Born in Lagos,
Nigeria, Okogie was born to a royal family of
Uromi in
Edo State. His parents were Prince Michael Okojie - who was himself a son of King
Ogbidi Okojie of Uromi - and Lucy Adunni Okojie (née Afolabi). His father was
Esan and his mother was
Yoruba. Okogie was ordained priest on 11 December 1966. He holds a licentiate in sacred theology, and had planned to study in Rome, but was called to Nigeria where he was a curate at the Holy Cross Cathedral. He was drafted into the Nigerian army, and served there as a chaplain. After another period of service at Holy Cross Cathedral, he was an instructor at
King's College. In 1971, he was consecrated Titular Bishop of Mascula and Auxiliary of
Oyo, and in 1973 named archbishop. As archbishop, Okogie was president of the
Christian Association of Nigeria, and from 1994 to 2000 headed the Bishops' Conference of Nigeria. Cardinal Okogie volunteered to die in place of a Muslim woman who had been condemned to death by stoning by an Islamic court for adultery. He was proclaimed Cardinal by
Pope John Paul II in the
consistory of 21 October 2003, and holds the title of Cardinal Priest of
Santa Maria del Monte Carmelo a Mostacciano (or in English Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel of Mostacciano). During his cardinalate, Okogie was one of the
cardinal electors who participated in the
2005 papal conclave that selected
Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Okogie was also one of the
cardinal electors who participated in the
2013 papal conclave that elected
Pope Francis. During the opening day of the 2013 conclave, Cardinal Okogie was notable in that he was the one cardinal who was in a wheelchair during most of the proceedings, standing up only when it came time for him to walk towards the gospels and make the cardinal electors' oath. During the procession and entry into the conclave, Cardinal Okogie was the one cardinal from the
Latin church who did not wear the
mozzetta. His resignation from the pastoral governance of the see of Lagos because of having reached the age limit of 75 years was accepted on 25 May 2012. ==Views==