The Archbishop of Kaduna, Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, has emerged as the new President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), bringing decades of pastoral experience, interfaith engagement, and advocacy for peace to the leadership of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.
Born on January 3, 1960, into a family rooted in traditional religion, Ndagoso converted to Catholicism and was ordained a priest on October 4, 1986.
His journey from convert to Archbishop and now CBCN President has been marked by strong commitment to unity, dialogue, and nation-building.
Appointed Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna in November 2007 and installed on January 30, 2008, Ndagoso had earlier served as the pioneer Rector of Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kaduna, from 1999 to 2003.
While serving as rector, he was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, where he shepherded the diocese from 2003 to 2007 during a period that later became defined by insurgency and insecurity in the North-East.
Speaking shortly after his emergence, Archbishop Ndagoso called for unity within the Church and across the nation.
He said: “At this critical moment in our country, the Church must remain a beacon of hope. Religion must never be used as a tool for division or violence. Instead, it should unite us in our common humanity and shared destiny.”
The new CBCN President is widely respected for promoting inter-religious dialogue, particularly in Northern Nigeria, where he has consistently engaged Muslim and Christian leaders in peace-building efforts. He has also been vocal on environmental stewardship and the moral responsibility of leaders to serve with integrity.
On insecurity, especially the targeting of clergy and religious institutions, Ndagoso has been unflinching. Following the kidnapping and killing of seminarian Michael Nnadi in 2020, he condemned the act as “a painful wound on the conscience of the nation” and renewed calls for decisive action to protect lives.
“We cannot normalise violence. Every life is sacred, and the failure to safeguard innocent citizens diminishes us all as a people,” he said at the time.
Until his election as President, Archbishop Ndagoso served as Vice President of the CBCN since 2022, assisting the immediate past President, Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, the Archbishop of Owerri.
In his acceptance remarks, he urged Nigerians not to give in to despair, saying, “Our faith calls us not to retreat in fear but to stand up for truth, justice, and peace. Together, with goodwill across religious and ethnic lines, we can build a Nigeria where every child feels safe and every family can hope again.”
