# Roman Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku (Latin: Isseleukuan(us)) is a diocese located in the city of Issele-Uku, Delta State in the ecclesiastical province of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. It lies on the west bank of the Niger River between Benin City to the west and Onitsha to the east. The diocese comprises six local government areas in the northern portion of Delta State. The Archdiocese of Onitsha borders it on the east and the Archdiocese of Benin City borders it on the west. The Diocese of Uromi is to its north and the Diocese of Warri borders it on the south.

## History

The first Mass in the diocese was celebrated on March 5, 1888 and the first missionary was Fr. Carlo Zappa. The Diocese of Issele-Uku was created on July 5, 1973 from the territory which was once part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City. It now covers the northern part of Delta State west of the River Niger and the state capital, Asaba including the following six Local Government Areas of Nigeria: Aniocha North and Aniocha South, Ika North East and Ika South, Oshimili North and Oshimili South, and has a land mass of 3,011 square Km. The diocese has grown from the initial eight parishes with which it began to 44 parishes and 18 independent stations in 2011.

## Diocesan statistics

The diocese at the end of the year 2006 had a population of 996,410 people, including 308,596 baptized Catholics, constituting 31% of the population. Statistics are taken from the Annuario Pontificio.

## Additional statistics

* Catholic Churches in the Diocese 61
* Nigerian Diocesan Priests 130
* Major Seminarians 179
* Priests on further studies abroad 7
* Priests on Mission in the USA 18

## Special churches

St. Paul Cathedral in Issele-Uku. See picture of cathedral:

## Bishops

* Bishop Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji (07.05.1973 – 11.08.1996), appointed Bishop of Enugu
* Bishop Emmanuel Otteh (11.08.1996 – 11.14.2003) Bishop Emeritus
* Rev Michael Odogwu Elue (Apostolic Administrator 11.14.2003 until episcopal ordination on 02.21.2004 see below)
* Bishop Michael Odogwu Elue (see above 02.21.2004 - )

### Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

* Augustine Obiora Akubeze, appointed Bishop of Uromi in 2005

## Bishop's house

* P.O. Box 63
* Issele-Uku, Delta State, Nigeria
* Telephone: Office: 048 880 187
* Asaba Office: 056 280 412
* Fax 1: 056 280 412
* Fax 2: 048880 0187
* GSM: 0803 714 2369

## Parishes

* Map with pointers to parishes and institutions

## Higher institutions chaplaincy

* College of Education, Agbor
* Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba
* Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba
* St. John's, Alihagu

## Nurseries and primary schools

* Holy Infant International School, Agbor
* Regina Mundi Nursery/Primary School, Asaba
* St. Mary Anne Nursery/Primary School, Ebu
* Mercy Nursery/Primary School, Ibusa
* St. Maria Gorretti School, Illah
* Immaculate Conception Nursery/Primary School, Ishiagu
* Holy Child School, Issele-Uku
* Divine Love Nursery/Primary School, Ogwashi-Uku
* Holy Child School, Onicha-Olona
* Divine Love School, Ubulu-Uku
* Sacred Heart Nursery/Primary School, Umunede
* St. Augustine Nursery/Primary School, Ubulu-Okiti

## Secondary schools

* Dominican Vocational School, Agbor
* Holy Infant Secondary School, Agbor
* Madonna Comprehensive Secondary School, Akwukwu-Igbo
* St John's Secondary School, Alihagu
* Mercy Girls' Secondary School, Aliokpu Agbor
* Juniorate Girls' Secondary School, Issele-Uku
* Divine Love Secondary School, Ubulu-Uku
* St. Patrick's College, Asaba
* St. Paul's Grammar School, Ebu
* St. Brigid's Girls Grammar School, [Asaba Delta State]
* St. Martin De Porres Girls Grammar School, [Onicha-Olona]

## Institutions

* Madonna School for the Handicapped, Okpanam
* Regina Mundi Computers, Ogwashi-Uku

## Hospitals and maternities

* Catholic Health Centre, Ewulu
* Catholic Maternity and Hospital, P.O. Box 98, Ekuku-Agbor
* St Anthony's Catholic Maternity, P.O. Box 206, Ubulu-Uku
* St Elizabeth's Catholic Maternity, P.O. Box 43, Umunede
* St John's Hospital, P.O. Box 1896, Agbor
* St Joseph Hospital, P.O. Box 911, Asaba
* St Mary's Hospital, P.O. Box 38, Ogwashi-Uku
* St Theresa's Hospital, P.O. Box 63, Issele-Uku

## Special homes

* Pro Labore Dei, Asaba
* Home for Old People, Asaba
* Home for Destitutes, Agbor
* Home for Destitutes, Umunede

## Special institutions

* Pastoral Centre, Issele-Uku
* School of Evangelization, Issele-Uku
* Leprosaria, Abor Ogwashi-Uku
* Leprosaria, Ute-Enugu

## Female religious houses

* Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, Okpanam
* Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, Box 121, Umunede
* DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Akwukwu-Igbo
* DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Box 63, Issele-Uku
* DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Gbenoba, Agbor-Obi
* DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Illah, c/o St John’s, Box 18, Illah
* DDL Daughters of Divine Love, Ubulu-Uku
* DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy , Aliokpu
* DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy Convent, Box 60, Issele-Uku
* DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy Convent, Igbuzor
* DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, Onicha-Olona
* DMMM Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, Ubulu-Uku
* Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine,, , Agbor-Obi
* Franciscan Sisters, Ogwashi-Uku
* Immaculate Heart Sisters, Okpanam
* NES New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help, Archived 2017-09-19 at the Wayback Machine, Agbor
* NES New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help, Box 63, Issele-Uku
* NES New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help, Box 72, Ubulu-Okiti
* NES New Evangelization Sisters of Mother of Perpetual Help, Ogwashi-Uku
* OLA Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles,, Box 2170, Agbor
* OLA Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles Convent, Box 54, Asaba
* SSL Sisters of St Louis (in Nigeria), Ewulu

## Male religious houses

* OSA Order of Saint Augustine, Box 32, Igbuzor
* OP Order of Preachers, St Patrick’s Church, Agbor-Obi, Box 1725, Agbor
* SMA Society of African Missions, St Patrick's Church, Cable Point, Asaba, Box 793, Asaba

## Priestly formation

* Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
* All Saints Major Seminary, Uhiele-Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria
* Saint Felix Minor Seminary, P.O. Box 174, Ejeme-Aniogor, Delta State, Nigeria

## Politics

The diocese is located in the northern area of Delta State which is structured according to political divisions known as local government areas (L.G.A.s). There were in 1991 twelve LGAs, then nineteen and now there are 25 LGAs. The Diocese of Issele-Uku now covers six of the local government areas: Aniocha North and Aniocha South, Ika North East and Ika South, and Oshimili North and Oshimili South, and with a land mass of 3,011 square Km.