Jasikan Diocese celebrates centenary ordination of first indigenous Catholic priest in Ghana
The Bishop of the Jasikan Diocese of the Catholic Church, Most Rev. Gabriel Mante, has stated that the faithfuls of the Christ the King Catholic Church at Baglo-Buem in the Jasikan Diocese and the Jasikan Diocese in the Oti Region should consider themselves blessed because the first Roman Catholic priest of the whole of Gold Coast, now Ghana comes from the area.
The pioneer priest is the late Rev. FrAnastasius Kofi OdayeDogli who was ordained in 1922 in Cape Coast.
According to reports the occasion was so grand that Catholics, Protestants and even pagans were in attendance in their numbers to witness the historic occasion.
Bishop Mante stated these at the climax of the centenary celebration of the late Fr. Dogli and the priestly ordination of two new priests, Rev. Fr Desmond Gilbert Adzadu and Rev. Marcus Donkor Banka both of the Jasikan Diocese.
Speaking at the function, Bishop Manteemphasised that 100 years of the ordination of the first indigenous priest is worth celebrating in the grand style as it was done at the weekend by people who gathered at the climax from all over the country at Baglo-Buem in the hometown of the late Fr. Dogli.
He said he is very happy and proud that he is part of a people who are celebrating an icon and an illustrious son who was many years ahead of his contemporaries.
Bishop Mante noted that some of the ideas of the educational sector that the UNESCO is echoing such as teaching children in their mother tongue was identified long ago by Fr. Dogli who also promoted formal education.
He stated that the pioneer priest tried hard to establish Secondary and Teacher Training College but could not fully do so due to financial constraints.
Rev.Mante however thanked God that after the death of FrDogli, Bishop Francis Lodonu established a vocational and Technical Institute at New Ayoma in the Oti Region and named it after Fr. Dogli.
On his part, the MP for Buem, Mr Kofi Adams, who was a special guest commended the late Priest for his vision and making the whole of Buem very proud and also noted that it was a bold step that Fr. Dogli took to be a Priest that motivated many Buem Priest to join the noble vocation.
FROM BERNARD QUANSON, JASIKAN