A new stake was recently created in Nigeria. The Abuja Nigeria Stake was organized from the Abuja Nigeria District and includes the following eight wards and three branches: The Bwari, Jabi, Kaduna, Karu, Kubwa, Nyanya, Suleja, and Wuse Wards and the Jikwoyi, Lugbe, and Mpape Branches. One branch – the Abuja Nigeria District Branch – was closed with the creation of the stake as district branches do not function in stakes.
LDS Church Growth: First LDS Stake Created in Central Nigeria.
CALABAR NIGERIA STAKE: (May 27, 2012) President — Victor Offiong Bassey, 43, English teacher; succeeding Solomon E. Asha; wife, Uche Nicholine Bassey. Counselors — Walter Ifere Obeten, 42, communication mobilization officer for the Government of Cross River State; wife, Jane Bassey Arikpo. Abam Etim Ekpenyong, 31, mission driver; wife, Glory Abam Ekpenyong.
LAGOS NIGERIA STAKE: (June 3, 2012) President — Raymond Maxwell Oraegbu, 44, procurement associate/contract administrator; succeeding Okechukwu Iruku Imo; wife, Lucy Oyuodoroye Ipheghe Oraegbu. Counselors — Adegbenro Olawale Adekunle, 48, electronics engineer; wife, Adekemi Omowumi Adekunle. Richard Uzoma Ikpegbu, 42, medical officer; wife, Uduak James Ikpegbu.
UYO NIGERIA STAKE: (June 3, 2012) President — Enefiok Tom Ntem, 54, deputy head of chambers; succeeding Aniefiek Udo Inyon; wife, Joan Olcon Samuel. Counselors — Stephen Ovunezi Woke, 42, instructor for Seminaries & Institutes; wife, Mercy Onyinye Nwoko Woke. Idorenyin Eyibio Bassey Okon, 37, accountant; wife, Aniekan Patrick Akpan Essien.
A new stake has been created from the Praia Cape Verde District. The Praia Cape Verde Stake, which includes the Praia 5th, Ribeir? Manuel, Assomada, Praia 1st, Praia 2nd, Praia 3rd, Praia 4th and Tarrafal wards, was created by Elders Erich W. Kopischke and Jose A. Teixeira of the Seventy.
PRAIA CAPE VERDE STAKE: (April 30, 2012) President — Roseveltt De Pina Teixeira, 31, managing partner; wife, Irineia Tavares Dos Santos Teixeira. Counselors — Adilson Adolfo Lopes Monteiro, 33, accountant; wife, Ludmila Lopes Sequeira Mendes Rodrigues Monteiro. Jose Santos Pires, 34, sub-contractor; wife, Maria Helena Ribeiro Gon?lves Pires.
via LDS Church News.
The following stakes have been created in Ghana:
A new stake has been created from the Accra Ghana Christiansborg and Accra Ghana McCarthy Hill stakes. The Accra Ghana Kaneshie Stake, which includes the Mamponse Branch and Dansoman, Kaneshie, Korie-Bu, Lartebiokorshie and Mataheko wards, was created by Elders Tad R. Callister and LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. of the Seventy.
A new stake has been created from the Accra Ghana Adenta and Accra Ghana Christiansborg stakes and the Asamankese Ghana District. The Accra Ghana Tesano Stake, which includes the Nsawam Branch and Alajo, New Town, North Ridge, Ofankor, Tantra Hills and Tesano wards, was created by Elder Joseph W. Sitati of the Seventy and Elder Richard K. Ahadjie, an Area Seventy.
ACCRA GHANA KANESHIE STAKE: (April 22, 2012) President — Isaac Kobina Mensah, 38, area construction manager for the Church; wife, Martha Tricia Ankai-Macaidoo Mensah. Counselors — Ignatius Kwamina Baidoo, 43, IT technician/manager for Adeigo Busilink Systems; wife, Adelaide Spio Ashun Baidoo. Edward Kofi Wallace, 38, supervisor at Standard Charter Bank; wife, Pascaline Gollys Wallace.
ACCRA GHANA TESANO STAKE: (April 22, 2012) President — Daniel Aniconu Abeo, 46, travel supervisor for the Church; wife, Evelyn Abla Dzikunu Abeo. Counselors — Titus Tawiah Tagoe, 47, analyst for the Church; wife, Dora Akuior Tagoe. Frederick Dei-Oppong, 37, area coordinator for the Perpetual Education Fund; wife, Nancy Otubga Acquah Dei-Oppong.
