Roman Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku

Last updated
Diocese of Issele-Uku

Dioecesis Isseleukuanus
Location
CountryFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
Territory Aniocha North and Aniocha South, Ika North East and Ika South, Oshimili North and Oshimili South in Delta State
Ecclesiastical province Archdiocese of Benin City
Metropolitan
Archbishop of Benin City
Coordinates 6°19′11.98″N6°28′36.65″E / 6.3199944°N 6.4768472°E / 6.3199944; 6.4768472
Statistics
Area3,011 km2 (1,163 sq mi)Annuario Pontificio 2012
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2012)
1.153.000
364.000 (31.5%)
Parishes64
Churches22
Schools42
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Rite Latin Rite
EstablishedJuly 5, 1973 (1973-07-05)
CathedralSaint Paul Cathedral
Patron saint Our Lady Mother of Perpetual Help
Current leadership
Pope Francis
BishopMost Rev. Dr. Michael Odogwu Elue
Metropolitan ArchbishopArchbishop of Benin City
Vicar GeneralVery Rev Fr. Peter Onyeka Mobuogwu
Bishops emeritusMost Rev. Emmanuel Otteh
Map
Nigeria Delta State map.png
Diocese of Issele-Uku is the northern portion of Delta State which is shown in red.
Website
www.Issele-UkuDiocese.org
[1]

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku (Latin : Isseleukuan(us)) is a diocese located in the city of Issele-Uku, Delta State in the ecclesiastical province of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. It lies on the west bank of the Niger River between Benin City to the west and Onitsha to the east. The diocese comprises six local government areas in the northern portion of Delta State. The Archdiocese of Onitsha borders it on the east and the Archdiocese of Benin City borders it on the west. The Diocese of Uromi is to its north and the Diocese of Warri borders it on the south.

Contents

History

The first Mass in the diocese was celebrated on March 5, 1888 and the first missionary was Fr. Carlo Zappa. The Diocese of Issele-Uku was created on July 5, 1973 from the territory which was once part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City. It now covers the northern part of Delta State west of the River Niger and the state capital, Asaba including the following six Local Government Areas of Nigeria: Aniocha North and Aniocha South, Ika North East and Ika South, Oshimili North and Oshimili South, and has a land mass of 3,011 square Km. The diocese has grown from the initial eight parishes with which it began to 44 parishes and 18 independent stations in 2011.

Diocesan statistics

The diocese at the end of the year 2006 had a population of 996,410 people, including 308,596 baptized Catholics, constituting 31% of the population. Statistics are taken from the Annuario Pontificio.

YearPopulationPriestsDeaconsReligiousParishes
 baptisedtotal%numbersecularregularbaptised
per priest
 menwomen 
198064.312406.00015,82313102.796102113
199099.727358.14227,8353052.849124622
1999240.184715.87833,6554784.366156031
2000245.186734.19933,4605194.086186135
2001254.995785.59432,5675893.805186135
2002275.300883.79031,1655784.235178336
2003283.850905.88431,3665794.300189336
2004292.366951.11730,77666103.8461910136
2006308.596996.41031,08979103.4672811836
2012364.0001.153.00031,510189123015064

Additional statistics

Special churches

St. Paul Cathedral in Issele-Uku. See picture of cathedral:

Bishops

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

Bishop's house

Episcopal regions

[3]

Parishes

Higher institutions chaplaincy

  1. College of Education, Agbor
  2. Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba
  3. Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba
  4. St. John's, Alihagu

Nurseries and primary schools

  1. Holy Infant International School, Agbor
  2. Regina Mundi Nursery/Primary School, Asaba
  3. St. Mary Anne Nursery/Primary School, Ebu
  4. Mercy Nursery/Primary School, Ibusa
  5. St. Maria Gorretti School, Illah
  6. Immaculate Conception Nursery/Primary School, Ishiagu
  7. Holy Child School, Issele-Uku
  8. Divine Love Nursery/Primary School, Ogwashi-Uku
  9. Holy Child School, Onicha-Olona
  10. Divine Love School, Ubulu-Uku
  11. Sacred Heart Nursery/Primary School, Umunede
  12. St. Augustine Nursery/Primary School, Ubulu-Okiti

