wfn.org | ACNS3671 Archbishop Akinola calls for prayer as he assumes new

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3671     |     NIGERIA	|     13 NOVEMBER 2003 

Archbishop Akinola calls for prayer as he assumes new role

by Matthew Davies

The Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Revd
Peter Jasper Akinola, was elected last night (Wednesday 12 November) as
the head of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), an ecumenical
umbrella organisation based in Kaduna. The decision was announced at the
meeting of CAN's 6th General Assembly in Abuja.

In his initial reaction to his election as the CAN President, Archbishop
Akinola called on all Christian people to pray for him as he assumes
office saying that he "attributed the elevation to God and the goodwill
of those who have reposed confidence in him to lead". He added that, in
view of the enormity of the responsibility, he "covets the prayers of
all and sundry to be able to succeed...."

At the end of September, the prelate was also elected as the new
Chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA), a
continental body that brings together all the 12 Anglican Provinces in
Africa and the Diocese of Egypt.

Archbishop Akinola began his ministry as a vicar at St James, Suleja,
Nigeria in 1978 after graduating with a Diploma in Theology from the
Theological College of Northern Nigeria. He was later admitted to
Virginia Theological Seminary in the United States where he graduated
with a Masters Degree in Theology.

He served as the Provincial Missionary for the Church of Nigeria between
1984 and 1989 before being elected Bishop of Abuja in 1989 and later
Archbishop of Province III in 1998. He became Archbishop, Metropolitan
and Primate of All Nigeria in 2002. Nigeria has an estimated 60 million
Christians, of which 17.5 million are Anglican.

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