Oldest Catholic priest in Nigeria dies at 104

ACI Africa, Nov 26, 2024 / 11:19 am (CNA).

Father Thomas Oleghe, the oldest priest in Nigeria has passed away at the age of 104.

Oleghe died in the early hours of Nov. 24, the Solemnity of Christ the King, the bishop of the Diocese of Auchi announced in a statement.

“With gratitude to God for a life well lived on earth I hereby inform you of the passage of the Rt. Rev. MSGR Thomas Oleghe the oldest Catholic priest in Nigeria as of today, to the great beyond at about 2.30 a.m. this morning on the 24th of November, 2024,” Bishop Gabriel Ghiakhomo Dunia wrote in the statement.

The bishop announced that the funeral for Oleghe will be Nov. 27.

“May his lovely and gentle soul continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen,” Dunia prayed.

Born in February 1920, Oleghe was ordained a priest in December 1957. He served in various parishes in the Auchi diocese including St. John The Apostle Igarra Parish where he initiated reforms that laid the foundations of the glorious status of the church today.

In a statement, the former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki eulogized Oleghe as a “great missionary of the Catholic faith.”

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of the oldest Catholic priest in Nigeria, Msgr. Thomas Oleghe,” Obaseki said.

“He was a dedicated and compassionate priest who worked for the growth of the Christian faith and the development of his community. He remained an inspiration to many and a model that a lot of young people looked up to,” he said.

“I celebrate his impactful service to God and humanity, working and commend his work in the Lord’s vineyard in Edo State, where he served for many years promoting peace and development,” Obaseki added.

Commiserating with Bishop Dunia and the entire Nigerian Catholic community Obaseki prayed that “God will grant all the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

Meanwhile, the senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, expressed sorrow over the passing of the priest.

In a statement, Oshiomhole described Oleghe as a “paragon of priestly humility and a steadfast champion of Christian values.”

He said the late Catholic priest’s life was a “shining testament to the virtues of faith, humility, and devotion.”

“His transition is a profound loss, not just to our diocese but to the nation at large. Even as we mourn him, we are comforted by the assurance that his impactful life resonated with God, who blessed him with longevity before calling him to eternal rest,” Oshiomhole said.

This article was originally published by ACI Africa, CNA’s African news partner, and has been adapted for CNA.