Anglican Church gets new Primate as Buhari applauds election

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has elected a new primate to steer its affairs for the next 10 years.

He is Most Reverend Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, who emerged during the Episcopal Synod held at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Asaba, Delta State, as its fifth Primate.

He will be succeeding Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, who retires on March 2020 at the expiration of his tenure.

He succeeded Primate Peter Jasper Akinola on September 15, 2009, when the House of Bishops met in Umuahia, Abia State.

Okoh, who was 57 years at the time, was Archbishop of Bendel and Bishop of Asaba Diocese, became the fourth primate of the Church of Nigeria.

However, Ndukuba was born in Anambra State in September 1959 and was ordained into the Holy Orders in September 1989. He rose to pioneer Bishop-elect of the Gombe Diocese and was consecrated on September 21, 1999.

On November 25, 1999, the new Diocese was inaugurated as the 71st diocese of the Church of Nigeria.

He was elected Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Jos, Plateau State by the Church’s Standing Committee at St. Paul’s Cathedral Diobu, Port Harcourt on September 22, 2017.

The committee, which met at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Asaba on September 24, 2019, elected Ndukuba as its fifth Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate.

Ndukuba is currently Bishop of Gombe Diocese, Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Jos and Chairman of the Liturgy and Spirituality Committee of the Church of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Ndukuba on his emergence as the Primate-elect of the Church.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President also felicitated with members of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria on the successful election of a new spiritual leader, who would direct the affairs of the Church for the next 10 years.

“President Buhari appreciates the role of the Anglican Church in promoting interfaith dialogue, peace, stability, education and social welfare in the country.

“With a long and distinguished vocation as a priest for 30 years, bishop for 20 years and archbishop for two years, the President counts on the Primate-elect to continue to propagate the qualities that epitomise the ministry of Jesus Christ, who taught His followers to love, compassion and humility,” the statement reads.