December 8, 2025, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, will be a special day, particularly for our brothers of the East Nigeria Province. It will be the day of the official inauguration of the North Nigeria Dependent Delegation. As a dependent Delegation, it continues to form part of and is dependent on the East Nigeria Province.
The Claretian Missionaries embarked on their historic journey into Northern Nigeria in 1982, when Fathers Innocent Edoziem and Ralph Berg conducted a pastoral survey of the region. This pioneering endeavor was inspired by the late Fr. Christian Mary Ihedoro, whose vision and encouragement marked the beginning of Claretian expansion beyond Southeastern Nigeria. In 1983, the novitiate was established in Utonkon, with Fr. Charles Amadi appointed as the first novice master. At the time, Utonkon was part of the Makurdi Diocese, now Otukpo Diocese. A little later, pastoral ministry also commenced at St. Paul’s Parish, Utonkon, where the missionaries served for 29 years before relocating to St. Martin de Porres Parish, Onyagede, in 2013. The Novitiate received canonical erection in 1985, becoming a cornerstone of formation in the region.
The mission expanded in 1994 into the Abuja Archdiocese, beginning with Kwali in 1994 and later extending to Zuba. By 2006, the Claretians had reached the Jos Archdiocese, assuming pastoral duties at St. John Mary Vianney Parish, Kwande—now under Shendam Diocese. In 2010, they were invited to serve in Jalingo Diocese at St. Martin of Tours Parish, Garba Chede, where they remain active to this day. In 2011, the Claretians established a presence at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Fier (then under the Jos Archdiocese, now Pankshin Diocese). However, due to escalating security threats, the mission was suspended in 2023. That same year, 2010, they began pastoral work at St. Michael’s Parish, Kala’a, in Maiduguri Diocese, a region deeply affected by insurgency. In 2014, Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, CMF, of Makurdi Diocese invited the Claretians to collaborate in diocesan ministry, leading to their involvement in a minor seminary and four parishes: St. Stephen Asase on February 7, 2016, St. Edward’s Abinsi on November 9, 2020, St. Thomas More Gbonko on August 29, 2021, and St. Andrew Apir-Mbayom on September 17, 2022. In 2017, Bishop Hilary Dachelem, CMF, of Bauchi Diocese also invited missionaries to serve there. Invitations from other dioceses continue to emerge, reflecting the growing trust in their missionary zeal.
The Claretians currently minister in two of the three Ecclesiastical Provinces of Northern Nigeria, serving across seven dioceses and ten parishes. Their primary apostolate is pastoral, complemented by educational and formation ministries. The Heart of Mary Novitiate in Utonkon remains the sole formation house in the region. The Claretian Mission in Northern Nigeria stands as a testament to missionary outreach to the margins. Despite persistent insecurity and logistical hurdles, the mission continues to flourish. The growing interest among Northern youth in the Claretian way of life signals a promising future. The establishment of a dependent delegation will enhance coordination, nurture growth, and deepen vocational discernment across the region. The Claretians remain steadfast in their commitment to evangelization, formation, and solidarity with the suffering, embodying the spirit of their founder in every corner they serve. The government of this new Delegation is composed of Fr. Cornelius Nweke as Superior Delegate, Fr. Emmanuel Okwara as ecónome, and Fr. Emmanuel Ukata as secretary.
