CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF UROMI DECLARES A DAY FOR LATE VERY REV. FR. PROF. COSMAS ALUEDE OJEMEN
Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Ãmos|Jan 28, 2026
Amidst the intensified preparations for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of her canonical erection, the Catholic Diocese of Uromi has formally announced Friday, January 30, 2026, as a Day of Remembrance marking one year since the passing of her illustrious son, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Cosmas Aluede Ojemen, priest, canon lawyer, jurist, scholar, administrator, and pastor of enduring repute.
Born on September 26, 1953, in Illah, Delta State, to Mr. Michael Udogbidin Ojemen and Mrs. Regina Agimendotoa Ojemen, the late priest was nurtured in a home steeped in faith, discipline, and intellectual rigour. He was ordained to the sacred priesthood on March 15, 1980, at Holy Cross Cathedral, Benin City, by venerable patriarch late Most Rev. Dr. Patrick Ebosele Ekpu, thus commencing a priestly journey marked by distinction, discipline, and uncommon excellence.
Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Ojemen occupies an unassailable place in the history of the Diocese of Uromi as the first priest of Uromi diocesan extraction to attain the rank of Doctor of Canon Law. His academic formation was both broad and brilliant. He obtained a Bachelor in Divinity (Magna Cum Laude), a Licentiate in Canon Law (Summa Cum Laude), and a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome, and later earned a Licentiate in Psycho-Pedagogy (Summa Cum Laude) from the Pontifical Antonianum University. He was, indeed, an alumnus of several renowned Catholic universities, both local and international, and a formidable figure within global ecclesiastical scholarship.
His academic career reached enviable heights at the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt, where he served with distinction as the first priest to be appointed Registrar, Head of the Department of Canon Law, Dean of Students Affairs, and subsequently Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law. Through these offices, he shaped minds, formed consciences, and mentored generations of priests, canonists, and Church leaders. His writings were precise, incisive, and authoritative, remain valuable contributions to canonical jurisprudence and pastoral governance.
In ecclesiastical administration, he was equally towering. He served as Vicar General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City and as Sole Judge of the Provincial Tribunal, exercising judicial authority with rare balance, intellectual clarity, and pastoral sensitivity. An orator of commanding presence, a writer of elegant precision, an administrator par excellence, and a matchless scribe, he combined juridical exactitude with deep humanity.
Upon his retirement from active service at the Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt, at the venerable age of 70, he returned gracefully to his home Diocese of Uromi, where he continued to serve faithfully as Parish Priest until his demise. In this final chapter of his life, he bore the ideal priest-scholar: grounded, accessible, prayerful, and gracefully devoted to the people entrusted to his care.
Tall in stature and formidable in profile, great in repute and intimidating only in excellence, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Cosmas Aluede Ojemen was a man whose presence commanded respect and whose legacy commands gratitude. His life was a rare harmony of intellect and virtue, authority and humility, law and mercy.
On January 30, 2026, the Diocese of Uromi calls upon the clergy, religious, and faithful to unite in prayerful remembrance and thanksgiving for a life spent wholly in the service of God, the Church, and the academy. The diocesan memorial Mass will be at St. Anselm, Irrua Edo State @4pm.
May his noble soul rest in the peace of Christ whom he loved, served, and proclaimed with distinction
Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Ãmos is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Uromi and a Lecturer at Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
