….He left behind a church that was stronger, larger, and more globally respected.
Nicholas Dikeriehi Orogodo Okoh (born November 10, 1952) stands as one of the towering figures of Nigerian Christianity. Best known for his decade-long tenure as the fourth Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and Archbishop of Abuja Province (2010–2020), his leadership combined the precision of a soldier with the compassion of a pastor. He left behind a church that was stronger, larger, and more globally respected. Even in retirement, he continues to serve as a moral compass and elder statesman, inspiring both the Anglican Communion and Nigerian society with his testimony of faith, discipline, and perseverance.
Born in Owa-Alero, Delta State, to the humble household of Stephen Chinakwe Okoh and Nwagho Okoh, young Nicholas grew up with little material comfort but rich moral grounding. His formative years at St. Michael’s Anglican School (1958–1964) shaped his values of diligence and reverence. At just 16, in the heat of Nigeria’s Civil War, he enlisted in the Nigerian Army, where he confronted the brutal realities of conflict. Though the war shook his faith, a deep encounter with Scripture in 1971 became the defining moment of his life transforming a disillusioned soldier into a man with a burning passion for Christ.
Determined to pursue his divine calling, Okoh enrolled at Emmanuel College of Theology, Ibadan (1976–1979), earning diplomas in Religious Studies and Theology. Ordained a deacon in 1979 and priest in 1980, he pressed further, graduating from the University of Ibadan with a BA and later a Master’s in Theology. Over time, he was also conferred honorary doctorates, including LLD and DD, in recognition of his profound contributions to faith and society. His rigorous theological and academic formation equipped him for the weighty responsibilities that lay ahead.
Okoh’s service as a military chaplain spanned over two decades, during which he ministered to soldiers and their families while rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His postings took him across Nigeria , Jos, Lagos, Ibadan, and Kaduna, where he provided spiritual guidance and moral counsel during some of the nation’s most turbulent years. By the time he retired from the army in 1996, he had become known as a disciplined, compassionate, and strategic leader. This unique blend of military precision and pastoral concern became the hallmark of his future leadership in the church.
His ecclesiastical rise was swift but steady. In 2001, Okoh was consecrated as the second Bishop of Asaba and, by 2005, elevated to Archbishop of Bendel Province. His election as Primate of the Church of Nigeria in 2009 ushered in a transformative decade. Installed in 2010, he presided over remarkable growth, membership surpassed 18 million, dioceses expanded beyond 160, and innovative initiatives such as the Divine Commonwealth Conference (DIVCCON), the Way of the Cross during Lent, and wider media engagement brought renewed vitality to the church’s mission.
One of his most enduring achievements was the conception and commissioning of St. Matthias House, the Church of Nigeria’s ultra-modern, multi-billion-naira National Secretariat and Headquarters which became a unifying symbol for Anglicans nationwide. Okoh spearheaded a massive church-planting drive and oversaw the building of several new churches in Abuja and across Nigeria. Under his guidance, key infrastructure projects such as the Diocesan Quarters (Wuye), Clergy Quarters (Gwarinpa), Lay Quarters (AGGS Compound), and the Episcopal House (Wuye) were completed to strengthen diocesan administration and clergy welfare.
Perhaps the most audacious project embarked upon by Primate Okoh in the pursuit of evangelical revival is the establishment of the Advent Cable Network Nigeria Television (ACNNTV). With this he took the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion to the hitech age, with the ability to reach homes and other places in any part of the world with the message of the gospel – the Undiluted Word of God.
Globally, Okoh emerged as a central figure in the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), serving as Chairman of the Primates’ Council until 2019. He was a vocal defender of biblical orthodoxy, standing firmly against liberal shifts in Western Anglicanism, particularly on issues such as same-sex marriage and the ordination of non-celibate homosexual clergy. His leadership at GAFCON II (Nairobi, 2013) and GAFCON III (Jerusalem, 2018) ensured that the African voice remained decisive in shaping global Anglican identity. Though his positions occasionally drew criticism from liberal circles, they cemented Nigeria’s reputation as a conservative and influential force in worldwide Anglicanism.
Okoh’s personal life was equally integral to his ministry. In 1986, he married Nkasiobi Amaechi, a French graduate and educator, who became a formidable partner in his work. As President of the Mothers’ Union, Women’s Guild, and Girls’ Guild, Mrs. Okoh mobilized women across Nigeria for evangelism, social outreach, and family life development. Together, they raised five children and modeled the Anglican vision of family partnership in ministry.
When Okoh retired in March 2020, handing over to Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, he entered what should have been a season of rest, only to face a life-threatening illness shortly afterward. Months in hospital became a trial of faith, but his eventual recovery, which he credits to divine mercy, became yet another chapter in his testimony of God’s grace. Today, as Emeritus Archbishop, he continues to write, teach, counsel, and inspire, a statesman of faith who still shapes conversations about the church and the nation.
Reflecting on his years as Primate, Okoh remains humble, as he redirects praise to God and to the legacy of his predecessor, Most Rev. Peter Akinola:
“I felt his legacies of building on the church foundation were worth it. I not only built on his legacy but in some other areas, I felt I should do things differently due to new demands and passage of time.”
Nicholas Dikeriehi Orogodo Okoh’s story is that of a soldier turned shepherd, a man who rose from the battlefields of war to lead one of the largest Anglican communities in the world. His life is a portrait of courage, conviction, and grace, a church strengthened, a faith defended, and a generation inspired
By Sir Folu Olamiti
