Nicholas Okoh
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Archbshop Nicholas Okoh is the current Primate of all Nigeria (Anglican Communion). He was elected to the post on September 15th 2009 and worked with the outgoing Primate the most reverend Peter Akinola for a couple of transition months. He was installed as Primate on Thursday March 25th 2010. Prior to this appointment, he was the Archbishop of Asaba.* In an acceptance speech, Okoh thanked God and the church for the confidence reposed in him. “I am grateful to God and to the Church of Nigeria, particularly our laymen, clergy and House of Bishops for thinking that I can do it.
“It is a lot of confidence reposed in me and I pray to God not to allow me to fail”.[1]
He was ordained a priest in 1979 and became a bishop in 2001 and rose to become the Archbishop of Bendel in 2005 following the death of Archbishop Albert Agbaje. Prior to his ordination, Archbishop Okoh was a Colonel of the Nigerian Army.[2]
Relationship with predecessor (Most reverend Peter Akinola)
Archbishop Nicholas Okoh has work hand in hand with the outgoing primate for a few years and likely shares similar views about some controversial issues.[3] In February 2007, he was flown to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania by Peter Akinola to attend the controversial Anglican summit on gays if Dr John Sentamu, The Archbishop of York was allowed to attend.[4]
Controversial statements
In July 2009, in a sermon in Beckenham, Kent, Archbishop Okoh made statements suggesting that Africa was under attack from Islam and that Muslims are “mass-producing” children to take over communities on the continent. He said that there was a determined Islamic attack in African countries such as Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.[5] He has come under criticism for those statements.[6]