Secondary schools

  1. Dominican Vocational School, Agbor
  2. Holy Infant Secondary School, Agbor
  3. Madonna Comprehensive Secondary School, Akwukwu-Igbo
  4. St John's Secondary School, Alihagu
  5. Mercy Girls' Secondary School, Aliokpu Agbor
  6. Juniorate Girls' Secondary School, Issele-Uku
  7. Divine Love Secondary School, Ubulu-Uku
  8. St. Patrick's College, Asaba
  9. St. Paul's Grammar School, Ebu
  10. St. Brigid's Girls Grammar School, [Asaba Delta State]
  11. St. Martin De Porres Girls Grammar School, [Onicha-Olona]

Institutions

  1. Madonna School for the Handicapped, Okpanam
  2. Regina Mundi Computers, Ogwashi-Uku

Hospitals and maternities

  1. Catholic Health Centre, Ewulu
  2. Catholic Maternity and Hospital, P.O. Box 98, Ekuku-Agbor
  3. St Anthony's Catholic Maternity, P.O. Box 206, Ubulu-Uku
  4. St Elizabeth's Catholic Maternity, P.O. Box 43, Umunede
  5. St John's Hospital, P.O. Box 1896, Agbor
  6. St Joseph Hospital, P.O. Box 911, Asaba
  7. St Mary's Hospital, P.O. Box 38, Ogwashi-Uku
  8. St Theresa's Hospital, P.O. Box 63, Issele-Uku

Special homes

  1. Pro Labore Dei, Asaba
  2. Home for Old People, Asaba
  3. Home for Destitutes, Agbor
  4. Home for Destitutes, Umunede

Special institutions

  1. Pastoral Centre, Issele-Uku
  2. School of Evangelization, Issele-Uku
  3. Leprosaria, Abor Ogwashi-Uku
  4. Leprosaria, Ute-Enugu

Female religious houses

  1. Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, Okpanam
  2. Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, Box 121, Umunede
  3. DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Akwukwu-Igbo
  4. DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Box 63, Issele-Uku
  5. DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Gbenoba, Agbor-Obi
  6. DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Illah, c/o St John’s, Box 18, Illah
  7. DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Ubulu-Uku
  8. DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy , Aliokpu
  9. DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy Convent, Box 60, Issele-Uku
  10. DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy Convent, Igbuzor
  11. DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, Onicha-Olona
  12. DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, Ubulu-Uku
  13. Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine,, , Agbor-Obi
  14. Franciscan Sisters, Ogwashi-Uku
  15. Immaculate Heart Sisters, Okpanam
  16. NES New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help, Archived 2017-09-19 at the Wayback Machine , Agbor
  17. NES New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help, Box 63, Issele-Uku
  18. NES New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help, Box 72, Ubulu-Okiti
  19. NES New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help, Ogwashi-Uku
  20. OLA Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles,, Box 2170, Agbor
  21. OLA Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles Convent, Box 54, Asaba
  22. SSL Sisters of St Louis (in Nigeria), Ewulu

Male religious houses

  1. OSA Order of Saint Augustine, Box 32, Igbuzor
  2. OP Order of Preachers, St Patrick’s Church, Agbor-Obi, Box 1725, Agbor
  3. SMA Society of African Missions, St Patrick's Church, Cable Point, Asaba, Box 793, Asaba

Priestly formation

Politics

The diocese is located in the northern area of Delta State which is structured according to political divisions known as local government areas (L.G.A.s). There were in 1991 twelve LGAs, then nineteen and now there are 25 LGAs. The Diocese of Issele-Uku now covers six of the local government areas: Aniocha North and Aniocha South, Ika North East and Ika South, and Oshimili North and Oshimili South, and with a land mass of 3,011 square Km.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Nigeria</span>

The Catholic Church in Nigeria is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, the curia in Rome, and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta State</span> State in southern Nigeria

Delta State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Niger Delta—a large part of which is in the state—the state was formed from the former Bendel State, on 27 August 1991. Bordered on the north by Edo State, the east by Anambra and Rivers states, and that south by Bayelsa State while to the west is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160 kilometres of the state's coastline. The state was initially created with 12 local government areas in 1991, but was later expanded to 19 and now has 25 local government areas. Its capital city is Asaba which is located along the River Niger on the northeastern end of the state, while the state's economic center is the city of Warri on the southwestern coastline.

