 – 1973.03.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1971.04.24 – 1973.03.01)

Bishop of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1973.03.01 – 2003.12.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (2003.12.17 – 2013.02.02)

Bishop Thomas McGettrick, S.P.S.
(1955.01.01 – 1973.03.01)

Born:	1905.12.22 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1930.06.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1955.05.22
Died:	1988.12.17 († 82)

Prefect Apostolic of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1939.11.10 – 1955.01.01)

Bishop of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1955.01.01 – 1973.03.01)

Bishop of Abakaliki (Nigeria) (1973.03.01 – 1983.02.19)

Prefects Apostolic of Ogoja (Roman Rite)

Fr. Thomas McGettrick, S.P.S. (later Bishop)
(1939.11.10 – 1955.01.01)

(see above)

Msgr. Patrick Joseph Whitney, S.P.S.
(1938 – 1939)

Born:	1894 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1920.06
Died:	1942 († 48)

Founder of Saint Patrick’s Society for the Foreign Missions (1932.03.17)

Prefect Apostolic of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1938 – 1939)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Joseph Edra Ukpo (later Archbishop) (1971.04.24 – 1973.03.01)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Benedict’s Cathedral, Ogoja, Cross River

Awgu (↙), Abakaliki (←), Gboko (↑), Katsina-Ala (↗), Mamfe (↘), Calabar (↓)

Statistics (2018.12.31)

Area: 125,557 km²

Population: 1,053,000 Catholics (31.6% of 3,335,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 79 parishes, 5 missions

Personnel: 149 priests (145 diocesan, 4 religious), 55 religious (4 brothers, 51 sisters), 110 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.04.02

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