Delegation to Join Consecration in Nigeria
Episcopal News Service. February 8, 1979 [79035]
Lagos, Nigeria -- The Rt. Rev. Timothy Omotayo Olufosoye, Bishop of Ibadan, has been elected Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Church of the Province of Nigeria which will be formally inaugurated on February 24 at Christ Church Cathedral, Lagos.
On that occasion, the new archbishop will be presented to his people.
Archbishop Olufosoye was ordained deacon in 1946 and priest in 1947. In 1956 he was consecrated Bishop of Gambia and the Rio Pongas in West Africa. A few years later he returned to his native Nigeria to serve as Bishop of the Diocese of Ibadan. The Province of Nigeria, now to be known as the Church of Nigeria, has 13 dioceses.
For the inauguration, a delegation from the Episcopal Church will be present. The delegation, headed by the Rt. Rev. Christoph Keller, Bishop of Arkansas, includes the Rev. Keith Leach, Palos Park, Ill.; Mrs. Howard Avery, Clayton, Mo.; Mrs. Ernest Gantt, Mexico, Mo.; Mrs. William Jones, St. Louis, Mo.; and Dr. and Mrs. Ramen Das, Piqua, Ohio.
The American delegation, interested in fostering closer ties with the new Anglican Province, will remain in Nigeria for about three weeks. Bishop Olufosoye was a partner in the Episcopal Church's first Partners in Mission consultation in 1977.
The day after the inauguration of the Province, a massive open air thanksgiving service will be held at Tafwa Balewa Square in this capital city.