Warri, 19 April, 2022 / 8:50 pm (ACI Africa).
Pope Francis has accepted the retirement of Bishop John Oke Afareha from the pastoral care of Warri Diocese in Nigeria and appointed Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze as Apostolic Administrator of the Nigerian Episcopal See.
In the latest administrative changes published Monday, April 18 by the Holy See Press Office, the Holy Father accepted the retirement of the Bishop Afareha who has been at the helm of the Diocese since March 2010 and appointed the Local Ordinary of Benin City Archdiocese to temporarily administer Warri Diocese.
Born in Oleh in the Diocese of Warri in March 1947, Bishop Afareha who attained the canonical age of 75 required for the retirement of Catholic Bishops last month was ordained a Priest for Warri Diocese in December 1973.
In March 1997, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Warri and assigned the Titular See of Mina.
He was ordained a Bishop in May 1997, and installed as Local Ordinary of Warri Diocese in March 2010, succeeding Bishop Richard Anthony Burke who had been transferred to Benin City Archdiocese.
