Rev Fr. Anthony was born on the 24 December 1964 to the family of the late Mr. Obiechina Udogu and the late Mrs. Louisa Udogu of Umuomaku in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Fr. Anthony was the 4th out of the four children of his parents. The fact of the circumstantial unwritten convention in our culture that a child belongs both to his father’s house, as well as his mother’s family, Ibenne, and prompted by convenience, made Fr. Anthony to have his earliest life nursery at Umuchu, his Ibenne.
Hence, he had his primary school education at St. Patrick’s Church, Umuchu, where, on the 7th of September 1975, he received his First Holy Communion, having received his baptism on the 9th of February, 1965. He was also confirmed in Faith on the 9th of August, 1976 at Holy Name Parish, Umuchu.
The manifestation of a keen interest for the Catholic priesthood brought about Fr. Anthony’s enrollment into St Dominic Savior Seminary, Akpu, in October 1980, and later, St. John Bosco Seminary, Isuaniocha, in September of 1982, for his Junior Seminary formation.
Fr. Anthony was later sent to Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Owerri in November 1986 for his Philosophical studies from where he graduated with honors in 1990 with the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophical Studies.
Fr. Anthony served the Diocese at Holy Family Spiritual Year Seminary, Okpuno, for one year, before starting his Theological Studies at Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu, in October 1991, and graduated in 1995. In the course of his Theological Studies, he was installed a Lector and Acolyte in 1992 and 1993. Fr. Anthony was ordained a deacon on the 7th of January 1995 and ultimately, on the 19th of August 1995, he was ordained a Catholic Priest at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Awka.
After his ordination, Fr Anthony was posted to serve as Parish Vicar at Joseph’s Parish, Ebenebe, from 1995 to 1996. This assignment he discharged with uncommon zeal and dedication, prompting the then Bishop, Most Rev. Simon Okafor, of blessed memory, to send him on a Mission to the Archdiocese of Lagos. In Lagos, Fr. Anthony worked as Parish Vicar at St Sabina Catholic Church, Mangrove, Lagos, from 1996 to 1998.
He also served as Parish Vicar from 1998 to 1999 at St Catherine’s Catholic Church, Alakuko, before being made the Parish Priest at St Cyprian’s Parish, Oko Oba, Lagos, in January 1999 till June 2002.
Like St Paul, the missionary spirit was explorative with a desire to spread the gospel to the outmost bounds of the earth. This desire got a lift when in 2002, he was sent to Arkansas, New Jersey, U.S.A. In New Jersey, Fr. Anthony worked as Hospital Chaplain and at same time advanced in his academic career in Criminology until the March of 2012, when, having seen it all, he came back to continue his ministry.
Back home, in 2012, Fr. Anthony was made the Education Secretary of Ekwulobia Region of the Old Awka Diocese, from October 2012 to September 2013. He discharged this duty with a masterly touch before becoming the Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Parish, Awgbu, from October 2013 to September 2019. Again, in October 2019, he became the Parish Priest of St Francis Parish, Awka, where he pastured the flock till death came calling on the faithful 19th day of May 2025.
The very dynamic Fr. Anthony also blossomed in the academia, even though unknown to many. In 2023 he became a lecturer at Chukwuemeka Odumuegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, in the Department of Criminology, and, propelled by need, masterly and dedicatedly rose to the rank of the Head of Department in 2024. In all of these assignments, Fr. Anthony was consistently virtuous and uncommonly dogged.
Fr. Anthony was evidently prudent and strategic as a Seminarian, Pastor, Hospital Chaplain, Lecturer, and Head of Department. He was gentle and innocent, combining the exalted scriptural attributes of Mt: 10:16, “Be wise as serpent and harmless as a dove”. He navigated the demanding circumstances of his assignments with discernment and grace, avoiding unnecessary conflicts, while remaining faithful to his mission.
His life mirrored a deep conviction of a Catholic priest obviously committed to his pastoral duties and pastoral obligations to both the Church and the flock entrusted unto him to shepherd. Fr. Anthony’s commitment to his assignments was very evident in the developmental strides he attained at St Patrick’s Parish, Awgbu, even with meagre resources and the even greater giant strides of almost completing the magnificent Church of St Francis Parish, Awka, with a state-of-the-art finishing.
The impact Fr. Anthony made as an executive member of the immediate past ADPF executive is still evergreen. More still, as a member of the hallowed ACAPAS, Fr. Anthony’s contributions at meetings were insightfully decisive.
Socially, Fr. Udu, as he was fondly called, had a characteristic way of igniting every gathering with an artificial initial posture of meanness that would suddenly burst into bonhomie, with a firm and friendly reassuring hand shake and a making of spontaneous jokes. Comically, he would always address himself as the ‘Most Venerable Anthony Nnaemeka Udogu’. Behind his “bouncer-like” physic lay a sublime heart that not only cherished but upheld the very strong priest brotherhood.
Fr. Anthony’s spirit of sportsmanship was evident in the court of tennis. He loved tennis, played tennis, and in that court, met his final fate.
Fr. Anthony’s mortal remains were committed to mother earth, Wednesday, the 9th day of July, 2025. He will be remembered for his rare passionate pastoral zeal and full application of self to the priestly ministry. We pray that Fr. Anthony’s zealous soul rests in the Lord’s bosom, Amen.
Rev. Fr. Benjamin Odika, Assistant Secretary, Awka Diocesan Presbyterium.
