Scottish Catholic Observer

Bishop Malachy (above), 50, the son of the mission’s cook late cook John, became the second bishop Bauchi Diocese, and its first African bishop, in May 2011.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, then Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, was co-consecrator at the Episcopal ordination of Bishop Malachy with Bishop James Daman of Shendam Diocese, Nigeria, who died in his sleep on January 12 this year aged 58.

Bauchi diocese has close links with St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese. Cardinal Gordon Joseph Gray ‘adopted’ Bauchi in the 1950s and sent priests to work there.

Born on July 12, 1965 in Bauchi, Bishop Malachy attended St Peter’s Primary School and later changed to Wunti  Primary School, all in Bauchi from 1972-1978.

His journey to the Catholic priesthood was initiated after he attended St John Vianney Minor Seminary, Barkin Ladi Plateau State from 1978-1983. He later went to St Augustines major  Seminary, Jos to study philosophy  and theology, 1984-1990  and was ordained a  Catholic Priest for Jos Archdiocese on November 4  1990 by Bishop GG Ganaka.

He worked as associate priest  in Jagindi, became parish priest at St James’ Gombe, 1991-1996, and worked at the Holy Spirit Formation Centre, Kuru, near Jos in 2004. Until his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI  for Bauchi, he doubled as the parish priest of St Finbarr’s  Rayfield and was Jos Archdiocesan financial administrator.

A vigil Mass will take place on Wednesday from Bishop Malachy at6pm at St John’s Cathedral, Bauchi where his funeral will take place on Thursday at 10am  at St John’s Cathedral Bauchi.

Bishop Goltok was the second eldest of a family of ten.