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Pope Francis Appoints Rector of Catholic Major Seminary Bishop for Warri Diocese, Nigeria

Mons. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, appointed Bishop of Nigeria's Warri Diocese on 2 December 2022. Credit: Courtesy Photo

By Jude Atemanke

Warri, 28 December, 2022 / 8:43 pm (ACI Africa).

Pope Francis has appointed Mons. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido who has been serving as Rector of Sts. Peter and Paul Interdiocesan Major Seminary in Ibadan, Nigeria, as Bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Warri in the West African nation. 

The appointment of Mons. Ovayero was published by the Holy See Press Office on Wednesday, December 28.

Situated in Nigeria's Delta State, Warri Diocese has been vacant since April 2022 when the Holy Father accepted the retirement of Bishop John Oke Afareha from the pastoral care of the Nigerian Episcopal See.

Mons. Ovayero who was born in October 1960 in Eghwu, Warri Diocese, is an alumnus of Sts. Peter and Paul Major Seminary in Ibadan and St. John’s University where he had his initial Priestly formation in philosophy, theology respectively.

He also pursued bible studies at Fordham University in New York.

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The Bishop-elect was ordained a Priest in October 1986 for Warri Diocese. As a Priest, he has served in various capacities, including Curate, Parish Priest, Rector of the Holy Martyrs of Uganda Minor Seminary in Effurun, Chaplain at Stony Brook University Medical Center in Stony Brook, New York, formator and teacher at Sts. Peter and Paul Inter-diocesan Major Seminary in Ibadan, and teacher at the Dominican Institute in Samonda, Ibadan.

The Nigerian-born Bishop-elect holds a Doctorate in Biblical Studies from St. John’s University and Fordham University in New York.

He also obtained a diploma from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome.

Once ordained Bishop, Mons. Ewherido is expected to oversee the Diocese of Warri that was erected in March 1964.

The 10,650 Square Kilometer Nigerian Diocese falls under the Metropolitan See of Benin City and has an estimated population of 271,503 Catholics, according to 2020 statistics.

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Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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