Catholic Diocese Mourns as Agbor Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Stephen Chukwuma, Slumps, Dies During New Year Mass

|By Chinwendu Nwani

The Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku, Delta State, has announced the death of the Parish Priest of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Boji-Boji Agbor, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Stephen Chukwuma.

The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Director of Communications of the Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Charles Uganwa.

According to the statement, the Bishop, priests, religious and lay faithful of the Diocese received the news of the priest’s death “with total resignation to the will of God,” noting that he was called to glory on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

Rev. Fr. Chukwuma reportedly collapsed while delivering his homily during the New Year’s Eve Mass. He was immediately attended to but was later confirmed dead. He was 63 years old.

Until his death, the late priest served as the Parish Priest of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Agbor, and the Regional Vicar of the Agbor Region in the Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku.

The Diocese also disclosed that Rev. Fr. Chukwuma hailed from Akumazi-Umuocha in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State.

His sudden passing has thrown the Agbor Catholic community and the wider Diocese into mourning, as clergy and parishioners remember him for his years of priestly service and pastoral leadership.