Roman Catholic Diocese of Idah

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Idah (Latin: Idahin(us)) is a Latin suffragan diocese located in the city of Idah, Kogi State in the ecclesiastical province of Abuja, in Nigeria, yet remains subject to the Roman missionary Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Diocese of Idah Dioecesis Idahinus
Location
Country	Nigeria
Territory	Kogi State
Ecclesiastical province	Abuja
Metropolitan	Archbishop of Abuja
Coordinates	7°05′00″N 6°45′00″E
Statistics
Area	12,898 km2 (4,980 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2006) 1,409,000 188,617 (13.4%)
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Cathedral	Saint Boniface Cathedral in Idah
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Most Rev. Anthony Adaji, M.S.P.
Map
Kogi State is shown in red.

Idah is located along the Niger river in Kogi State of Nigeria. The diocese mainly serves the Igala, Bassa and Igbo ethnic groups, who live in Kogi east along the Niger and Benue rivers, below their confluence, around Lokoja.

History

The first recorded Christian activities in this area are attributed to the services of the Church Missionary Society, a branch of Anglicanism, especially members of the 1841 British Niger Expedition, that included the African and Yoruba ex-slave, Samuel Ajayi Crowther, later to become an Anglican Bishop.

Special churches

The Cathedral episcopal see is a St. Boniface Cathedral, in Idah, which takes its name from the German missionary founding bishop of Fulda, St. Boniface (Winifred).

Sources and external links

• GCatholic.org Information
• Catholic Hierarchy

Sources

1. Anthony Agbali, "Igala Response to Colonial Destabilization and Fragmentation," in Toyin Falola, The Dark Webs: Perspectives on Colonialism in Africa, (Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic Press, 2005), 90–137.
2. Ephraim Obot, Words and Good Deeds Together, (Makurdi, Nigeria: Onaivi Printing and Publishing, Inc., 1996).
3. Jordan, John P., Bishop Shanahan of Southern Nigeria, (Dublin, Ireland: Elo Press, 1971 [1949]).
4. Celestine A. Obi, " Background to the Planting of Catholic Christianity in the Lower Niger," book chapter in Celestine A. Obi, Vincent A. Nwosu, Casmir Eke, K.B.C. Onwubiko, and F.E. Okon (ed.), A Hundred Years of the Church in Eastern Nigeria 1885–1985, (Onitsha, Nigeria: Africana-FEP Publishers, 1985, pp. 1–26)- specific reference to Dekina as part of the Lower Niger Prefecture on page 26.
5. __________, "The French Pioneers 1885–1905" book chapter in Celestine Obi, et al., A Hundred Years of the Church, pp. 27–106- specific references detailing the Church in Dekina on pp. 82–84.
6. ________"The Missionary Contributions of Bishop Joseph Shanahan, C.S.Sp., 1902–1932," book chapter in Celestine Obi, et al. (ed)., A Hundred Years of the Church, pp. 107–174 specifically it details Fr. Shanahan's time in Dekine between 1904–1905 helping Fr. Joseph Lichtenberger. Fr. Harry would later join them. The Holy Ghost superior general would travel over two hundred miles to Dekina to say his final goodbyes to these confreres as a significant gesture of apostolic and priestly communion, unity, and solidly humanitarian gesture.
7. Philip Okwoli, An Outline History of the Catholic Church, 1934–1984, (Nsukka, Nigeria: Hosanna Press, 1984).
8. Philip Okowli, A Short History of Igala, (Ilorin, Nigeria: Mantanmi Press, 1973).
9. Vatican Information News Service (Vatican City), Pontifical Acts June 28, 2007
10. Vatican Information News Service (Vatican City), Other Pontifical Acts, June 1, 2009.