Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has, (6 February 2003) accepted the resignation of the pastoral government of the diocese of Maiduguri (Nigeria) presented by Bishop Senan Louis O. Donnel, OSA, in conformity with the Code of Canon Law, canon 401,1. The Holy Father has appointed (6 February 2003) Bishop of the diocese of Maiduguri (Nigeria), Reverend Father Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso until now Rector of the Good Shepherd major seminary in Kaduna.

The Bishop elect Reverend Father Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso was born on 3 January 1960 in Lot, diocese of Yola. He studied in his home country and in Rome, obtaining a doctorate in theology at the Angelicum. He was ordained on 4 October 1986 for the dioceses of Yola. Since his ordination he has been: assistant parish priest, vicar general and administrator of Yola cathedral, secretary of the diocesan commission for education. Until now he was rector of Good Shepherd major seminary in Kaduna.
Maiduguri diocese (1966) is a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Jos. It has an area of 132,000 sq. km a population of 5,500,000, mostly Muslim. There are 100,000 Catholics looked after by 33 priests, (29 diocesan, 4 religious,) 36 women religious and 19 major seminarians. (Fides Service 3/3/2003 EM lines 16 Words: 216)