Peter Konyegwachie was a Nigerian boxer. He hails from Ogwashi-Uku. The town that also produced another sport (football) great, Austin "Jay Jay" Okocha. The town is the headquarters of Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. He attended Adaigbo Secondary School. At the 1984 Summer Olympics he won Nigeria's first ever silver medal in the men's Featherweight (54–57 kg) category.

The Anioma people are a subgroup of the Igbo people predominantly indigenous to present day Delta State, Nigeria, along with communities in Edo State. The Anioma people encompass and are native to the nine northeastern Local Government Areas of Delta State and the Ika-Igbo communities of Edo State. Politically, the Anioma occupy the Delta North Senatorial District where they are the majority group.

Nwazuluwa Onuekwuke "Zulu" Sofola was the first published female Nigerian playwright and dramatist. Sofola was also a university teacher and became the first female Professor of Theater Arts in Africa.

Igbuzo is an Igbo community in Delta State, Nigeria, founded c. 1450. The community is in Oshimili North. It has an estimated population of 566,310 people in 2009. The people speak the Enuani dialect of the Igbo language. The name of the community is more commonly and officially known and written as Ibusa. The movements forming the process of Ibusa can be linked to the first and second waves of the movement of Igbo migrants into the West Bank of the Niger River. The first adventure was led by Edini from Nshi (Nri) and the second of the two waves of migrations was led by Umejei from Isu resulting in the formation of Igbuzo.

Enuani is an Igbo dialect spoken in Nigeria by the Anioma people of Delta State, Onitsha, Obosi and Ogbaru in Anambra State, Mgbidi in Imo State, Ndoni in Rivers State and some parts of Ibaji in Delta state. Enuani is tonal like the rest of Anioma dialects and is particularly related to the standard Igbo pronunciation in many regards. The Enuani dialect is the dominant Anioma dialect in Delta State.

The Ekumeku Movement consisted of a series of uprisings against the rising power of the Royal Niger Company of the British Empire by Anioma people in present-day Delta State. The British penetration of Nigeria met with various forms of resistance throughout the country. In the south, the British had to fight many wars, in particular the wars against the Aro of Eastern Igboland in 1901–1902, and from 1883 to 1914, the Anioma in Western Igboland.

Aniocha North is a Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, with its headquarters in Issele Uku. It comprises the subgroup of Anioma and towns. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) permanent orientation camp for Delta state is located at Issele Ukwu town.

Aniocha South is a Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Ogwashi-Uku. The communities that make up the Local Government Area are Abah Unor, Adonte, Ashama, Egbudu-Akah, Ejeme-Aniogor, Ejeme-Unor, Ewulu, Isheagu, Ogwashi Uku, Nsukwa, Ubulu-Okiti, Ubulu-Ukwu, Ubulu-Unor, Ukwu-Oba and Umute.

There were three Polytechnics in Delta State, Nigeria, all established on 12 November 2002, located in Ogwashi-Uku, Ozoro, and Otefe-Oghara, Oghara. However, the Polytechnic that was in Ozoro has been transformed into a University by the state government. The Government of Delta State reached an understanding with the University of Westminster, London to assist in management and technical support for the institutions. The institutions are centres of excellence in Agriculture, Computing and Information Technology, Fashion Design and Arts and Sports. Besides their primary areas of specialization, all students are trained in Computing and Information Technology as well as business and entrepreneurship.

Victor Ochei Onyekachi is a former member of the Nigerian House of Assembly from Ogbekenu in Onicha Olona, Delta State. He was a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly on 6 June 2011, representing the Aniocha North constituency, marking the commencement of the Fifth Assembly of the Delta State Legislature. He held the position of Primus Inter Pares of the Delta State Assembly for two years and nine months before his resignation on 18 March 2014.

