AFRICA/NIGERIA - Bishop of Enugu resigns, successor appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, on 9 February 2009, accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the Diocese of Gaborone (Botswana) presented by Bishop Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji, in conformity with the Code of Canon Law, canon 401 § 1. The Holy Father appointed as Bishop of Enugu (Nigeria), Father Callistus Valentine Onaga, Administrator of the Cathedral and Vicar General of the same diocese.
Fr. Callistus Valentine Onaga was born on September 29, 1958 in Agbudu (Udi Local Government Area), in the state of Enugu. After having attended primary school at St. Anthony Primary School in Agbudu, he entered Sacred Heart Minor Seminary in Nsude and later Saint John Seminary in Nsukka. He studied Philosophy at the Major Seminary of Ikot Ekpene and Theology at Bigard Memorial Seminary. He was ordained a priest on August 8, 1987 for the Diocese of Enugu. He has since ministered as follows: 1987-1991: Pastor, St. Joseph, Emene, and Youth Chaplain for the Diocese of Enugu; 1991-2000: Studies for a Doctorate in Systematic Theology at the University of Bonn (Germany); 1991-1996: Hospital Chaplain, Troisdorf (Germany); 1996-2002: Rector Ecclesiae, Bad Honnef and lecturer at Bad Honnef (1997-2002), in Germany; 2002-2003: Deputy Director, CIDJAP (Catholic Institute of Justice, Development, Peace and Charity), Enugu; 2003-2005: Pastor, St. Mary’s Church, Enugu; since 2003: Vicar General and Administrator of the Cathedral, and since 2005: Diocesan Coordinator of Pastoral Commissions and Chairman of the Politics and Social Welfare Commission.
The Diocese of Enugu, erected in 1962, is the suffragan of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, with an area of 2,738 km sq and a population of 2,160,664 inhabitants of which 1,286,096 are Catholics. It has 122 parishes, 268 priests (204 diocesan and 64 religious), 317 religious brothers, 359 sisters, and 268 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 9/2/2009)