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Edmund (Ned) Joseph Fitzgibbon (1 March 1925 – 17 April 2010) was an Irish Roman Catholic missionary and bishop who served in Nigeria for over five decades. A member of the St. Patrick’s Missionary Society (Kiltegan Fathers).[5][6]
His tenure as Prefect Apostolic of Minna and later as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Warri saw the development of Catholic education and youth pastoral care in Nigeria.
Early life and education
Fitzgibbon was born in March 1925 in Ballylegan, Glanworth, County Cork, Ireland, as the youngest of ten children. He and his twin brother, Jim, were the last born in the family, which had lost its only sister, Margaret, to the 1918 flu epidemic at the age of three.[7]
Initially joining the Presentation Brothers, Fitzgibbon discerned a calling to missionary priesthood and entered the seminary of the St. Patrick’s Missionary Society (Kiltegan Fathers) in 1943. Despite initial concerns about his health, he was ordained a priest on 9 April 1950.[8]
Missionary work in Nigeria
Fitzgibbon arrived in Nigeria in 1949, beginning his ministry in Calabar.[9] There, he became known for his involvement in youth sports, notably coaching the Calabar football team to victory in the Governor’s Cup in 1954.He became a household name in the South East of Nigeria and there is a street in Calabar named after him.[10]
In 1964, he was appointed Prefect Apostolic of Minna, where he focused on expanding educational opportunities.[11][12][13][14][15]
Several schools under his tenure were founded, including Mother of the Redeemer Catholic Secondary School 1995.[16],Maryamu Secondary School in Bida (1966)[citation needed], Zuru Secondary School (now in Kebbi State, 1966)[citation needed], and Kontagora Technical College (1967).[citation needed]These schools were later integrated into the government education system in 1973.
Fitzgibbon also supported the introduction of the Young Christian Students (YCS) movement in Nigeria in 1959, collaborating with Freda O'Mahoney (later Mrs. Ogunade). By 1965, YCS had become a national movement, eventually spreading to other English-speaking West African countries. In 1982, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria renamed it the Young Catholic Students (YCS).[17]
Episcopal Leadership
On 20 November 1975, Fitzgibbon was appointed Titular Bishop of Forum Traiani and Apostolic Administrator for the territories that would become the Dioceses of Port Harcourt and Warri. He was consecrated as a bishop on 12 July 1976 by Cardinal Agnelo Rossi, with co-consecrators Cardinal Bernardin Gantin and Bishop James Moynagh.[18]
Bishop of Warri
Edmund Fitzgibbon was appointed Bishop of Warri on 31 August 1991. He served as bishop until his retirement on 3 March 1997. During his episcopacy, Fitzgibbon oversaw the administration of the Diocese of Warri, managing pastoral care, diocesan administration, and the spiritual needs of the Catholic population in the region.[19]
After his retirement, Fitzgibbon continued his pastoral work. He assisted in the administration of the Archdiocesan Marian Shrine in Lagos, a significant site for the Archdiocese, and supported Archbishop Anthony Cardinal Okogie in various pastoral activities.[20][21]
Death and legacy
Fitzgibbon died on 17 April 2010 in Ireland at the age of 85. He was buried at the headquarters of the St. Patrick's Missionary Society in Kiltegan, County Wicklow.[22]
Fitzgibbon’s involvement in youth football during his early missionary years in Calabar is noted as part of the broader impact of mission schools on Nigerian sport. His role and influence are discussed in academic studies such as The Role of Mission Schools in the Development of Football in Nigeria, 1904–1994.[23]
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