Pope Francis Elevates Nigeria’s Apostolic Vicariate, Appoints First Bishop

Bishop Yohanna, 49, was ordained a priest of Ilorin diocese in January 1998. Four years later he was incardinated in the diocese of Kontagora.

An account of Bishop Yohanna’s journey to priesthood indicates that his initial desire was to become a priest of the SMA “but he discovered that the SMA Fathers as missionaries have to leave their homeland and to other countries to bring them the liberating Good News of the Gospel message.”

“Subsequently, he (Bishop Yohanna) decided to become a diocesan priest, mindful of the admonition of Pope Paul VI in Kampala, Uganda in 1969, at the closing session of the Symposium of African Bishops, that ‘it was now time for Africans to become missionaries to themselves,’” the account reveals.

He was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Kontagora and Titular Bishop of Scebatiana, Italy, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in 2012.

The Nigerian Prelate holds a licentiate in Pastoral Theology.

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His episcopal motto is, “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

The elevation of the apostolic vicariate of Kontagora to a diocese brings the total of Nigeria’s  Ecclesiastical Sees to 55 comprising nine Archdioceses and 46 dioceses.