Dominic Ekandem

Dominic Ignatius Ekandem listen^ⓘ (1917 – 24 November, 1995) was a Nigerian Catholic cardinal who served as Archbishop of Abuja from 1989 until 1992.. He was the first native West African Catholic bishop in history. He also founded the Missionary Society of Saint Paul of Nigeria (M.S.P.).

His Eminence Dominic Ignatius Ekandem
Archbishop-Bishop Emeritus of Abuja
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Diocese	Abuja
See	Abuja
Appointed	19 June 1989
Term ended	28 September 1992
Successor	John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan
Other post(s)	Cardinal-Priest of San Marcello (1976-95)
Orders
Ordination	7 December 1947 by Charles Heerey
Consecration	7 February 1954 by James Moynagh
Created cardinal	24 May 1976 by Pope Paul VI
Rank	Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born	Dominic Ignatius Ekandem 1917 (1917) Obio Ibiono, Ibiono LGA, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Died	24 November 1995(1995-11-24) (aged 77–78) Abuja, Nigeria
Previous post(s)	Titular Bishop of Hierapolis in Isauria (1953-63) Auxiliary Bishop of Calabar (1953-63) Bishop of Ikot Ekpene (1963-89) Apostolic Administrator of Port Harcourt (1970-73) President of the Nigerian Bishops' Conference (1973-79) Ecclesiastical Superior of Abuja (1981-89)
Motto	In cruce salus

A native of Akwa Ibom State, Ekandem attended several Catholic seminaries before he became a priest. He was ordained on 7 December 1947, and became the first priest from the old Calabar province. His first assignment as bishop was as auxiliary of Calabar from 1953 to 1963. He was Bishop of Ikot Ekpene from 1963 to 1981; during that tenure, in April 1976, he was named a cardinal. He then became Ecclesiastical Superior of Abuja, and when Abuja became an Archdiocese in 1989, he became its Archbishop (personal title).[1]

Ekandem died in 1995.