Pope Appoints Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye As New Bishop Of Nnewi Catholic Diocese

Pope Francis has announced the appointment of Most Reverend Jonas Benson Okoye, as the new bishop of Nnewi Catholic Diocese.

Most Reverend Okoye, until his new appointment, was the Auxiliary Bishop of Awka Diocese.

Born in Kaduna on twenty-fifty January 1963, to the family of Mr Patrick and Mrs Theresa Anazoba Okoye of Amata, Adazi-Nnukwu in Anaocha Local Government Area, Most Reverend Okoye gained admission into Saint Paul’s Seminary Ukpor in 1976, and then went to All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha in 1978.

Bishop Okoye was ordained a priest in 1992 by Most Reverend Albert Obiefuna at Saint Andrew’s Adazi-Nnukwu.

In 2002 he was sent to continue his studies in Canon Law at Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada and then went from there to Lateran University, Rome where he obtained his doctorate in Canon Law.

He became the Judicial Vicar of the Catholic Diocese of Awka and a Judge in the Onitsha Interdiocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal.

Most Reverend Okoye held various ecclesiastical appointments and offices at both Diocesan, regional and national levels.

In 2014, he was appointed the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, the office he held until his new appointment as the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese.