Katsina Gov, Radda Reacts As Christian Leadership Install Hausa Man As Catholic Bishop

Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda, has reacted to the latest development in the state where the first Hausa Catholic Bishop, Rev. Fr Gerald Mamman Musa, was installed as the inaugural Bishop of the newly established Catholic Diocese of Katsina.

While playing host to a team of Catholic Bishops led by Bishop Hassan Mathew Kukah of Sokoto Diocese on a courtesy call earlier today, Governor Radda congratulated the Christian leadership in his state for having a new Catholic Diocese in the area.

The Governor conveyed gratitude for the extent of inter-religious harmony among adherents of the predominant faiths in the region, namely Islam and Christianity.

He emphasized that the formal establishment of the Katsina Diocese and the appointment of a new Bishop “demonstrates the remarkable degree of religious acceptance between these two faiths, and instills optimism for its continuity.”

In a previous statement, the leader of the delegation, Bishop Kukah, highlighted the significance of Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa’s appointment as the first Bishop of the Katsina Diocese and the first Hausa man to hold such a prestigious position within the Catholic Church.

This milestone, he said, represents a significant advancement for the Catholic Church in northern Nigeria.

Bishop Kukah also emphasized that this development has granted the new Katsina Diocese the autonomy to function independently from the Sokoto Catholic Diocese.

Furthermore, he expressed his appreciation to Governor Radda for his unwavering support of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state.

On his part, the State Chairman of CAN, Shuaibu Liti, expressed that the establishment of the Katsina Diocese will contribute significantly to the expansion of the church and the overall progress of the state.

Rev. Gerald Mamman Musa, who became a priest on June 1, 1996, previously served as the Director of the Centre for Studies on African Culture and Communication (CESACC) at the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, before assuming the role of Bishop of the Katsina Diocese.