Auchi Diocese
| Province: | Benin |
| Website: | http://www.catholicdioceseofauchi.org |
| Contact: | Solium Davidica, Old Igarra Rd. P. O. Box 425, Auchi Edo State Tel: 08033938873, 052255605,08045066252 |
| Ordinary: |
Gabriel Dunia > Bishop |
| History: | The Catholic Church in Afemai land or what is now the Diocese of Auchi dates back to the later part of the 19th century when the first Roman Catholic missionaries arrived at Agenebode in the present Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State and opened a mission station there. The team was led by Rt Revd Monsignor Carlo Zappa who took over as the Prefect of the Upper Niger in 1894, with headquarters at Asaba. As a Prefect, Monsignor Zappa successfully gained access into the interior and established parish stations throughout the territory now known as Benin ecclesiastical province. In Etsako, he opened a parish station at Agenebode in 1897 (the first parish station in the then Archdiocese of Benin City with Fr Peter Pioten as the first parish priest. From Agenebode, other parish stations were opened at Ivianokpodi, Iviukwe, Okpekpe and Apana. In 1908, he established the first Major Seminaiy in Nigeria - St Martin's Seminary - at Ivianokpodi. The seminary was later transferred to Asaba in 1927 by Bishop Broderick. Among the seminarians who moved from the seminary at Ivianokpodi to Asaba was the late Fr Paul Emechete, the first Nigerian priest, and the late Rt Revd Monsignor Joseph Agbodio Erameh, a native of Anegbette in South Uneme Clan in present Etsako Central Local Govermnent Area of Edo State. With the death of Bishop Broderick in 1933, Bishop Leo Taylor was appointed his successor in 1934. Bishop Taylor, who came to Asaba-Benin Vicariate from Lagos where he was the principal of St Gregory's College, created Uzairue Parish in 1935, with Fr J.J. Healyas the first parish priest. Bishop Taylor ordained the first Edo priest who was also the second indigenous priest of the Vicariate Apostolic of Western Nigeria in the person of the late Rt Revd Monsignor Joseph Agbodio Erameh at Asaba on 20th December, 1936 and transferred the major seminary there to Benin City in 1938. Bishop Taylor was succeeded in the Asaba-Benin Vicariate by Bishop Patrick Joseph Kelly in the same year. The Catholic Church in Etsako, during the episcopacy of Bishop P.J. Kelly, established four secondary schools: Our Lady of Fatima College, Auchi, St John's College, Fugar, St Angela's Girls' Grammar School, Uzairue and St Peter's College. Agenebode, which were taken over by Government in 1973. In the same 1973, Bishop Kelly retired and handed over the Diocese of Benin City to Bishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu (now Archbishop Ekpu). Conscious of the fact that the task of evangelizing the diocese was onerous, Archbishop Ekpu worked very hard to see that many more indigenous priests were ordained and new parishes created. As at 30th December 2002, there were ten (10) parishes in Etsakoland. As at the date of the proclamation of its creation on 4th December, 2002 the Diocese of Auchi had a total population of 723,905 out of which, 63,480 (8.8%) were Catholics, 39 priests, 37 of whom were diocesan and 2 religious 38 female religious and 14 parishes. St Thomas Moore Parish, Sobe was later added, bringing the total number of parishes to 15. Erection of the Diocese.. 02/ 22/ 2002 First Bishop Rt Revd Dr G G Dunia |
| Statistics: | Population of Diocese ………723,905 Catholic Population …81,212(11.2%) Nigerian Priests …………………….49 Missionary Priests …………………..2 Nigerian Sisters …………………….33 Major Seminarians………..……….. 50 VICAR GENERAL Very Revd Fr John Onimhawo PASTORAL VICAR Very Revd Fr Charles B. Nasamu JUDICIAL VICAR Very Revd Fr Benedict Etafo FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR Very Revd Fr Anselm Jimoh VOCATIONS DIRECTORS Revd Fr John Awaebe Revd Fr Fabian Eghiabumhe DIOCESAN SECRETARY Revd Fr Fabian Eghiabumhe PARISHES Agenebode: Sacred Heart's Afuze-Emai: St Jude's, P0 Box 168, Afuz Edo State Auchi: St Vincent's Pro-Cathedral, PO Box 606, Auchi, Edo State Avianwu: St Theresa's Azukhala/Ugbekpe: SS Peter and Paul's Eme-Ora: St Joseph's, P O Box 20, Eme-Ora, Edo State Fugar: St Theresa's P O Box 27, Fugar, Edo State Ibillo: St Peter's, Igarra: St John the Apostle's, P0 Box 3, Igarra, Edo State Igiode: Holy Family, P O Box 150, Igidoe, Edo State Iviukwe: St Mary's