Map

Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Owerri

Nigeria Nigeria

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Owerri / Overrien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Aba, Ahiara, Okigwe, Orlu, Umuahia

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Special Churches

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2022.03.06 – ...):Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji (71)Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji (71)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria

Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara (Nigeria)

Auxiliary Bishop (2019.10.17 – ...):Bishop Moses Chikwe (56)Bishop Moses Chikwe (56)

Titular Bishop of Flumenzer

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Owerri (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji (71)Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji (71)
(2022.03.06 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri (Nigeria)
President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria
Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara (Nigeria)

Caritas et Veritas

Born:1952.01.13 (Naze, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:1977.04.16
Consecrated Bishop:1990.07.01

Priest of Umuahia (Nigeria) (1977.04.16 – 1990.04.02)

Bishop of Umuahia (Nigeria) (1990.04.02 – 2022.03.06)

Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara (Nigeria) (2018.02.19 – ...)

Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (2018.02.22 – 2022.03.09)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri (Nigeria) (2022.03.06 – ...)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (2022.03.09 – ...)

Archbishop Anthony John Valentine Obinna (77)Archbishop Anthony John Valentine Obinna (77)
(1994.03.26 – 2022.03.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Owerri (Nigeria)

To serve God and his people

Born:1946.06.26 (Emekuku, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:1972.04.09
Consecrated Bishop:1993.09.04

Priest of Owerri (Nigeria) (1972.04.09 – 1993.07.01)

Bishop of Owerri (Nigeria) (1993.07.01 – 1994.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri (Nigeria) (1994.03.26 – 2022.03.06)

Bishops of Owerri (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Anthony John Valentine Obinna (77)Bishop Anthony John Valentine Obinna (77) (later Archbishop)
(1993.07.01 – 1994.03.26)

(see above)

Bishop Mark Onwuha Unegbu
(1970.06.25 – 1993.07.01)

Born:1917.06.30 (Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:1944.06.30
Consecrated Bishop:1970.09.20
Died:2002.10.31 († 85)

Bishop of Owerri (Nigeria) (1970.06.25 – 1993.07.01)

Bishop Joseph Brendan Whelan, C.S.Sp.
(1950.04.18 – 1970.06.25)

Born:1909.05.25 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:1937.07.04
Consecrated Bishop:1948.04.25
Died:1990.12.08 († 81)

Titular Bishop of Tiddi (1948.02.12 – 1950.04.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Owerri (Nigeria) (1948.02.12 – 1950.04.18)

Bishop of Owerri (Nigeria) (1950.04.18 – 1970.06.25)

Titular Bishop of Tre Taverne (1970.06.25 – 1976.08.10)

Vicars Apostolic of Owerri (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Brendan Whelan, C.S.Sp.
(1948.02.12 – 1950.04.18)

(see above)

Contact Info

Website:

Statistics

Area: 2,996 km²

Population: 1,049,213 Catholics (69.4% of 1,511,064 total) (2021)

Statistics: 185 parishes, 402 priests (300 diocesan, 102 religious), 610 religious (309 brothers, 301 sisters), 154 seminarians (2021)

History

Last updated on 2023.09.24

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