John Baptist Odama

The Most Reverend John Baptist Odama
Archbishop Emeritus of Gulu, Uganda
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu
See	Gulu
Appointed	2 January 1999
Installed	2 January 1999
Term ended	22 March 2024
Predecessor	Martin Luluga
Successor	Raphael p'Mony Wokorach, M.C.C.J.
Other post(s)	1. Bishop of Nebbi (23 February 1996 - 2 January 1999) 2. Apostolic Administrator of Gulu (22 March 2024 - 12 July 2024)
Orders
Ordination	14 December 1974 by  Angelo Tarantino
Consecration	26 May 1996 by  Emmanuel Wamala
Rank	Bishop
Personal details
Born	(1947-06-29) 29 June 1947 (age 78) Riki-Oluko, Arua District, Uganda

John Baptist Odama (born 20 July 1947) is a Ugandan Roman Catholic prelate who served as the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu, in Uganda, from 2 January 1999 until his age-related retirement on 22 March 2024. Before that, from 23 February 1996 and 2 January 1999, he was bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nebbi, in Uganda. He was appointed bishop by Pope John Paul II. He was consecrated and installed at Nebbi on 26 May 1996. On 2 January 1999, the Holy Father transferred him to Gulu and appointed him the Metropolitan Archbishop there. His age-related resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on 22 March 2024. While in retirement, he served as Apostolic Administrator of the archdiocese of Gulu from 22 March 2024 until 12 July 2024.

Background and priesthood

Odama was born in Riki-Oluko Village, in present-day Arua District, in the West Nile sub-region, in the Northern Region of Uganda on 29 June 1947. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Arua, on 14 December 1974, at Arua Cathedral, by Bishop Angelo Tarantino, Bishop of Arua. He served as priest of Arua Diocese until 23 February 1996. ^[1]

As bishop

On 23 February 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed Odama bishop. He was consecrated Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nebbi, on 26 May 1996, serving in that capacity until 2 January 1999. ^[1]

On 2 January 1999, he was appointed Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu, being the first Catholic prelate to serve in that role; the Archdiocese having been created that same day. ^{[1] [2]}

Odama was the chairman of the interfaith organisation known as Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI), from 2002 until 2010. The organisation was involved in peace-building efforts in Northern Uganda. As leader of the organisation, Odama met with Joseph Kony and other leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army and mediated between them and the Government of Uganda. ARLPI received the Niwano Peace Prize in 2004. Odama was also involved in the 2006–08 Juba talks between the two parties in South Sudan. ^{[3] [4]}

Archbishop Odama has been the chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference since 2010. ^[5]

Other responsibilities

As of January 2020, Archbishop Odama is the Chancellor of Uganda Martyrs University, a private university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church in Uganda and whose main campus is in Mpigi District, Uganda. ^[6]

See also

• Roman Catholicism in Uganda
• Uganda Martyrs

References

1. David M. Cheney (3 April 2025). "MicroData Summary for Archbishop John Baptist Odama (born 29 June 1947) Archbishop Emeritus of Gulu". Kansas City. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
2. David M. Cheney (17 February 2019). "Profile of the Archdiocese of Gulu: Historical Summary". Kansas City: Catholic-Hierarchy.org . Retrieved 22 August 2019.
3. Pax Christi International (2006). "About Acholi Religious Leaders' Peace Initiative". Brussels, Belgium: Pax Christi International. Archived from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
4. Mike Wooldridge (19 January 2011). "LRA: Ugandan Bishop Urges Negotiated Settlement". London: British Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 22 August 2019.
5. Uganda Episcopal Conference (6 June 2010). "Uganda Episcopal Conference: About Uganda Catholic Secretariat". Uganda Episcopal Conference. Archived from the original (Archived from the original on 9 December 2013) on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
6. Mathias Mazinga (10 November 2018). "Uganda Martyrs University passes out 2040 graduates". New Vision . Kampala. Retrieved 7 January 2020.

Succession table

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Martin Luluga (8 February 1990 - 2 January 1999)	Archbishop of Gulu (2 January 1999 - 22 March 2024)	Succeeded by Raphael p'Mony Wokorach (since 22 March 2024)
Preceded by Diocese created	Bishop of Nebbi (23 February 1996 - 2 January 1999)	Succeeded by Martin Luluga (2 January 1999 - 8 February 2011)