As part of activities to mark the Silver Jubilee of Lafia Diocese, in central Nigeria, Most Rev. Dr. David Ajang has pledged to strategically focus on co-responsibility, youth apostolate, and self-reliance.
He made this known while delivering a homily at the opening Mass of the diocesan general assembly, which held at St. Williams Cathedral, Lafia, from Thursday, August 27 and will run through Saturday, August 29, 2026.
Bishop Ajang, who spoke on the theme “Lafia Diocese Yesterday and Today: Strategising for the Future,” explained that the theme was chosen to “order the present into a deliberative future based on previous antecedents.”
Most Rev. Dr. Bishop Ajang, Catholic Bishop of Lafia Diocese
On the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church, the Prelate noted that although the Church commemorates the memorial of St. Monica, the Diocese decided to celebrate a votive Mass to the Holy Spirit, which signifies a desire to be guided by the Paraclete throughout the assembly.
The member of the administrative board of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) urged participants to dispose themselves to listening to the Holy Spirit through the resource persons at the Assembly.
The General Assembly is the biggest body of the Diocese, which affords representatives from sodalities and parishes the opportunity to participate in decision-making through the principle of subsidiarity.
In his lead paper, titled “Co-Responsibility: Walking Together as a Eucharistic Family,” the Vicar General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos and Chairman of the Christian Pilgrimage Board of Nigeria, Msgr. Prof. Cletus Gotan stressed the need for co-responsibility.
“The Church is not a private enterprise of the clergy alone, nor is the work of evangelisation reserved for the Bishop, Priests and Religious,” he stated.
Msgr. Prof. Cletus Gotan emphasised the need for a shared mission, noting that every baptised person is called to contribute to the evangelising mission of the Church.
Msgr. Prof. Cletus Gotan, lead paper presenter
Advocatus Africa gathered that the event was attended by delegates from parishes, institutions and various lay groups across the Diocese.
Government functionaries were led by the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, His Excellency Dr Emmanuel Akabe, and the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi; HRH Lawrence Ayih, the Abaga Toni.
The Bishop with government functionaries
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion include former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State and Minister of Information, Labaran Maku; Gen. Nuhu Angbazo and Dr. John Mamman lauded the huge contributions of the Church to education, human formation, and the moral development of society. .
It is hoped that the General Assembly will position the diocese to examine its achievements and challenges towards charting a new course.
