The Church of England has appointed Nigeria-born Woyin Karowei Dorgu as its first black bishop after twenty years.
Dorgu will be the 13th bishop of Woolwich and will be consecrated at Southwark Cathedral on 17 March.
Dorgu, a trained medical doctor in Lagos before being ordained, was brought up in a Christian family but said as a teenager he rebelled against the gospel and left the church.
Since his ordination, he has been a minister in London parishes.
Speaking at a press conference at the Cathedral, Dorgu, born and brought up in Nigeria, and ordained in the UK, said he intends to encourage BAME [black and minority ethnic] vocations and more participation in ministry.
He said one of his priorities as bishop would be to celebrate the racial diversity of the Woolwich area.
Dorgu said, “I will celebrate the diversity in race, ability, gender, sexuality and class … Celebrating our differences is a gift.
“My appointment is a small step in the right direction.
“Quite a lot of Nigerian Christians [in the Woolwich area] are from an Anglican background. The only other black bishop in the Church of England is John Sentamu, now archbishop of York – second in the church hierarchy.