Pope appoints Nigerian priest as permanent representative to UN

Pope Francis has appointed a Nigerian priest of the Catholic Diocese of Abia, Abia State, and an Apostolic Nuncio to the Antilles, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, as the Permanent Observer of the Holy See – the Vatican – to the United Nations Office and Specialised Institutions in Geneva.

The appointment was announced in a press statement by the Office of the Antilles Episcopal Conference Secretariat, Port of Spain, Trinidad, and Tobago, where Archbishop Nwachukwu is currently serving as Apostolic Nuncio.

Pope also appointed Archbishop Nwachukwu as permanent observer to the World Trade Organisation and the Representative of the Vatican to the International Migrations.

The statement read, ” Pope Francis, has appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Antilles, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, to the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in Geneva, as well as the Permanent Observer to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Representative of the Holy See to the International Migrations Organization (IOM).

“He was transferred from Nicaragua to the current Mission in Trinidad and Tobago on November 4, 2017, and assumed office on March 19, 2018.

“He is sincerely grateful for your support during this mission in this region and requests that you please accompany him with your prayers and friendship as he prepares to embrace the new responsibility.

“He will still remain in charge of the Mission in Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and Antilles, until he departs for the new mission at the United Nations at the beginning of March 2022.”

Nwachukwu was born on May 10, 1960, in Umuokoro, Eziama-Ntigha, in Isia-Ala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State.

He is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Aba, in Abia State, ordained on June 17, 1984. He hails from Ntigha Isiala, Ngwa North.

In January 1972, he was admitted into Immaculate Conception Seminary, Ahiaeke Umuahia, at the age of 11.

Three years later, in 1975, he and some of his classmates were allowed to sit the last London GCE, before the West African Examination Council (WAEC) took over the organisation of the secondary school final examinations. His result was excellent.