By Paschal Norbert
LOMÉ, AUGUST 6, 2024 (CISA) – In a profound moment of grief, the Episcopal Conference of Togo (C.E.T.) has announced the sudden and unexpected death of Most Rev Nicodème Barrigah-Bénissan, the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lomé.
The news of the death of Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan, which occurred on Sunday evening, August 4, 2024, was shared by Rt Rev Benoît Alowonou, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese Kpalimé and President of CET, who revealed that the archbishop passed away at the Docta-Lafié Hospital in Lomé, the country’s capital.
Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan, aged 61, had been a priest for 37 years, with 16 of those years spent as a bishop. He served as Archbishop of Lomé since 2019, a role that he embraced with great devotion and charisma.
Reacting to the news of the sudden of the prelate, Fr Moïse Dadja, a priest from the Catholic Diocese of Sokodé, expressed the shock and disbelief felt by many faithful: “This information comes at a time when we least expect it. As Christians, we ask ourselves: Why so soon?”
“The suddenness of his passing has resonated deeply, transcending religious and national boundaries. The announcement of Mgr Barrigah’s death is a shock that crosses religious borders, both nationally and internationally,” remarked another priest Fr Joseph Kwalu Amegbleame, a research professor at the Catholic University of West Africa.
According to Fr Gustave Wanme, the Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Dapaong, Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan was a man of remarkable talent and heart.
“Nicodemus was a man of excellence and a man with a heart,” he said, recalling the archbishop’s extraordinary abilities and contributions.
“We have lost a role model, who demonstrated a remarkable sense of justice and a particular love of the Church. He did everything with great care,” said Christian Ignacio Barrigah, who worked closely with the archbishop at Radio Maria Togo.
On January 9, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Msgr Nicodème Anani Barrigah-Bénissan as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Atakpamé (Togo). At the time he was working as a councillor at the Apostolic Nunciature in Israel. On November 23, 2019, Pope Francis appointed him the Metropolitan Archbishop of Lomé, taking over from the retiring Archbishop Denis Komivi Amuzu-Dzakpah.
Born to Togolese parents in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on May 19, 1963, Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan returned to Togo with his family during his childhood. He completed his primary and secondary education in Lomé before studying philosophy and theology at the St. Gall Major Seminary in Ouidah, Benin. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Lomé on August 8, 1987.
The late Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan pursued further studies in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where he earned a licentiate in Theology, and later obtained a licentiate in Biblical Theology and a doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome. In 1993, he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, and at the time of his first appointment as bishop, he served as a councillor at the Nunciature in Israel.
He was a bishop of immense talent and versatility. Not only was he an esteemed theologian and exegete, but he was also an artist with a diverse range of skills, including comedy, writing, poetry, music, and diplomacy.
His service extended beyond the religious realm into international diplomacy, having worked in several countries for the Holy See before becoming Bishop of Atakpamé in 2008 and then Archbishop of Lomé in 2019.
In addition to his ecclesiastical duties, Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan chaired the Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission (CVJR) from 2009 to 2012, a role that underscored his commitment to addressing political violence in Togo.
Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan, aged 61, had been a priest for 37 years, with 16 of those years spent as a bishop. He served as Archbishop of Lomé since 2019, a role that he embraced with great devotion and charisma.
Reacting to the news of the sudden of the prelate, Fr Moïse Dadja, a priest from the Catholic Diocese of Sokodé, expressed the shock and disbelief felt by many faithful: “This information comes at a time when we least expect it. As Christians, we ask ourselves: Why so soon?”
“The suddenness of his passing has resonated deeply, transcending religious and national boundaries. The announcement of Mgr Barrigah’s death is a shock that crosses religious borders, both nationally and internationally,” remarked another priest Fr Joseph Kwalu Amegbleame, a research professor at the Catholic University of West Africa.
According to Fr Gustave Wanme, the Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Dapaong, Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan was a man of remarkable talent and heart.
“Nicodemus was a man of excellence and a man with a heart,” he said, recalling the archbishop’s extraordinary abilities and contributions.
“We have lost a role model, who demonstrated a remarkable sense of justice and a particular love of the Church. He did everything with great care,” said Christian Ignacio Barrigah, who worked closely with the archbishop at Radio Maria Togo.
On January 9, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Msgr Nicodème Anani Barrigah-Bénissan as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Atakpamé (Togo). At the time he was working as a councillor at the Apostolic Nunciature in Israel. On November 23, 2019, Pope Francis appointed him the Metropolitan Archbishop of Lomé, taking over from the retiring Archbishop Denis Komivi Amuzu-Dzakpah.
Born to Togolese parents in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on May 19, 1963, Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan returned to Togo with his family during his childhood. He completed his primary and secondary education in Lomé before studying philosophy and theology at the St. Gall Major Seminary in Ouidah, Benin. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Lomé on August 8, 1987.
The late Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan pursued further studies in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where he earned a licentiate in Theology, and later obtained a licentiate in Biblical Theology and a doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome. In 1993, he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, and at the time of his first appointment as bishop, he served as a councillor at the Nunciature in Israel.
He was a bishop of immense talent and versatility. Not only was he an esteemed theologian and exegete, but he was also an artist with a diverse range of skills, including comedy, writing, poetry, music, and diplomacy.
His service extended beyond the religious realm into international diplomacy, having worked in several countries for the Holy See before becoming Bishop of Atakpamé in 2008 and then Archbishop of Lomé in 2019.
In addition to his ecclesiastical duties, Archbishop Barrigah-Bénissan chaired the Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission (CVJR) from 2009 to 2012, a role that underscored his commitment to addressing political violence in Togo.
