Anglican Primate elect, Archbishop Ndukuba gives hope, as Buhari lauds emergence
Primate elect, Archbishop Henry Ndukuba
The Archbishop of Jos Province and Bishop of Gombe diocese, Archbishop Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, has been commended by President Muhammadu Buhari on his emergence as the Primate-elect of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion.
President Buhari in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, 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 epitomize the ministry of Jesus Christ, who taught His followers to love, compassion and humility,” the statement reads.
Archbishop ndukuba will steer the affairs of the Anglican Communion for the next 10 years. He 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.
Okoh 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.
Archbishop 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.
The House of Bishops elected the Bishop of Isiala Ngwa South, Isaac Chijioke Nwaobia, to serve also as Archbishop of the Aba internal province; and the Bishop of Ekiti, Christopher Omotunde, to serve as Archbishop of the Ondo internal province.
Anglican Church has 159 dioceses in 14 internal provinces.
He is “a sound biblical scholar, teacher, master liturgist, pastor and an accomplished evangelist.”
He loves the Lord Jesus Christ and has a great heart for the Word of God and also a prolific writer.”
