Bishop Dodo, a man of faith, laid to rest

“Bishop Dodo, a man of faith and a disciple of Christ” – Bishop Niyiring

By Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh

Most Rev. John Namaza Niyiring, OSA, the Bishop of Kano Diocese, has described the late Bishop of Zaria Diocese, Most Rev. George Dodo, as a man who made a conscious effort to pattern his life after the beatitudes, “especially the first one which talks about the poor in spirit.”

The prelate said this in his homily at the funeral Mass of the late pioneering Bishop Zaria, held on Thursday August 4, 2022 at St. Joseph Minor Seminary, Wusasa, Zaria, where thousands of worshippers, Catholics and non-Catholics, had gathered to pray for the deceased and pay their last respect.

The homilist further described Bishop Dodo as a man who “saw absolutely everything in his life (as) a pure gift from God…(and) found hope and joy in serving the Lord Jesus.”  He noted that the deceased was “a man of faith, a disciple of Christ, and a faithful member of Christ’s Body, the Church.” Additionally, Bishop affirmed that “Dodo was a genuine priest, obedient to constituted authority to a fault, a caring brother and loving leader, … an attentive listener and a man of peace. He was a man of peace till his death, … a warm hearted and compassionate personality.”

In a similar vein, the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, who represented the Governor, corroborated the position of the homilist, also describing the late Bishop as a peacemaker and a true spiritual father who was committed to peace building among adherents of different faiths in Kaduna State. She said the late Bishop will be greatly missed by all peace-loving citizens in Kaduna State.

The Archbishop of Kaduna, His Grace, Matthew Ndagoso was the Chief Celebrant at the funeral Mass, and also represented the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, who could not make it due to serious pastoral commitments in his diocese. The CBCN President extended the condolence of the entire Catholic Bishops of Nigeria to the priests, religious and lay faithful of Zaria Diocese over the demise of their beloved Chief Shepherd. He praised their deceased colleague for his immense work in the Conference of Bishops, particularly in the area of new evangelisation. He explained that owing to Bishop Dodo’s zeal in new evangelisation, Bishop Gbuji handed over the mantle of leading the conference in that critical area to him, whom they described as diligent, conscientious, clean, peace loving and a long serving prelate on the Nigerian Inter-religious Council (NIREC) and the former CAN Chairman for Kaduna State.

The incumbent CAN Chairman for the State, Rev. Joseph Hayab, who took over from Bishop Dodo, used the opportunity to commend the faith and beauty of the Catholic Church, whose members he said are characteristically humble in their form of worship and prayer. “Rather than shouting and commanding God, Catholics, as noted by Bishop Niyiring in his homily, approach God in humility and always ask for mercy.” He noted that Bishop Dodo left at a period Nigeria is riddled with propaganda, falsehood, fake bishops and men of God and opportunists everywhere.

Bishop George Dodo’s remains were interred at the Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King, Zaria. Ordained a priest in 1983, he became the first Bishop of Zaria in 2001 when Zaria diocese was carved out of Kaduna. Today, the diocese has 61 priests serving in the five Deaneries and twenty-nine parishes made up predominantly of farmers. Zaria diocese, like many in the northern part of Nigeria, has suffered quite a number of religious attacks and kidnappings. Between September 2019 and January 2021, fifteen of their parishioners have been kidnapped, resulting in the death of Musa Ako and Bilikisu Ako.