Ogwashi Ukwu, sometimes spelt as Ogwashi-Uku, is an Igbo town in Delta State, Nigeria. Located west of the state capital Asaba, it is the headquarters for the Local Government Area, Aniocha South. The population of Ogwashi-Ukwu is about 50,234.. However, its number has increased vastly and keeps increasing. It is an Anioma region of Delta State which is home to the Igbo-speaking people of Delta State. Its natives are the Enuani people, who are predominantly farmers and fishers. The villages in Ogwashi-Ukwu include Ikelike, Umu Dei, Azungwu, Agidiase, Agidiehe, Ogbe Akwu, Ishekpe, Ogbe Onicha, Ogbe Ubu, Ogbe Ani and Umu-okwe.

Issele-uku is a town in Nigeria's Delta State and headquarters for the Local Government Area of Aniocha North. It is also the Episcopal See of the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku. It has its own post office and is served by the nearby new Asaba International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idumuje-Unor</span> Place in Nigeria

Idumuje Unor is a town situated in the Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, lying between 6020’ 01.4’’ N and 60 22’ 06.5’’ N and between 60 25’ 01.4’’ E and 60 27’ 06.6’’ E. It is located 5 kilometers from Issele-Uku, the headquarters of Aniocha North and has a growing land area of 16sq km and current estimated population of about 20,000 inhabitants. It is bordered to the west by Onicha-Ugbo, to the North by Idumuje-Ugboko and Ewohinmi in Edo State, to the East by Onicha-Uku and Ugbodu and to the south by Issele-Uku. The name Idumuje in the Esan language could be translated to mean; Idumu - Community/Quarters and Oje - King/Royal. In other words, Idumuje means Royal Quarters or Kings' Quarter. Worthy to note: Another Idumuje named location could be found at present in Benin. The suffix "Unor" is an inclusion to the town's name so as to differentiate it from the breakaway community Idumuje -Ugboko; by a man called Nwoko and his supporters some 300 years ago. Ugboko is translated to mean "Ugbo" - Farm & "Oko" - a shortening of the name Nwoko.

Joan Onyemaechi Mrakpor is a Nigerian Christian evangelist and politician of Anioma heritage. She is a member of the People's Democratic Party and has since 2015 represented Aniocha North-Aniocha South-Oshimili North-Oshimili South in the House of Representatives. Prior to her election into national level politics, Onyemaechi served as a member of the Delta State House of Assembly for Aniocha South from 2007 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku</span> Polytechnic in Delta State, Nigeria

The Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku is one of the three polytechnics in Delta State, Located in Ogwashi-Uku, Nigeria. The polytechnic offers National Diplomas and Higher National Diplomas in Art and Design, Business, Engineering and Applied Sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingsley Obuh</span> Anglican Bishop of Asaba diocese

Kingsley Chukwukamadu Obuh, at Ubulu-Uku, is the Bishop of Asaba Diocese in the Anglican Communion. He was consecrated Bishop of Asaba in 2022. He has been married to Comfort Obuh.

Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji is a retired Catholic prelate who was bishop of Enugu Diocese from 1997 to 2009. He was ordained priest on 23 November 1958 at Propaganda Fidei Chapel, Rome by Pietro Cardinal Agaginian the Prefect of the Congregation. Gbuji is a doctor of Canon Law.

References

  1. Annuario Pontificio 2012, p.319
  2. Diocesan Directory and Liturgical Calendar 2010, Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku. ATCOM Press. p.6.
  3. Diocesan Directory and Liturgical Calendar 2010, Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku. ATCOM Press. pp.35-37.
  1. official website of the diocese, www.issele-ukudiocese.org
  2. Map showing cities and towns where the diocese and Catholic ministries are serving the people
  3. Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria [usurped]
  4. Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria
  5. Catholic Hierarchy
  6. Issele-Uku Landmarks including picture of the Catholic Cathedral
  7. Saints Peter and Paul Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
  8. All Saints Major Seminary, Edo State, Nigeria
  9. About Delta State showing map of local government areas and giving economic and political descriptions Archived 2011-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy
  11. St Louis Sisters in Nigeria
  12. Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles
  13. New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help Archived 2017-09-19 at the Wayback Machine