Michael Fagun
Micheal Patrick Olatunji Fagun (born 17 April 1935) is a Catholic prelate and bishop emeritus of Ekiti Diocese. He was Auxiliary Bishop of old Ondo Diocese from 1971 to 1972 when Pope Paul VI created the Diocese of Ado-Ekiti from the Ondo Diocese. He retired from service on 17 April 2010.[1]
Background and education
[edit]Michael Fagun was born in 1935 as the last child to Theophilus Fagun Oganla and Rebecca Fakolde from Ondo State. His parents were non-Catholics who later converted to Catholic.[2] Fagun had his early education at Sacred Heart Catholic School, Akure from 1943 to 1950 before being admitted to St. Theresa's Minor Seminary, Ibadan for his secondary education from 1952 to 1957. He studied at Saints Peters and Paul Major Seminary, Ibadan from 1957 to 1965 when he was ordained a Catholic priest.[2]
Priestly career
[edit]Following his priestly ordination in 1965, Fagun went for further studies at the University of Ibadan from 1966 to 1969 before proceeding to University of Toronto, Canada where he studied for Master of Arts from 1970 to 1971. He served as an assistant parish priest of Oka Parish and Ondo Parish. He taught at St. Joseph's Grammar School, Ondo where he was also the chaplain and became the education secretary of the diocese in 1971. He was the first resident priest in Ekere-Ekiti.[2]
He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Ondo Diocese on 28 June 1971 by Pope Paul VI and was ordained bishop on 10 October 1971. On 20 July 1972, Pope Paul VI created the Diocese of Ado-Ekiti out of Ondo Diocese and appointed Fagun the bishop of the new diocese on 22 October 1972 becoming the first bishop of the diocese. He received his episcopal consecration from Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Luigi Poggi at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Ado-Ekiti. After assuming duty at the new diocese, Fagun requested that the Pope rename the Diocese of Ado-Ekiti simply as Ekiti Diocese.[3]
He founded the first indigenous female religious congregation in western Nigeria – Sisters of St. Michael The Archangel in 1986. He served as co-chairman of National Inter-Religious Council. Fagun was chairman of governing council and the pro-chancellor of the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt, Nigeria for two terms from 1999 to 2007.[4][5]
Fagun retired from service on 17 April 2010 on his 75th birthday. He was succeeded by Bishop Felix Ajakaye.
References
[edit]- ^ "EKITI DIOCESE". NIGERIA CATHOLIC NETWORK. 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ a b c "Profile". Bishop Michael Olatunji Fagun. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "Catholic does not worship Holy Mary but only honours her – Rtd Bishop Fagun". Worldstage. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ WestNg, Claret (2019-10-20). "WEST NIGERIA DELEGATION ENDS HER ANNUAL RETREAT". Claretian Missionaries. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "Bishops in Africa – SECAM – SCEAM". Retrieved 2024-10-25.