P.O. Box 114, Iviuwe Jattu: St Philip's, P.O. Box 200, Jatu Okpekpe: Mary, Mother of God, P.O. Box 33, Okpekpe Okpella: St Vincent's, Okugbe-Okpella Ososo: St Anne's, P.O. Box 82, Ososo, Edo State Sobe: St Thomas Moore's, P.O. Box 150, Sobe, Edo State Uzaime: Holy Rosary, P.O. Box 2, Uzairue, Edo State Udaba: Assumption Parish, Udaba Ekperi MASS CENTRE Auchi: St James' Old Igana Road, Water Board, c/o P O Box 425, Auchi Ayogwiri: St Matthew's Elele: St Dominic's Enwan: St Patrick's Igaewo: St Patrick's Iyerekhu: St Paul's Ogbona: St John's CHAPLAINCIES Agenebode: St Anthony's, 195 Battalion Barracks, Agenebode Auchi: St Augustine's, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi Nichoho Barracks: St Paul's MALE RELIGIOUS HOUSE The Holy Ghost Fathers, St Vincent Catholic Church, OKugbe-Okpella FEMALE RELIGIOUS HOUSES Sisters of Notre Dame De Namur, Agenebode Sisters of Notre Dame De Namur, Central House, P.O. Box 381, Jattu Sisters of Notre Dame DeNamur, P.O. Box 438, Uzarirue Sisters of Notre Dame Dc Namur, Postulant Formation House, Fugar Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Black Madonna Convent), Eme-Ora Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Iddo II, Okpella Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. St Mary's Margaret Convent, Auchi Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, Home for the Needy, Ivioghe, Agbenebode CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS SECONDARY SCHOOL Sacred Heart College, P.O. Box 1, Agenebode St Margaret Mary's High School, P.O. Box 453, Iddo I Okpella St Philip's Secondary School, P. O. Box 200, Jattu-Uzarirue NURSERY /PR SCHOOLS Christ Child Nursery/Primary School, Eme Ora Holy Cross Nursery/Primary School, Imoga Mary Mother of God Nursery/Primary School, Okpekpe Mater Dei Nursery/Primary School, P.O. Box 168, Afuze Mater Misricordiae Nursery/Primary School, Ogbona Mother of Good Counsel Nursery/Primary School, Fugar Regina Angelorurm, Nursery/Primary School, P.O. Box 14, Iviukwe-Agenebode Revd Fr Grace Memorial Nursery/Primary School, P.O. Box 606, Auchi Revd Fr Piotin Nursery/Primary School, Agenebode Sacred Heart Nursery/Primary School, P. O. Box 453, Iddo II, Okpella St Anne's Nursery/Primary School, Ososo St Anthony Nursery/Primary School, Imiegba St Jude Nursery/Primary School, Ihievbe, c/o Box 168, Afuze St Philip's Secondary School, Jattu HEALTH INSTITUTIONS Sancta Maria Catholic Hospital, P O Box 14 Uzairue Sancta Maria Catholic Medical Centre Agenebode DIOCESAN PAPER The Promise Newspaper - a publication of the diocesan Directorate of Social Communications. PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE S/N NAME OF PRIESTS DATE OF ORD. S/N NAME OF PRIESTS YEAR OF ORD. 1 Msgr Thomas Oleghe 1967 2 Very Revd Fr Benedict Etafo 1976 3 Rev. Fr. Adoganieh Paul 1976 4 Rev. Fr. Adorolo Lawrence 2003 5 Rev. Fr. Adukus Thaddeus 1991 6 Rev. Fr. Akhibi Mark 1994 7 Rev. Fr. Alokwe Markin 2004 8 Rev. Fr. Alumiasunya A. 1989 9 Rev. Fr. Anaweokhai V. 2005 10 Rev. Fr. Anelu James 2001 11 Rev. Fr. Attah Lawrence 1966 12 Rev. Fr. Awaebe John 1992 13 Rev. Fr. Ayala Peter 1997 14 Rev. Fr. Balogun Lawrence 1964 15 Rev. Fr. Bobokhai Silas 2003 16 Rev. Fr. Bossey Isaac 1980 17 Rev. Fr. Ebakhaye Philip-Neri 2006 18 Rev. Fr. Ede Stan-William 2006 19 Rev. Fr. Eghiabuinhe Fabian 2004 20 Rev. Fr. Egielewa Peter 2003 21 Rev. Fr. Ekhelar Anseim 1989 22 Rev. Fr. Emodogo Francis 2006 23 Rev. Fr. Enegbuma Martins 2005 24 Rev. Fr. Enegbuma Richard 1980 25 Rev. Fr. Erual Jeremiah 1976 26 Rev. Fr. Gimah Emmanuel 2004 27 Rev. Fr. Ignatius Omunagbe 2006 28 Rev. Fr. Ikhane Callistus 2005 29 Rev. Fr. Ikiebey Godswill 1978 30 Rev. Fr. Imokhai Charles 1968 31 Rev. Fr. Iranaeus Ikhane 2001 32 Rev. Fr. Itakpe Godwin 1999 33 Rev. Fr. Iyamah Joseph 1999 34 Rev. Fr. Jimoh Anselm 1994 35 Rev. Fr. Nasamu Charles 1978 36 Rev. Fr. Obanado Gregory 1997 37 Rev. Fr. Obasanmi Pius 2003 38 Rev. Fr. Odemokpa Pascal 1979 39 Rev. Fr. Ogbenika Gregory 1995 40 Rev. Fr. Ogumah Stephen 1993 41 Rev. Fr. Okhifo Innocent 2005 42 Rev. Fr. Omokhekhe Philip 1994 43 Rev. Fr. Omonokhua Cornelius 1990 44 Rev. Fr. Onmihawo John 1980 45 Rev. Fr. Oshomah Peter 2000 46 Rev. Fr. Shaba Godrick 1999 47 Rev. Fr. Ugiovhe Romanus 2003 48 Rev. Fr. Ulokoaga Callistus 1992 OTHER PRIESTS WORKING IN THE DIOCESE 1. Rev. Fr Barth Ofegbu CSSp 14/02/89 Non erit impossibile apud Deum - Nothing is impossible with God |
