Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu

Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins has approved the appointment of Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu as the acting Director of Social Communications for the Catholic Archdiocese.

The statement quoted the archbishop as saying that Fr. Godonu had replaced Very Rev. Msgr Gabriel Osu with effect from April 1.

The archbishop commended Msgr Osu for serving the Archdiocese meritoriously as its Director of Social Communications for no less than two decades.

Archbishop Adewale Martins said this in a press statement released from the archbishop’s chancery on Monday and made available to newsmen.

The statement also said that Godonu was in Rome, Italy between June 2011 and August 2012 as a post graduate student where he bagged his Masters degree in Social Communications.

He returned to the country in August 2012, it said.

It added that Fr Godonu was born on March 23, 1976 to the family of late Mr and Mrs Roger and Celestina Godonu of Porto-Novo, from the Republic of Benin.

It said that the acting director grew up in Badagry, had his primary school education at Our Lady of Apostles’ (O.L.A.) Primary School from 1984 to 1990.

It added that he also attended Badagry Grammar School (B.G.S) from 1990 to 1996.

The statement said that he gained admission into St. John of the Cross Seminary, Ekpoma in Edo, for his one-year spiritual experience (a kind of preparatory year for the priestly training proper) in January 1998.

He was also admitted into the Major Seminary of All Saints, Uhiele-Ekpoma, Edo, in October 1998 for his philosophical and theological studies.

He also bagged his Bachelor of Art degree (B.A. Hons) in Philosophy from the University of Benin in 2002.

In 2006, he bagged another Bachelor’s degree in Sacred Theology (B.Th.) from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome, Italy, it said.

The statement said, ”On Dec. 1, 2005, he was raised to the Diaconate alongside some of his classmates by his Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Okogie at the Seminary of All Saints, Uhiele, Ekpoma, Edo.

”On Dec. 9, 2006, he and five other deacons were ordained priests of the Catholic Church by Anthony Cardinal Okogie, the then Archbishop of Lagos at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Ajegunle, Lagos.’’

The statement said that since his ordination, Fr. Godonu had performed his pastoral duties at: Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Ogba, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Ibonwon, Epe, St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Ebute-Meta.

Other parishes where he had served also include: St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Ajegunle, St. Margaret’s Catholic Church, Olodi, Apapa, and St. Gerald’s Catholic Church, Soluyi, Gbagada.

Fr. Godonu is currently the Priest-in-Charge of the Catholic Church of the Presentation, Festac Town, Lagos,” he said.