For the first time in history, Methodist Church Nigeria Sunday ordained Rt. Rev. Nkechi Nwosu as the first female Bishop in-charge of Jos Diocese of the Church.
Nwosu was elected as the first female Bishop of the church by the Conference of Methodist Churches of Nigeria in August 2022.
At the event which took place at Christ Methodist Cathedral, Jos, Bishop Nwosu was enthroned by the Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Reverend Joseph Nnonah.
Speaking with newsmen after the ceremony, Bishop Nwosu who will serve as Bishop of Jos Diocese said “God is using what has happened in Methodist Church Nigeria to tell the world that the time to release women to fulfill their destiny has come.”
Nwosu encouraged all Nigerians to always seek the face of God, especially as the general elections begin on February 25.
“We must all go out there and agree with God, listen to the spirit of God, and do what God said we should do,” the new bishop stated.
“Do that so that God will use us and anybody he will put on that seat to restore Nigeria to a place of pride in Africa, and the world.”
She also said that women and men needed to join hands to achieve the mandate of God.
“God knew that by creating only Adam, He will not be able to bring his heart’s desire, so He had to make the woman to complement him.”
So, for the word of God to reach the end of the world, man must put their hands together to serve God.”
Prelate Emeritus of the Church, Dr Samuel Uche, whose tenure Bishop Nwosu was elected, said that God made all humans equal.
“In Hebrew language, a man is a he man and a woman is she man, so we are all men. And moreover, in Methodist Church, we taught that people who have reached menopause, who are no longer childbearing can hold responsible office in the church, because they have the capacity and are meticulous, resourceful, and spiritual.
‘‘So, we decided that we should have in Methodist Bishop a woman and I know that some time ago, the President of the British Church was a woman from Ireland,” Dr. Uche said.
The enthronement of Nwosu as the first female bishop of the Methodist Church Nigeria is no doubt a clarion call on Christendom that the propagation of the gospel is an assignment that cuts across gender issues.
A Ph.D holder, Nwosu finished the deaconess order in 1996 at Methodist Training Institute (MTI), Shagamu, and completed her Diploma in Theology for Ministerial Training in 1997. Then in 1998, she was ordained, a deaconess.
