First Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Gboko

Early Life and Education
Born on 21 June 1955 in Uganmbe, Shangev-Tiev, Konshisha LGA, Benue State, Nigeria, to Mr. Avenya Sanker Agbum and Mrs. Sarah Avenya. He began school in 1966 at the Center for Religious Instruction (CRI), Sember, entering class two. He then attended St. Michael’s Primary School, Bature, and completed primary education at St. Patrick’s Primary School, Taraku, Gwer LGA. In 1971 he entered Mt. St. Gabriel’s Secondary School, Makurdi.

He holds a diploma in Religious Studies from the University of Ibadan (1979), a Bachelor of Divinity from Urbanian University, Rome (1981), and a PhD in Education from Manchester University, where his research examined education policy formulation, planning, evaluation and participatory provision.

Priestly Ministry
Ordained a deacon in 1980, he served as the first Auxiliary (Students’ Head) at Jos Seminary from 1980 to 1981. He was ordained a priest on 30 May 1981 at St. Lucy’s Parish, Awajir. He served briefly as Acting Parish Priest at St. Charles’ Parish, Adoka, then as Assistant Parish Priest at St. William’s Parish, Lafia. In 1982 he became Lecturer and Dean of Students at St. Paul’s Major Seminary, Gbarnga, Liberia, a regional seminary owned by the Churches of Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and some Ghanaian dioceses (ITCABIC).

MISEREOR, the German Catholic foundation, funded his studies at Manchester. There he was President of the Nigerian Students’ Community across Manchester University, Salford University and the Institute of Science and Technology (1985–1987), advocating for vulnerable students, and served as temporary Resident Consul of the Nigerian Community (1986–1989). He took part in Pontifical Mission Appeals in Melbourne, Australia, in 1988 and 1990.

Returning in September 1989, he served a year as Acting Medical Administrator of Makurdi diocese, then as Director of Catholic Education Services (1990–1995). Under his leadership, with a focus on supervising personnel and facilities, the diocese quickly took full responsibility for its education programme. He was also chaplain to the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Government Girls’ College and the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi; Secretary General of the Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and the Catholic Central Parents-Teachers’ Association; and a member, later Chairperson, of the Presbyteral Council.

Service to the Church in West Africa
In 1995 he was appointed Secretary General of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa (AECAWA), based in Monrovia with full diplomatic status. When unrest struck Liberia, the Secretariat moved to Kumasi, Ghana, where it remained nearly nine years before relocating to Abuja in 2004. He coordinated the Bishops’ pastoral programmes, served as Secretary of the Standing Committee, and sat on five AECAWA commissions and committees. He was also chaplain at the University of Education, Winneba (Kumasi Campus), and President of the Nigerian Catholic Missionaries in Ghana.

He helped bring about the merger of the Anglophone and Francophone conferences into the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA) and served as its Deputy Secretary General in Abuja from December 2007 to December 2008.

Episcopal Ministry
Although RECOWA’s Bishops asked for his tenure to be extended, he was recalled by Bishop Athanasius Usuh. On 28 November 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Makurdi and titular Bishop of Thucca in Mauritania. He was consecrated on 24 January 2009 and elected Assistant Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) that April. He also served as Vicar General of Makurdi.

On 29 December 2012, Pope Benedict XVI named him the first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Gboko, and he was installed on 24 February 2013. The CBCN unanimously elected him its Secretary General at its February 2013 plenary. He was Apostolic Administrator of Katsina-Ala from 17 February 2020 to 1 July 2022.

Known for his joy and peace, he is admired for his devout celebration of Mass, his homilies, and the time he gives directly to his people. He has strengthened evangelization in Gboko by founding Luminous Catholic Radio.