MORE than 1,000 delegates are ex-pected to attend the enthronement of the new Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, in Abuja, on March 25, a statement said.

Okoh will be the fourth primate of the church and will succeed retiring Most Reverend Peter Akinola, who occupied the office between 2000 and 2010.

The statement, issued by the church, said “seven foreign primates, many archbishops and bishops in addition to more than 1,000 delegates from the 163 dioceses of the church will attend.”

The statement, signed by the Diocesan Communicator, Mr Gbenga Onayiga, said a meeting of the standing committee would be held on March 22 in Abuja, during which the new primate would be presented to the communion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that Okoh was elected primate on September 15, 2009, through a two-third majority of the College of Bishops in a four candidate contest at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Umuahia.

Okoh is currently the Archbishop of Bendel Province and Bishop of Asaba diocese of the church.

He retired from the Nigerian Army as a lieutenant-colonel in 2001.

The new primate studied at Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan, Oyo State, between 1976 and 1979 and was made deacon in 1979.

He was elected Bishop of Asaba in 2001 and became Archbishop of Bendel in July 2005. Share