St Obed Arist Kojo Baiden

St Obed Arist Kojo Baiden, (born 30th July 1984) is the eighth Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Gambia, part of the Church of the Province of West Africa (CPWA). ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Theological background

The Right Reverend St Obed Arist Kojo Baiden
Bishop of Gambia
Bishop Baiden in 2023
Church	Anglican Communion
Province	Church of the Province of West Africa
Diocese	Anglican Diocese of Gambia
Elected	27th January 2023
Installed	18th June 2023
Predecessor	James Allen Yaw Odico
Orders
Ordination	11th August 2013 (Deacon) 10th May 2014 (Priest)
Consecration	17th June 2023 by  Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith
Personal details
Born	30th July 1984 Sekondi, Ghana
Spouse	Naomi Obaapa Adjei Konadu Saint-Baiden
Profession	Clergyman, lawyer
Alma mater	St Mary’s Minor Seminary St Paul’s Major Seminary St Peter’s Regional Seminary Mountcrest University College Gambia Law School
Motto	Prayerful service to God and selfless service to His people

Baiden began his seminary training after turning down an offer of admission to the Ghana Secondary Technical School, opting to attend St Mary's Minor Seminary at Apowa instead. This began his seminary formation that would last 14 years.

He gained entrance to St Paul's Major Seminary at Sowutuom, Accra and then later to St Peter's Regional Seminary at Cape Coast, where he obtained a First Class in Philosophy, Religion and Sociology, graduating with a BA (Hons) degree.

Baiden was made a deacon in 2013 at St John the Divine Anglican Church in Winneba. He was ordained to the priesthood on 10th May 2014 at St James Anglican Church, Elmina.

He was ordained and consecrated on Saturday 17th June 2023 and enthroned on Sunday 18th June 2023 as the eighth Bishop of Gambia at St Mary's Cathedral in Banjul. ^{[4] [5]}

Legal training

Baiden is a trained lawyer, having read law at Mountcrest University College, Accra, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 2015.

On 14th March 2018, he was called to the Gambian Bar by the General Legal Counsel as Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Court of The Gambia, having graduated from the Gambia Law School as the overall second-best student and overall best student in the Law of Evidence with a degree of Barrister-at-Law (BL).

On 5th October 2018, Lawyer Kojo Baiden was called and enrolled to the Ghana Bar as Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Court of Ghana, with right of practice in both Ghana and The Gambia.

References

1. "Newly consecrated Anglican Bishop pays courtesy call on President of Gambia, Adama Barrow". Anglican News Ghana. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
2. "Consecration in Gambia – June 2023 – The Relay Trust" . Retrieved 2025-06-24.
3. "St Obed Arist Kojo Baiden on World Anglican Clerical Directory". World Anglican Clerical Directory. Retrieved 2025-08-04.
4. "Ghanaian Priest, Rev'd Fr. Kojo Baiden to be enthroned 8th Bishop of Gambia". Anglican News Ghana. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
5. "St. Obed Arist Kojo Baiden Consecrated, Enthroned - The Point". thepoint.gm. Retrieved 2025-06-24.