AFRICA/SIERRA LEONE - New Archbishop of Freetown and Bo appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on March 15, 2008, appointed Fr. Charles Edward Tamba, of the clergy of Kenema and Rector of St. Paul’s Major Seminary in Freetown, as Archbishop of Freetown and Bo (Sierra Leone).
The archbishop-elect was born in Kainkordu (Diocese of Kenema), Sierra Leone on April 18, 1956. Following the completion of his secondary studies, he attended the Pre-Seminary of St. Kizito of Kenema, in 1977, and from 1978-1985, Saint Paul’s Major Seminary in Gbarnga. He was ordained a priest on April 4, 1986, in Kono, for the Diocese of Kenema. He has since ministered as follows: 1986-89: Vice-Administrator for the Cathedral of St. Paul; 1989-91: Philosophy professor in St. Paul’s Major Seminary, Gbarnga, Liberia y Makeni, Sierra Leone; 1991-96: licentiate studies in dogmatic theology at the Gregorian University; 1996-98: Vice-rector of St. Paul’s Major Seminary, Makeni, Sierra Leone; 1998-02: Acting Rector of St. Paul’s Major Seminary Freetown, Sierra Leone; since 2002: Rector of St. Paul’s Major Seminary, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The Archdiocese of Freetown and Bo was established in 1970. It has an area of 20,251 sq. km, population 1,396,494, Catholics 80,000, priests 59, religious 29, and major seminarians 24. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 17/3/2008; righe 18, parole 199)