By Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has announced the appointment of three new executive officers to key administrative and pastoral positions within the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria in Abuja. The statement, issued and signed by the Secretary General of the Secretariat, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ayanleke Banjo, confirms that the new appointments will officially take effect on September 1, 2026. The incoming leadership team comprises Rev. Fr. Leonard Ehiemere of the Diocese of Umuahia, who has been named National Director for the Directorate of Social Communications; Sr. Dr. Bridget Yabo, O.P., a Dominican Sister who will serve as the Health Secretary in the Department of Church and Society; and Sr. Monica Rowland, SSH, of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart (SSH), who steps in as the Mission Secretary in the Department of Mission and Dialogue. On behalf of the Bishops, the Secretary General extended congratulations to the officers as they assume their new roles in service to the Church and the wider public.
Fr. Leonard Ehiemere
The newly appointed National Director of Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Leonard Ehiemere, brings to the position extensive expertise in media administration and academic training in public communication. Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Umuahia in July 2006, he completed both a Doctorate and a Licentiate degree in Institutional Social Communication at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, building upon earlier degrees in Philosophy and Sacred Theology. His career features practical broadcasting experience gained during an internship at Relevant Radio headquarters in the United States, alongside extensive local leadership as the Communications Director for the Diocese of Umuahia, Coordinator of the Owerri Provincial Communication Directors, Chaplain at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture in Umudike, and Acting Dean of the Ikwuano Deanery.
Sr. Dr. Briget Yabo, OP
Sr. Dr. Bridget Nanang Yabo, O.P., who assumes the role of Health Secretary, is a Consultant Family Physician and a consecrated member of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena. After obtaining her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria in 2009, she earned a Fellowship in Family Medicine from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and completed specialized training in cancer screening and fertility management. Sr. Yabo has managed clinical facilities and outreach programs across Northern Nigeria, serving as Medical Director at Haske Dominican Hospital in Kebbi State, Medical Director at the Federal University of Agriculture in Zuru, and primary evangelist in the Kontagora region. Her healthcare background is complemented by community initiatives in child nutrition, health education, and maternal healthcare.
Sr. Monica Roland, SSH
Heading the Mission Unit as Mission Secretary, Sr. Monica Omowumi Rowland, SSH, brings decades of pastoral, administrative, and educational leadership to the Catholic Secretariat. A former Superior General of the Adoration Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus from 2016 to 2021, Sr. Rowland earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry and Sociology from Viterbo University in Wisconsin, a Master of Arts in Theology from Dominican University in Ibadan, and a Licentiate in Consecrated Life from the Institute of Consecrated Life in Africa, alongside ongoing doctoral studies at the University of Benin. Her professional experience encompasses roles as Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Benin City, Administrator of St. Philomena’s Hospital, Vicar General of her congregation, and an author and speaker on catechetics, religious formation, and social issues, including anti-human trafficking efforts.
As these incoming officers assume their duties on September 1, 2026, their collective experience promises to strengthen the administrative and pastoral reach of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria. By bringing high-level expertise in institutional communications, specialized healthcare, and mission administration to their respective offices, Fr. Ehiemere, Sr. Dr. Yabo, and Sr. Rowland stand well-positioned to advance the Church’s national engagements, support diocesan initiatives, and deepen the Secretariat’s service to both the Catholic faithful and the broader Nigerian public.
