CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF KONTAGORA
PROVINCE: KADUNA
Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna
Date of Birth: 15th December, 1970
Priestly Ordination: 10th January, 1998
Episcopal Ordination: 3rd May, 2012
Address: Catholic Bishop’s House
P.O. Box 178, Kontagora Niger State
Phone Number: 08033465791
E-mail address: bulusyohanna@rocketmail.com
Most Rev. (Dr.) Timothy J. Carroll, SMA (Emeritus)
Date of Birth: April 23, 1940
Priestly Ordination: December, 20th, 1965
Episcopal Ordination: 17th August, 2002
Retirement: 30th April, 2010
STATISTICS AT A GLANCE
Created a prefecture: March 16th, 1996
Became a Vicariate: August 17th, 2002
First Apostolic Vicar/Bishop: Most Rev Dr. Timothy Carroll SMA
Second Apostolic Vicar/Bishop: Most Rev Bulus Dauwa Yohanna
Became a Diocese: April 2nd, 2020
First bishop of the Diocese: Most Rev Bulus Dauwa Yohanna
Population of the Diocese: 1.9Million
Catholic Population: 67,000
Diocesan Priests: 30
Religious Priests: 8
Religious Sisters: 32
Number of Parishes: 20
The first missionaries to settle in Kontagora area were the SMA Fathers. Fr. Martin McDonnell, SMA took up residence in Masuga (8km from Kontagora) in 1937. From Masuga they developed an outstation at Zuru; and in 1952 the first priest (Fr. Danny Watson SMA) settled there. In 1962 the SMA Fathers withdrew and handed over care for these stations to the priests of St. Patrick’s Missionary Society. Fr. Jim Noonan, SPS then took care of the growth and development of the Church until the return of the SMA Fathers in the mid-nineties.
On 27th December, 1995, the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II announced the creation of a new prefecture called the Apostolic Prefecture of Kontagora in the North Western part of Nigeria. The Pope named as its first Prefect Apostolic, Monsignor Timothy J. Carroll, SMA. The Apostolic Prefecture was entrusted to the care of the Society of African Missions and assisted by St. Patrick’s Missionaries. Msgr. Timothy J. Carroll, SMA was installed as the Prefecture Apostolic on 16th March, 1996 at Kontagora by His Excellency, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, Apostolic Pro-nuncio to Nigeria.
The Prefecture of Kontagora was carved out of three dioceses namely, Minna, Ilorin and Sokoto. The area was first evangelized by the SMA and SPS Missionaries from Ireland, and the Dominican Missionaries from America. The size of the area is about 46, 000sqkm. The main ethnic groups in the area are: Kambari, Dakarkari, Dukkawa, Fulani, Busawa, Kamuku, Hausa and a number of smaller groups. The river Niger runs right through the Prefecture.
The population of the area is approximately 1.5 million people. The crops that are produced in the area are guinea corn, millet, groundnut, cotton, rice and maize.
History was made on 10th January, 1998 with the priestly ordination of Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna (now Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna) the first ordination for the prefecture. He is the first to be ordained from his tribe – Kambari.
On 21st May, 2002 the Holy Father announced the elevation of Kontagora Prefecture to the status of an Apostolic Vicariate. He appointed Msgr. Timothy J. Carroll SMA, as the first Vicar Apostolic of Kontagora and titular bishop of Tipasa in Mauritania.
Since the creation of the Prefecture/Vicariate, much work has been done. Five new parishes were created. Two new convents were opened. Many catechists have been trained to assist in the work of evangelization. Many more buildings have been constructed at the catechetical training centre, Masuga such that it can now accommodate participants for the different courses in literacy, leadership skills and catechists’ training taking place throughout the year. A lot of work has been done in education with literacy programmes in the parishes. Health care, rural development and well-digging are taking place in the parishes.
Presently, there are eighteen parishes and hundreds of outstations in the Vicariate. There are seven convents, ten Catholic Nursery/Primary Schools, four Secondary Schools, a Catechetical Training Centre at Masuga, for the training of lay leaders and catechists and three clinics at Papiri, Kwimo, and Tungan Gero.
A setback occurred on 23rd February, 2006 when St. Michael’s Cathedral was attacked and damaged by a mob and the parish house burnt down. This was one of the many protests that followed the cartoons of prophet Mohammed (SAW) that appeared in a Danish newspaper. Thanks for the support from many quarter both within and outside Nigeria; the Cathedral was repaired and a story building erected as the parish house.
Towards the end of the first decade of the new millennium, the Vicar Apostolic, Bishop Timothy J. Carroll, SMA experienced failing health which resulted in his resignation from active ministry. He returned to Ireland for treatment in April 2010. Care of the Vicariate was entrusted to Very Rev. Fr. Dan McCauley, SMA who was immediately appointed by the Holy See as Apostolic Administrator until a new Bishop was appointed. On 2nd February, 2012 the announcement was made by the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, His Excellency Most Rev. (Dr.) Augustine Kasujja, that Monsignor Bulus Dauwa Yohanna was appointed the new Vicar Apostolic of Kontagora Vicariate. The Episcopal Ordination and Installation of Monsignor Bulus took place on Thursday 3rd May, 2012 at St. Michael’s, Kontagora.
Erection as a Prefecture: 16th March, 1996
Erection as Vicariate: 17th August, 2002
First Bishop: Most Rev. (Dr.) Timothy J. Carroll, SMA (Emeritus)
Episcopal Ordination: 17th August, 2002
Retirement: 30th April, 2010
Administrator: Very Rev. Fr. Dan McCauley, SMA (1st May. 2010 – 2ndMay, 2012)
Second Bishop: Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna
Date of Birth: 15th December, 1970
Priestly Ordination: 10th January, 1998
Appointment as Bishop: 2nd February, 2012
Episcopal Ordination: 3rd May, 2012