Rev. Fr. Anozie Joseph A. Okogba hails from Abba in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. He received his elementary education at St Paul’s Primary school, Abba. Aspiring to be a Catholic Priest, he entered All Hallows Minor Seminary in Onitsha for his secondary education.

      After his high school education, he attended Bigard Major Seminary in Enugu where he studied philosophy and theology (1972-1979). On completion of his studies at Bigard Major Seminary, Fr Anozie Joseph was ordained a priest for the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha on January 27, 1980, by the then Archbishop, now Francis Cardinal Arinze, Emeritus Perfect, Congregation for Divine Worship and discipline of the Sacraments in Vatican City, Rome.

      Since his ordination, Fr Joseph has served the Archdiocese of Onitsha as an Associate Pastor at the Cathedral Parish in Onitsha as Vice Rector and Spiritual Director at St Paul’s Minor Seminary in Ukpor, as interim Rector at All Hallows Minor Seminary in Onitsha his alma mater as well as pastor in five parishes before travelling to the United States.

            From the autumn of 1999 to February 2000, Fr Joseph served as an Associate Pastor of St Catherine’s Church in Valley City. He served as administrator for St Mathias Catholic Church in Windsor, St Mary’s Catholic Church in Medina and St Ann’s Catholic Church in Gackle as well as chaplain at the North Dakota State Hospital in Jamestown. He also served as pastor of St Edward’s Catholic Church in Drayton as well as Assumption Parish in Pembina, before returning to Nigeria and joining the Catholic Aguleri Diocese.