About Us

The history of the Diocese on the Niger dates back to the Niger expeditions of 1830– 1857. After the 1841 expedition, the white missionaries realized that Africa will be best evangelized by Africans due to environmental and health challenges. This realization led to the ordination of Blacks who were ex-slaves among whom was Samuel Ajayi Crowther who was given the privilege of playing a prominent role in the mission to the West Africa especially the Niger (Igbo) mission.The 1857 mission train under the leadership Dr. William Baikie arrived Onitsha on Sunday, July 26, 1857. On Monday 27 July 1857 the first church service in Igbo land was held at the palace of the then King of Onitsha, Obi Akazua, with the attendance of about 600 persons among whom were the King and his elders-in-council. Hence, 27 July became the beginning of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) mission and evangelization of in Igbo land.
It is important to note that Rev. J.C Taylor, an ex-slave of Igbo origin played a vital role in the early missionary activities in Igbo land as he started the first formal learning centre immediately and laid the foundation of Christ Church, Onitsha, the first Church building in eastern and southern parts of Nigeria in 1867, which was dedicated on 16th November, 1870.

Owing to the growth of the Niger mission through his leadership, the Rev Samuel Ajayi Crowther was on the Feast of St. Peter, 29th June, 1864 consecrated Bishop for the Niger mission by Charles Longley, the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Canterbury Cathedral. By this consecration, he became the first African Bishop and Bishop of the Niger Territories which was later renamed Diocese of Western Equatorial Africa beyond the British Dominions, with its headqu

It is on record that soon after his consecration in England in June 1864; Crowther was back again to Onitsha by August, and in 1865 he gave a favourable report of the mission work in Onitsha and that in 1866 he held his first Synod in Onitsha at the place known today as Bishop Crowther Memorial Primary School by the bank of the River Niger, Onitsha. This Diocese of Western Equatorial Africa was later renamed Diocese on the Niger and thus became the first indigenous Diocese in West Africa. The Diocese is hence known as the “Mother and Nurse of many infant Sees.”

The Diocese on the Niger has through the years grown in lips and bounds, as of today she is made up eighteen (18) Archdeaconries, one hundred and nine (109) Parishes and two hundred and fifty-two (252) churches being manned by two hundred and seventy Priests (270) and one hundred and fifty three (153) Church Teachers.

Geographically, the Diocese covers six local government areas, namely: Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Idemili North, Idemili South, Oyi and part of Dunukofia Local Government and also oversees the Togo mission spanning from Lome in the south to Kara and Dapong in the North.

EPISCOPACY OF THE DIOCESE ON THE NIGER

From records obtained from the CMS Archives, Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the Bishop of West African Territories Beyond the British Dominions, was succeeded by Bishop Joseph Sydney Hill in 1893. Bishop Hill had two assistant Bishops who were consecrated in 1893 namely, Rt. Rev. Isaac Oluwole and Rt. Rev. Charles Philip. The Diocese of Bishop Hill covered the same geographical area of that of Bishop Crowther except for the change of name to the Diocese of Western Equatorial Africa. He died on the 5th day of January, 1894.

Bishop Hill was succeeded by Bishop Herbert Tugwell who was consecrated Bishop on 4th day of March, 1894. The headquarters of the Diocese of Western Equatorial Africa remained in Onitsha when the Diocese was divided in 1919. At the division of the Diocese of Western Equatorial African in 1919, Lagos Diocese became the new Diocese created out of the Diocese of Western Equatorial Africa. Bishop Herbert Tugwell who was the substantive reigning Bishop chose to remain the Bishop of the Diocese of the Western Equatorial Africa which was later renamed Diocese on the Niger.

Bishop Tugwell resigned in 1921 and was succeeded by Bishop Bertram Lasbery 1922. Within the few months (March 1921 to 25th January, 1922) before Bishop Lasbrey took over as the incumbent Bishop on the Niger, Bishop A.W. Howells who was consecrated on 11th June, 1920 as the Assistant Bishop on the Niger, performed some Episcopal duties in the Diocese on the Niger. Meanwhile Bishop Melville Jones of Diocese of Lagos was given a temporary commission by the Archbishop of Canterbury in a letter dated 26th October 1921 to perform Episcopal duties like ordination of Priests and Deacons which an assistant Bishop is not authorized to perform.

Bishop Lasbrey had five Assistant Bishops at various times namely Rt. Rev. T.C John, Rt. Rev. Alfred Gelsthorpe, Rt. Rev. Alphonso Onyeabo, Rt. Rev. L. G Vining and Rt. Rev. Dr. Cecil Patterson who took over from him and went on to become the Archbishop of West Africa.

Bishop Bertram Lasbery retired in 1945 and was succeeded by the Most Rev. Cecil Patterson. Bishop Patterson had two assistant Bishops, namely, Rt. Rev. Samuel Nkemena and Rt. Rev Lucius Uzodike.  

Archbishop Patterson was succeeded by Bishop Lucius Uzodike in 1969. He retired  in 1974 and was in 1975 succeeded by Rt. Rev Jonathan Onyemelukwe later (Most Rev) who retired in 2000.

Rt. Rev. Ken Sandy Okeke took over from Archbishop Onyemelukwe in the year 2000 and handed over to the incumbent Rt. Rev Dr. Owen Nwokolo at his retirement in 2011.