Warri Catholic Diocese Mourns Death of Bishop Emeritus, John Afareha

The Catholic Diocese of Warri has announced the death of its Bishop Emeritus, Most Rev. John Okeoghene Afareha, who passed away on Sunday, January 18, 2026.

In a statement issued by the Diocesan Secretariat, the Diocese said it received the news “with profound sorrow, yet with a firm hope in the resurrection,” committing the late bishop’s soul to God’s mercy.

Bishop Afareha was ordained a Catholic priest on December 30, 1973, and consecrated bishop on May 14, 1997.

The statement described him as a shepherd who “lived his life in faith and obedience to the will of God, impacting the lives of many along the way,” adding that even in retirement, he “remained a man of prayer and a cherished father to us all.”

The Bishop of Warri, Most Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, prayed that “the Lord grant him eternal rest, and may perpetual light shine upon him,” while asking God to comfort the Diocese, Bishop Afareha’s family, and all who mourn his passing.

Funeral arrangements, the Diocese said, will be announced in due course.