The Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Metropolitan and Archbishop, His Grace, Most Rev. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, clocks 65 today, July 18, 2026, marking another milestone in a life devoted to Christian ministry, evangelism, theological scholarship and national service.
Since assuming office as the fourth Primate of the Church of Nigeria in 2020, Archbishop Ndukuba has provided spiritual leadership to one of the largest Anglican provinces in the world, championing biblical orthodoxy, evangelism, discipleship, church growth and national unity.
Born on July 18, 1961, to Mr. and Mrs. Silas O. Ndukuba of Ogberuru in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, the cleric’s journey into ministry began early.
He attended Bishop Shanahan College, Orlu, where he obtained his West African School Certificate in 1978. While still a student, he experienced a life-changing Christian conversion in 1977, a decision that laid the foundation for what has become more than four decades of pastoral ministry.
Before entering the priesthood, Ndukuba worked with the Kano State Library under the Ministry of Education between 1979 and 1980. It was during this period in Kano that he received his call into Christian ministry and proceeded to the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN), Bukuru, where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1984.
Following his National Youth Service Corps programme in Kano between 1984 and 1985, he was ordained a deacon in 1984 and a priest in 1985.
His ministerial career began at St. George’s Anglican Church, Bompai, Kano, before he was deployed as a lecturer to St. Francis of Assisi Theological College, Wusasa, Zaria.
There, he served in several academic and administrative capacities, eventually becoming Acting Dean.
In 1996, he returned to Kano as Archdeacon at a period the diocese required stability and renewed pastoral direction. His missionary zeal and commitment to rebuilding the church earned him widespread recognition.
Although he was recalled in 1999 to serve as Dean of St. Francis College, destiny soon beckoned as he was elected the pioneer Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Gombe later that year.
His episcopal ministry transformed the Diocese of Gombe. Under his leadership, the diocese expanded remarkably from 18 congregations to more than 150 churches, driven by sustained church planting, aggressive evangelism, discipleship and leadership development.
Beyond numerical growth, Archbishop Ndukuba became a respected advocate of peaceful coexistence in Gombe State, fostering collaboration among religious and community leaders while promoting social harmony and community development.
One of his enduring legacies remains his commitment to indigenous language development and Bible translation. Working with international and local partners, including Luke Partnership, the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust and Seed Company, he facilitated the translation of the Bible, the Jesus Film and other Christian literature into 10 of Gombe State’s 17 indigenous languages, broadening access to the Gospel among previously underserved communities.
His passion for preserving Nigeria’s linguistic and cultural heritage also finds expression in his role as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of LIST, an organisation dedicated to Bible translation and literacy development in minority Nigerian languages.
Academically, Archbishop Ndukuba has continued to distinguish himself. He obtained a Master’s degree in Systematic Theology from Durham University, England, in 1990 and another Master’s degree in Christian Education from Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey, United States, in 1996.
At Princeton, he received the prestigious John Havran Prize for Christian Education, recognising his outstanding academic performance.
His rise within the Anglican Communion continued in 2018 when he became Archbishop of the Jos Ecclesiastical Province.
Barely two years later, the Episcopal Synod elected him Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), a position he officially assumed in 2020.
As Primate, Ndukuba has remained influential in shaping Anglican doctrine, worship and spiritual formation. He chairs the Church of Nigeria’s Liturgy and Spirituality Committee, which oversees the production of the Annual Bible Study Manual, the widely circulated Daily Fountain devotional, Sunday School manuals and youth devotionals.
The committee also produced the Church of Nigeria’s revised Book of Common Prayer and Hymnal, both regarded as significant milestones in the church’s liturgical development.
He equally heads the Church’s Historical Records and Artifacts Committee, established to preserve the rich history and heritage of Anglicanism in Nigeria through documentation and archival development.
Known as a gifted preacher, accomplished evangelist, biblical scholar, teacher and prolific writer, Archbishop Ndukuba continues to emphasise faithful biblical teaching, evangelism and discipleship as central pillars of the Church’s mission amid contemporary social and moral challenges.
Married to Mrs. Angela E. Ndukuba (née Okoro), an educationist and committed church worker, the Primate is blessed with six children, a grandson and two granddaughters.
As family members, clergy, laity and well-wishers celebrate his 65th birthday, tributes continue to pour in for a church leader whose ministry has been marked by humility, scholarship, missionary vision and unwavering commitment to the advancement of Christianity in Nigeria and beyond.
Chief Ben Ngwakwe is a media coordinator of diocese of Gombe
