Callistus Valentine Onaga

Early life and pastoral appointments

Callistus Valentine Onaga is the fifth child of Vincent and Victoria Onaga. His mother was the daughter of Tribal Chief Chukwuani of Ozalla Nkanu. Onaga attended St Anthony’s Primary School, Agbudu, Nigeria, from 1964 to 1972. He received his secondary education at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Nsude, Nigeria from 1973 to 1975. Onaga earned his Bachelor of Divinity degree in Sacred Theology from the Urban University in Rome in 1987. He was ordained to the priesthood on August 8, 1987. Within the diocese, Onaga has held several positions to include pastor at St. Mary’s Church in Enugu, Vicar General, Administrator of Holy Ghost Cathedral, and committee chairman for the inauguration of the Diocese of Awgu.

Episcopal appointments

On February 9, 2009, Onaga was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the Enugu diocesan bishop upon the resignation of Bishop Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji. He was ordained as the Bishop of Enugu on September 5, 2009 by Archbishop Renzo Fratini. His principal co-consecrators were Archbishop Valerian Okeke and Bishop Gbuji. Later that same day, Onaga appointed Monsignor Luke Adike as the diocesan Vicar General.

Appointments

Onaga is a member of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa as an ordinary. He is a member of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria. At its first Plenary Meeting in 2009, this conference recognized his appointment as a diocesan bishop. As the diocesan bishop, Onaga is the legal holder of its microbank.

2010 Visit to America

Onaga was scheduled to be the guest speaker for the Igbo Catholic Community USA (ICCUSA) Eighth Annual Convention between April 23 and 25, 2010 in Sacramento, California.