CANA Welcomes Archbishop Okoh as New Primate of Church of Nigeria

HERNDON, Va. (March 30, 2010) – The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) welcomed and congratulated Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, who was installed as the fourth primate of the Church of Nigeria on March 25 in Abuja, the capital of the most populous nation in Africa. CANA was founded in 2005 by the Church of Nigeria which with 20 million active members accounts for at least 25% of the active membership of the Anglican Communion.

“Archbishop Okoh is a good friend; a wise and godly leader who is committed to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ in Nigeria and throughout the world and we congratulate him on his new ministry,” said CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns. “His vision includes continuing to give orthodox Anglicans in the U.S. a way to remain connected to the worldwide Anglican Communion through CANA. We welcome his leadership, his pastoral concern, and his passion for the gospel. Archbishop Okoh has a servant’s heart and we know that he is the right leader at this critical moment in the history of the Anglican Communion.”

Several thousand people attended the three-and-a-half-hour long installation service at the Abuja cathedral. The acting-president of the nation of Nigeria, who is an active Anglican, led the prayers in the service and offered words of greeting. In his inaugural primatial sermon, Archbishop Okoh stressed the lordship of Jesus Christ in every aspect of human life. Among the guests from the U.S. were Bishop and Mrs. Minns and their daughter Rachel; Archbishop Bob Duncan of the Anglican Church in North America; Bishop Bill Atwood, suffragan for International Affairs of the All Saints Cathedral Diocese (Nairobi); CANA Suffragan Bishops Amos Fagbamiye, David Bena, David Anderson, and Roger Ames; as well as other CANA delegates.

Archbishop Okoh, a retired Army Lt. Col., was ordained priest in 1979, appointed bishop of Asaba in 2001, and elected archbishop of the regional province of Bendel in 2005.

Upon his election as the fourth primate of the Church of Nigeria in September 2009, Archbishop Peter Jensen (Sydney, Australia), welcomed the election saying, "Nicholas Okoh was present at the foundation of GAFCON and has played a leading part in the movement. Archbishop Okoh has made a significant contribution as the Chairman of the Theological Resource group. He is an able and committed Christian leader and we warmly welcome his appointment."

The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (http://www.CanaConvocation.org) is an association of orthodox Anglican congregations and clergy in North America that is a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, a community of 80 million people. CANA was originally established by the Church of Nigeria in 2005 to provide a means by which Anglicans living in the USA who were alienated by the actions and decisions of The Episcopal Church could continue to live out their faith without compromising their core convictions. CANA is a founding member of the Anglican Church in North America, an Anglican province that includes about 800 congregations.

Editor's Note: CANA congregations in upstate New York include St. Andrew's, Vestal, Holy Trinity, Syracuse, and Anglican Community Church in Batavia.