1,000 To Attend Anglican Primate Enthronement

More than 1,000 delegates are expected to attend the enthronement of the new Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh,  in Abuja on March 25, a statement said.

 Okoh will be the fourth primate of the Church and will succeed retiring Most Rev. Peter Akinola, who occupied the office between 2000 and 2010.

 The statement, issued by the Church, states that “seven foreign primates, many archbishops and bishops”  in addition to more than 1,000 delegates from the 163 dioceses of the Church will attend. 

 The statement, signed by Mr Gbenga Onayiga, the Diocesan Communicator, said a meeting of the standing committee would be held on March 22 in Abuja during which the new primate would be presented to the Communion.

 The Weekend Tide’s Source recalls that Okoh was elected primate on September.15, 2009, through a two third majority of the College of Bishops in a four candidate contest at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Umuahia.

 Okoh is currently the Archbishop of Bendel Province and Bishop of Asaba diocese of the Church.

 He retired from the Nigerian Army as a lieutenant-colonel in 2001.

 He studied at Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan, between 1976 and 1979 and was made deacon in 1979.

He was elected Bishop of Asaba in 2001 and became Archbishop of Bendel in July 2005.