The Bishop of Gombe, Archbishop Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, has been elected as the next Primate of the Anglican Church in Nigeria. The Primate-elect is currently Archbishop of the internal province of Jos. When he is installed in March 2020, to succeed Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, he will become the fifth Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
Archbishop Henry was elected this week by the Episcopal Synod during the province’s Standing Committee at its meeting in St Peter’s Cathedral in Asaba.
The House of Bishops elected the Bishop of Isiala Ngwa South, Isaac Chijioke Nwaobia, to serve also as Archbishop of the Aba internal province; and the Bishop of Ekiti, Christopher Omotunde, to serve as Archbishop of the Ondo internal province.
Archbishop Henry was born in September 1959 in Anambra state. He was ordained in 1989. Ten years later he was consecrated to serve as a pioneer bishop in what was to become the new Diocese of Gombe – then the 71st diocese of the Church of Nigeria. Today the Church has 159 dioceses in 14 internal provinces.
In addition to his role as Bishop of Gombe and Archbishop of Jos, the Primate-elect chairs the Church of Church of Nigeria’s Liturgy and Spirituality Committee.
Archbishop Henry has been described as “a sound biblical scholar, teacher, master liturgist, pastor and an accomplished evangelist.” They added: “He loves the Lord Jesus Christ and has a great heart for the Word of God and also a prolific writer.”
Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba hails from Imo State, Nigeria. He was born in the year 1959. He was ordained in 1989 on 21st September 1999 by Archbishop J. Abiodun Adetiloye. He was consecrated the first Bishop of the Diocese of Gombe , with seven other Bishops. On 25 November 1999 the new Diocese was inaugurated as the 71st Diocese of the Church of Nigeria.
He was once the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria [CAN] Gombe State Chapter.
. He has authored many articles for Christian Journals and a book; “Christ Above All: A Theology of the Epistle to the Hebrews.” He has served Nigeria and the Church in different capacities.
Meeting at St Paul’s Cathedral in Port Harcourt in Southern Nigeria ‘s Rivers State on 22 September 2017, the House of Bishops elected Henry Ndukuba, Bishop of Gombe, and the new Archbishop of Jos. He succeeds Benjamin Kwashi , Bishop of Jos. The province of Jos comprises ten Diocese in central Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
On 24th September 2019, the house of Bishops elected him Primate of all Nigeria.
He is happily married to Angela Eberechukwu Ndukuba and they are blessed with four daughters and two sons.
