Pope Francis Appoints Archbishop Kaigama To Replace Aged Onaiyekan

Ayau Kaigama Appointed In Place Onaiyekan

His Holiness, Pope Francis, has appointed His Grace, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama as the co-adjutor Archbishop of Abuja.

The implication of this is that Kaigama will take over from His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan who clocked the retirement age of 75 on January 29, 2019.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, His Grace, Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, made the announcement during the opening ceremony of the first plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in Abuja.

Kaigama who is currently the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Jos and immediate past President of the CBCN is a priest of Jukun origin from Taraba State.

“We congratulate and pray for Archbishop Kaigama. I know that it is not easy for him. But I told him like Abraham, go out of your land in the land God will show you and God will bless you and make you the father of many people,” Filipazzi said.

Born on July 31, 1958, Kaigama studied for the priesthood at St. Augustine’s Major Seminary in Jos, and Rome respectively.

He was ordained on June 6, 1981, and was appointed Bishop of Jalingo by Pope John Paul II, now Saint Pope John Paul. Kaigama was consecrated as bishop on April 23, 1995.

In 2000, Kaigama was again appointed by Pope John Paul II to succeed the late Archbishop Gabriel Ganaka as Archbishop of Jos.