Rev. Fr Linus Okika was born in Awkuzu, Oyi LGA., of Anambra State on 4^th July, 1958. His secondary education was in St Paul­’s Seminary, Ukpor, 1974 – 1975; All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha, 1975 – 1979. After the successful completion of the secondary education, followed by one-year apostolic work in the Alma Mater, he was selected to proceed to Bigard Memorial Seminary, Philosophy Campus, Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom State, 1980 – 1984; Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu, 1985 – 1989. At the end of his theological studies the ordination to the priesthood happened on the 15^th of July 1989. After a few months as a curate in St Peter Clavers, Otolo, Nnewi, he was sent to help as a Fidei Donum priest, in the Archdiocese of Duoula, Cameroon, from May 1990 to May 1993. After 3 years of missionary work, he returned to Nigeria. In June 1993 he was sent for further studies. His higher studies took place in Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, from 1993-1998. He has the following academic qualifications: B.Phil. (Pontifical Urban University, Rome, 1984); B.D. (PUU, Rome, 1989); M.A. (Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 1995); Ph.D. (PGU, Rome, 1998). The time spent outside Nigeria afforded him the opportunity to learn the following languages: French, Italian and German. At the conclusion of his studies in Rome and on his return to Nigeria, Fr Okika was appointed personal secretary to the Archbishop of Onitsha, from December, 1998 to December 2000. From January, 2001 till December 2003, he assumed the responsibility of a parish priest in St Augustine of Hippo, Nkpor. From January, 2004 to date, he has worked as lecturer/formator in Pope John Paul II Major Seminary, Okpuno. Besides his pastoral experience in Nigeria, Fr Okika has had the opportunity to spend two years outside his homeland. September 2010 – 20 September, 2012, in Katholische Kirchengemeinde, St Ulrich, Alpen, Germany; 29 September 2017 – 30 September, 2018, in Katholische Kirchengemeinde Heilig Geist Hamm/Bockum-Hoevel.

      Fr Okika takes time to admire nature, an important source of his spirituality and reflection. He takes to play tennis and interact with others for mental sanity. He also believes in education as the greatest weapon to fight poverty and humanize life. He has an educational foundation – St Patrick’s Secondary School Awkuzu, thanks to the support of friends. He has the following publications:

Book

‘The Human Body and its Symbolic Structure in Maurice Merleau-Ponty’, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 17 June, 1998.

Essays/Articles

1.      Linus Okika, “Justice as the Pillar of a civilized Society”, in Linus Okika (ed.), The Role of Philosophical Reflection in the Birth of a civilized Society, Annual Lecture Series, PJPS, 2016.

2.      Linus Okika, “The Family as the Bed-rock of Social Institutions”, in Linus Okika (ed.), The Role of Institutions in National Development, Annual Lecture Series, PJPS, 2013.

3.      Linus Okika, “Achieving Individual Autonomy through a liberating Education, in John Ekei (ed.), Broad-based Education and the Challenges of the Modern World, Annual Lecture Series, PJPS, 2017.

4.      Linus Okika, “Arts as Witness to History and Civilization”, in C. Ebebe & N. Mbogu (editors), Hallowed Be Thy Name, (Essays on Religion and Society), Nimo, Rex Charles and Patrick Ltd, 2014.

Journal Articles

1.      Linus Okika, “Democracy and Human Development in Nigeria Problems and Prospects”, in C. Obasi (ed.) Bigard Theological Studies, Vol. 32 No.1, 2012

2.      Linus Okika, “Homo Religiosus and the Traps of Fundamentalism”, in Benjamin I. Ewelu (ed.), West African Journal of Philosophical Studies, Vol. 15, December, 2013.

3.      Linus Okika, “Homo Religiosus and the Challenge of Nation-building”, in Kanayo Nwadialor (ed,) The Humanities and Nation-building, Faculty of Arts Annual Conference, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, 2013.