AFRICA/NIGERIA - Appointment of the Bishop of Umuahia

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On November 1, 2022, the Holy Father appointed His Excellency Msgr. Michael Kalu Ukpong the bishop of Umuahia Diocese, currently titular Bishop of Igilgili and Auxiliary of the same Diocese.
His Exc. Msgr Michael Kalu Ukpong was born on December 15, 1964 in Amaekpu Ohafia, in the Diocese of Umuahia, and he attended the Seat of Wisdom Major Seminary in Owerri and the St. Joseph Major Seminary in Ikot Ekpene. He was ordained a priest on 7th August, 1993 for the clergy of the Diocese of Umuahia.
He has carried out the following ministries: Parish Vicar of St. Finbarr’s in Umuahia (1993-1994); Secretary of the Bishop of Umuahia (1994-1996); Parish priest of St. John’s a Item (1996-1999); Editor of the Lumen Newspaper of the Diocese of Umuahia (1999-2001); Chaplain at Christ the King Chaplaincy in Umudike (2001-2003).
He studied Canon Law at the Klaus-Mörsdorf-Institut für Kanonistik of the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität in Munich (2004-2007) and, subsequently, obtained a Doctorate in Theology at the Universität von Regensburg in Regensburg (2008-2014).
He has held the following positions: Parish Vicar of St. Joseph’s in Reinhausen (2008-2011), of the Assumption in Ascholtshausen (2011-2013) and in the Berathausen-Pfraundorf Parish Unit (2013-2016) in the Diocese of Regensburg, Germany; Dean of Coronata Secondary School in Asaga Ohafia (2016-2018); Chancellor of the Diocese of Umuahia and parish priest of St. Theresa’s in Umuahia (2018-2020).
He was elected Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Umuahia, with the titular See of Igilgili, on May 30, 2020 and received episcopal ordination on July 30 of the same year. In 2022 he was elected Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Umuahia. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 3/11/2022)

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