A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE

The history of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese began with the arrival of the missionaries of Africa on the 23rd April 1906 in Navrongo.  The first three missionaries who arrived on that day were: Rev. Frs. Jean Marie Chollet, Oscar Morin and Bro. Eugene Gall.

In Navrongo, the seed of Catholicism was thus sown, and it began to spread to other parts of the Diocese and the Province as a whole.  On April 14th, the Prefecture of Navrongo was erected with Fr. Oscar Morin M. of Africa as the Apostolic Prefect.

Eight years after the erection of the Apostolic Prefecture, Navrongo again was made and Apostolic Vicariate with Msgr. Oscar Morin as the Apostolic Vicar in 1934.

On April 7th 1934, Oscar Morin was ordained Bishop in the Cathedral of Montreal.  Msgr.Gerard Bertrand M. Africa as the Apostolic Vicar of Navrongo succeeded him in 1947. Meanwhile, the Vicariate was blessed with the ordination of its first indigenous priest, Fr. Alexis Abatey who was ordained in 1946.

In 1956, the Diocese of Navrongo was erected with Bishop Bértrand as the first Bishop.

On 31st March 1973, an indigenous Priest, Fr. Rudolph Akanlu was ordained Bishop Coadjutor to Bishop Gerard Bértrand, with right of succession.  The following year (1974), Bishop Bértrand retired and was succeeded by Bishop Rudolph Akanlu.

On May 30th 1977, the Diocese of Navrongo received a new name:- Navrongo-Bolgatanga, and this coincided with the erection of the Ecclesiastical Province of Tamale, with Tamale as an Archdiocese.

On 29th June 1994 Bishop Akanlu was succeeded by Bishop Lucas Abadamloora as the second indigenous Bishop who is blessed with the joy of celebrating the Centenary of Evangelization in his Diocese and in the Province as a whole.