CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF AGULERI
REV. FR. ANTHONY IDIGO
Very Rev. Fr Dr Anthony Chike Idigo (JCD) was born into the family of Mr and Mrs Luke Idigo on 26th Match 1946 at Aguleri. He did his elementary school at St. Joseph Catholic School Aguleri. He gained admission into St. Joseph Secondary School in 1963. In 1964 he changed to Notre Dame High School Abatete. In 1967 When the Biafra war broke out he joined the Biafran army and fought in different sectors and when the war ended in 1970 he was admitted into all Hallows Seminary Onitsha. He left for Bigard to study philosophy and theology. He was ordained a priest on July 20th 1979 by the then Archbishop now Francis Cardinal Arinze in the same year he was sent to St. Joseph Catholic Church Aguleri in 1979, he was there till October 1979. When the parish priest Rev. Fr Dr Boniface Asuzu was sent on further studies in Rome. Fr Anthony was sent to act as the parish priest, he stayed there for 3 months. He was then sent to St Mary’s Catholic Church inland town Onitsha in 1979 as a parish vicar.
In October 1980 he was sent to Sacred Heart Parish Onitsha as a vicar. He was sent to Madonna Catholic Church Nnobi in 1981 as a parish priest he worked there for 8 years (1981-1988). At Nnobi he built a hospital, re-constructed the Father’s house, a convent for the handmaid sisters and finally he opened a school known as Seat of Wisdom secondary school Nnobi. He established the famous fathering Sunday (Ukanna) at Nnobi. He was sent to St John the Baptist Parish Odoakpo Onitsha to open a new parish in (1988-1990). He then left to Rome for further studies. He did his Bachelors in philosophy at Lateran University and Masters in Ecumenism in Angelicum the same year and returned to Nigeria. He was sent to Umuoji in 1991 to open a new parish called St Francis Catholic Church. After the crisis at the St Francis Catholic Church, Umuoji, he was sent back to Rome.
He did his Licentiate in Ecumenism in Angelicum and a Licentiate also and doctorate in Canon Law at Lateran University within 3 years and also Jurisprudence at Urban University. In-between, he visited home briefly. While at home, he was nominated by the Igwe of Aguleri for the position of Ide-Aguleri. The honour was conferred with the permission of the Archbishop of Onitsha.
He went on holidays in England where he was a parish priest at St. Anselm and St Jude Kent for six months and then he came back to Nigeria. He was posted to St. Michael’s Parish Fegge in residence to work in the Archdiocesan tribunal for 3 years after that he was transferred to St. Joan of Arc Nnado and he stayed there for 6 years and then he was transferred to St Theresa’s Catholic Church Umunya after his 6 years there he was finally transferred to Immaculate Heart Parish Onitsha Fegge.