Archbishop Nicholas Okoh elected Primate of Nigeria

(picture by Raymond Dague-CANA Council 2008)

via email
September 15, 2009

Bishop Minns and Canon Dobbs are reporting from Nigeria that Archbishop Nicholas Okoh has been duly elected as the new Primate-elect of All Nigeria. More information to follow. Please be in prayer for Archbishop Okoh as he begins to work alongside our beloved Primate Peter Akinola during the coming months of transition.


Nicholas Okoh Elected Primate of Anglican Church
Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, 57, of Bendel Province, was on Tuesday elected the Primate of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) at the conference of the House of Bishops in Umuahia.

He will succeed Archbishop Peter Akinola who is retiring in March after attaining the retirement age of 70.

In an acceptance speech, Okoh thanked God and the church for the confidence reposed in him.
“I am grateful to God and to the Church of Nigeria, particularly our laymen, clergy and House of Bishops for thinking that I can do it.

“It is a lot of confidence reposed in me and I pray to God not to allow me to fail”.

Okoh, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Nigerian Army, was until his election the Bishop of Asaba.

He was ordained a priest in 1979 and became a bishop in 2001 and rose to become the Archbishop of Bendel in 2005 following the death of Archbishop Albert Agbaje.

Okoh is the current chairman of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission.