…Most Rev. John Ayah installed as new
Bishop…Attah,
Akpabio, Chris Ekpenyong, Ors grace event
By Ekebo Ekanem
The battle for the
occupant of the office of the Bishop of Uyo Catholic Diocese was laid to rest
recently, as Most Rev. John Ayah was formally installed as the new Bishop of Uyo Catholic Diocese.
Performing the
installation ceremony, the head of the Universal Church, Pope Francis who was
represented by the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria Archbishop Augustine Kasujja
congratulated the new Bishop and the Diocese on their cerebrations and called
on members of the church to give him the necessary support so as to enable the
new Bishop to succeed.
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| Most Rev. John Ayah, Catholic Bishop of Uyo Diocese |
In his opening
remarks, the Chairman on the occasion and Permanent Secretary in the Federal
Ministry of Youth
Development, Dr. Henry Akpan thanked Catholic faithful in the State and Nigeria
for honoring Uyo Diocese in their celebrations and described the new Bishop as
a worthy servant of God who have contributed his wealth of experience to growth
and development of the church in the country.
Delivering sermon at the installation service, Most Rev. Anthony AdaJi of
Idah Diocese, Kogi State admonished church faithful to accept and
rally round Bishop Ayah on his pastoral assignment.
The man of God who
drew his text from 2nd Corr. 11 28- 29, challenged priests to focus
on winning souls for Chirst.
The President,
Conference of Catholic Bishops in Nigeria, Most Rev. Ignatius Raigaman also
congratulated Bishop Ayah and the Church for clocking 25 years, noting that a
lot of good things will be witnessed in the Diocese. On his part, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Calabar Province and former Bishop of Uyo
Diocese, Most Rev. (Dr) Joseph Ekuwen
thanked the entire Diocese of Uyo for their wonderful support given him during
his tenure as the Bishop of Uyo Diocese. Archbishop Ekuwen appealed to members
of the Church to extend
the same gesture done him to his successor.
On his part the
State Governor, Chief (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio, represented by his deputy,
noble Lady Valarie Ebe congratulated Bishop Ayah on his elevation and subsequent installation adding that the people of Akwa Ibom State are proud of
his life and ministry. Chief Akpabio also lauded the former Bishop of Uyo,
now Archbishop of Calabar Province, Most Rev. (Dr) Joseph Ekuwem and described
him as a strong partner of all Government activities. The Governor attributed
the success recorded by Ekuwem to the regular seeking of God’s face through payer as
the State was committed
to God at the beginning of every
year.
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| Most Rev. (Dr) Joseph EkuwemArchbishop of Calabar Province |
Meanwhile, a member of Uyo Diocesan Council of the Church who
did not want his name in print disclosed to our Reporter that the emergence of
Bishop John Ayah (as a non-indigene) was triggered allegedly by a plot said to have been mooted by the out-gone Bishop
Dr. Joseph Ekuwem to influence the installation of a priest from his “Oro
Nation” as his successor. The source
added that when the pressure became so tensed from members of the Diocese and
Priests as regards the selection battle, Bishop Ayah from Calabar was appointed
as the Sole Administrator to oversee the Diocese. That appointment subsisted up until he was
confirmed as the Bishop of Uyo Diocese.
Among dignitaries that graced the ceremony were the State Governor, Chief (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio,
his predecessor, Arc- (Obong) Victor Attah, his
former deputy, Engr. Christopher Ekpenyong, the State Chife Judge, Justice
Idongesit Ntem Isua, Prof. Edward Attah, and many others.
Born on the 10th of December 1959 to the family of Mr David Kudong Ayah and
Elizabeth Igaw Ayah of Buya village in Bishiri Obanliku local Government Area
of cross River State, Bishop Ayah attended Baptist convention primary school
Limbe, Cameroon, between 1968 to 1975.
He began his
Secondary education but was intercepted by some family set backs.
In 1977 he was in
Nigeria where his zeal for the priesthood increased and he had to be
nurtured by Rev. Fr. Kris Owan and through the support and encouragement of
Rev. Fr. Anthony Bassey, he finally gained admission
into St. Augustine Junior Seminary, Abakiliki where he obtained his WAEC Certificate in 1984.
After his secondary
Education, he was there upon embraced by His Lordship Bishop, Most Rev. (Dr) Joseph Edarh Ukpo, then the Bishop of Ogoja Diocese and
was asked to do a one
year perfecting in Pope John Paul ll Junior Seminary
then situated at Abakpa in Ogoja. In 1985, he proceeded to Bigard Memorial
Seminary, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, (now St. Joseph Major Seminary ) where he had his philosophical studies for four years, then proceeded to Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu for his theological studies.
During his stay in Bigard he distinguished himself in various ways
and endeared himself
to the seminary formators. On the 24th of July 1993, he was raised to the order of Presbyter by His Lordship, Most Rev.(Dr) Joseph Ukpo in his parish, Mater Redemptorist,
San Kwala Obanliku, as the first priest from the parish. He was to continue the
good work he began, he was posted to Pope John Paul ll Seminary, Okpoma the
second time from 1993 to 1994 that he was transferred to St. Paul’s Parish, Wanokom covering St. Joseph’s Parish,
Bansara till last part of 1994.
From December 1994 to September, 1998, he was the parish priest
of Abuochiche where he assiduously worked towards the creation of the present
Ukpah parish. In all honesty, no one has forgotten his name wherever he
had worked. On the 18th September, 1998, he
saw himself warming up for further studies, he went to Leaven, Belgium where he had his Doctorate Degree in Moral
Theology. On his return to the Diocese in July, 2005, he was asked to hold
brief in his home parish till October, 2005, then he was posted as the Rector
to Pope John Paul ll Junior Seminary, Okpoma, the third time. This automatically
revealed his leadership qualities as a Educator,
Counselor, formator, a humane, caring and understanding father.
From the Seminary he named Bishop-elect of Ogoja Diocese. On Friday, 31st May 2013 Bishop Ayah was appointed the Apostolic Administrator of
Uyo Diocese on May 31st, the very day of the installation of Archbishop
Ekuwen as the Metropolitan Bishop of the See of
Calabar. He worked very hard to cover Ogoja Diocese as the Bishop and Uyo
Diocese as Administrator. After a year and one month, on July 5th,
2014, Bishop Ayah was appointed the substantive Bishop of Uyo Catholic Diocese.
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