Dominic Ignatius Ekandem

Dominic Ignatius Ekandem was a Nigerian Catholic cardinal who served as Archbishop of Abuja from 1989 until 1992. He was the first native West African Catholic bishop in history. He also founded the Missionary Society of Saint Paul of Nigeria (M.S.P.). A native of Akwa Ibom State, Ekandem attended several Catholic seminaries including All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha and Christ the King College, Onitsha. He was ordained on 7 December 1947, and became the first priest from the old Calabar province. His first assignment as bishop was as auxiliary of Calabar from 1953 to 1963. He was Bishop of Ikot Ekpene from 1963 to 1981; during that tenure, in April 1976, he was named a cardinal. He then became Ecclesiastical Superior of Abuja, and when Abuja became an Archdiocese in 1989, he became its Archbishop (personal title). Ekandem died in 1995. He was known for his pastoral zeal, his ecumenical spirit, and his commitment to the development of the Nigerian Church. He was also a champion of human rights and social justice, especially during the Nigerian Civil War. He was respected and admired by many Nigerians, both Christians and Muslims, for his humility, wisdom, and generosity.