Anthony Olubunmi Okogie (born 16 June 1936[1]) is a Nigerian Cardinal Priest and Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos in the Roman Catholic Church.[2]


Anthony Olubunmi Okogie
Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos
ChurchCatholic (Roman Rite)
ArchdioceseLagos
ProvinceLagos
MetropolisLagos
SeeLagos
Appointed13 April 1973
Retired25 May 2012
Term ended25 May 2012
PredecessorJohn Kwao Amuzu Aggey
SuccessorAlfred Adewale Martins
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Beat Vergine Maria del Monte Carmelo a Mostacciano
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination11 December 1966
by John Kwao Amuzu Aggey
Consecration29 August 1971
by Owen McCoy
Created cardinal21 October 2003
by Pope John Paul II
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born
Anthony Olubunmi Okogie

(1936-06-16) 16 June 1936 (age 88)
Lagos, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
DenominationCatholic
ParentsPrince Michael Okojie
Lucy Adunni Okojie (née Afolabi)
Coat of armsAnthony Olubunmi Okogie's coat of arms
Styles of
Anthony Olubumni Okogie
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeLagos

Biography

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Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Okogie was born to a royal family of Uromi in Edo State. His parents were Prince Michael Okojie - who was himself a son of King Ogbidi Okojie of Uromi - and Lucy Adunni Okojie (née Afolabi).[3] His father was Esan and his mother was Yoruba. Okogie was ordained priest on 11 December 1966. He holds a licentiate in sacred theology, and had planned to study in Rome, but was called to Nigeria where he was a curate at the Holy Cross Cathedral. He was drafted into the Nigerian army, and served there as a chaplain. After another period of service at Holy Cross Cathedral, he was an instructor at King's College.

In 1971, he was consecrated Titular Bishop of Mascula and Auxiliary of Oyo, and in 1973 named archbishop. As archbishop, Okogie was president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, and from 1994 to 2000 headed the Bishops' Conference of Nigeria.

Cardinal Okogie volunteered to die in place of a Muslim woman who had been condemned to death by stoning by an Islamic court for adultery.[4]

He was proclaimed Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of 21 October 2003, and holds the title of Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria del Monte Carmelo a Mostacciano (or in English Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel of Mostacciano). During his cardinalate, Okogie was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.[5] Cardinal Okogie was also one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.[6][7][8] During the opening day of the 2013 conclave, Cardinal Okogie was notable in that he was the one cardinal who was in a wheelchair during most of the proceedings, standing up only when it came time for him to walk towards the gospels and make the cardinal electors' oath.[6] During the procession and entry into conclave, Cardinal Okogie was the one cardinal from the Latin church who did not wear the mozzetta.[6]

His resignation from the pastoral governance of the see of Lagos because of having reached the age limit of 75 years was accepted on 25 May 2012.

Views

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Condoms

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In 2007, he condemned the government approval of a condom factory.[9]

Celibacy

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Cardinal Okogie has defended the Catholic Church's laws on celibacy for Catholic priests.[10]

American culture

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Okogie has been critical of American culture, especially as it relates to priestly vocations. He said "those people there, in the US, they don’t value anything any more. And how do you want priests to come from a place like that?”[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Lifetime achievers Anthony Cardinal Okogie: Friend of the helpless". Vanguard News. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  2. ^ "OKOGIE Card. Anthony Olubunmi". press.vatican.va. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  3. ^ Tomori, Pascal (1991). Anthony Olubunmi Okogie: The People's Bishop. Nigeria: Jeromelaiho & Associates. p. 63.
  4. ^ Obed Minchakpu (1 February 2002). "Archbishop Proposes to Die in Place of Woman Sentenced to Stoning". Christianity Today. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  5. ^ "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church: Conclaves of the 21st Century (2005)". Salvador Miranda. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b c Procession and entrance in Conclave (Television production) (in Italian). Rome: Centro Televisivo Vaticano. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Cardinal electors – Conclave of March 2013 – Arranged in alphabetical order". Salvador Miranda. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  8. ^ "Conclave of March 2013". Salvador Miranda. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  9. ^ Peter Ajayi Dada (4 January 2007). "Nigerian cardinal condemns government approval of condom factory". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 9 January 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  10. ^ a b Chioma Gabriel, Sam Eyoboka (24 July 2009). "I had three girlfriends, I still have sexual urge". Vanguard. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by — TITULAR —
Titular Bishop of Mascula
5 June 1971 – 13 April 1973
Succeeded by
Jan Bernard Szlaga
Preceded by
John Kwao Amuzu Aggey
Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos
13 April 1973 – 25 May 2012
Succeeded by
Alfred Adewale Martins
Preceded by President of the Nigerian Episcopal Conference
1988 – 1994
Succeeded by
Preceded by Cardinal-Priest of Beata Vergine Maria del Monte Carmelo a Mostacciano
21 October 2003 –
Incumbent