The following stakes have been reorganized:
ACCRA GHANA KASOA STAKE: (April 22, 2012) President — Johnny Oman Baddoo, 37, senior financial analyst for the Church; succeeding Isaac Kobina Mensah; wife, Josephine Aku Dzineku Baddoo. Counselors — Joshua Akomdo, 39, management control auditor for the Church; wife, Yaa Akomdo. Alexander Tandoh, 41, placement specialist for the Church; wife, Phyllis Morrison Tandoh.
ACCRA GHANA CHRISTIANSBORG STAKE: (April 22, 2012) President — Anthony Quaisie, 41, managing director for Top-Con Interiors and Construction; wife, Emily Larnyoh Quaisie. Counselors — Nixon Ohemeng Agyare, 41, general manager; wife, Efna Prah Agyare. Alexander Kinesi Baidoo, 32, manager at Melextine Enterprises; wife, Ernestina Asabea Boadi Baidoo.
TEMA GHANA STAKE: (April 22, 2012) President — Isaac Kofi Morrison, 34, area operations and maintenance manager; succeeding Daniel Yirenya-Tawiah; wife, Hannah Morrison. Counselors — Isaac Kwabena Abankwa, 48, business owner; wife, Charlotte Serwah Abankwa. Charles Kingsley Ajeigbe, 46, area IT project manager; wife, Adekemi Omojola Ajeigbe.
via LDS Church News.
NGALIEMA KINSHASA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO STAKE: (April 22, 2012) President — Jean-Pierre Akuku Loomba Haboko, 44, coordinator with Seminaries & Institutes; succeeding Robert Tabu Ebona Massa; wife, Bwalya Jolie Kunda. Counselors — Pierre Russel Subayi Mbaya, 30, manager; wife, Pamela Epeke Konzi. Mubi Mwana Nzambi Seraphin, 49, bookkeeper; wife, Marie Claire Yatelo Mlenzo.
via LDS Church News.
Number of Branches in Benin Doubles
The number of independent mission branches in the African country of Benin increased from three to six last month. The three new branches were previously meeting as groups and include the Fidjrosse, Finagnon, and Gbegame Branches. The Church has yet to organize these six branches into their own district and they continue to report directly to the Benin Cotonou Mission. A shortage of priesthood leaders remains a serious challenge.
Group Organized in Previously Unreached City in Kenya
Missionaries serving in the Kenya Nairobi Mission report that a new group was recently organized in the previously unreached city of Naivasha, Kenya. Senior missionaries indicate that there are upwards of 80 investigators attending church services and that group leadership is staffed by an isolated Latter-day Saint family. Prospects appear good for the group to become its own branch in the near future.
City Opens for Missionary Work in Angola
Missionaries serving in the Mozambique Maputo Mission report that the Area Presidency recently approved the assignment of full-time missionaries to the Angolan city of Huambo. The Church assigned proselytizing missionaries to Angola for the first time in 2008 but missionaries were only assigned to the capital city Luanda until just the past year or two when a second city Lubango opened. Additional cities have small numbers of isolated members and investigators meeting and await the establishment of official LDS missionary activity.
via LDS Church Growth.
Kathryn White Egan, 64, who served with her husband, Robert M. Egan, as he presided over the South Africa Cape Town Mission from 2005-08, died April 9, 2012, in Sandy, Utah.
via LDS Church News
Sunday, April 29, 2012, was a historic day for members of the Church in Cape Verde also known as Cabo Verde as the first stake in that country was organized by Elder Erich W. Kopischke, Europe Area President, with assistance from his second counselor Elder José A. Teixeira.
Read more at LDS Church News.
Missionaries serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo report that the Church has initiated a new meetinghouse construction program to meet the urgent need for additional LDS chapels for the increasing numbers of convert baptisms in the country.
BENIN CITY NIGERIA IHOGBE STAKE: (March 11, 2012) President — Romanus Chinasa Nwafor Okeke, 52, manager at Benjoe and Sons Ltd.; wife, Blessing Uloma Nwachukwu Okeke. Wilfred Omodamwen Idemudia, 52, teacher; wife, Christiana O. Okekhigbemen. Kennedy E. Onime, 49, principal at Jubilee Academy; wife, Henrietta Akhere O. Onime.
BENIN CITY NIGERIA NEW BENIN STAKE: (March 11, 2012) President — Anthony Ebolosele Ekoh, 50, director; succeeding Olusegun Frederick Akinbo; wife, Christiana Nyenumu Azeta Ekoh. Counselors — Godwin O. Meteke, 52, chief executive officer; wife, Clementina I. Ujeh Meteke. Monday A. Odaro, 49, librarian at the University of Benin; wife, Temi Joy Olofin.
via LDS Church News.