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Archbishop Emeritus John Baptist Odama has pledged to continue promoting peaceful existence and dialogues among communities within and outside the Acholi Sub-region during his retirement.
His statement comes days after retiring as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Gulu where he served for 25 years since his ordination on April 10, 1999.
Archbishop Emeritus Odama will be replaced by Rt. Rev. Raphael p’Mony Wokorach, who was appointed by Pope Francis on Friday, March 22.
Until his appointment, the 63-year-old prelate was the Bishop of Nebbi Catholic Diocese.
Archbishop Emeritus Odama noted that throughout his tenure as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Gulu, his life centered on peace promotion.
Between 2006 and 2008, under the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI), Odama acted as an adviser and observer of the Juba peace talk in which the government and Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel commander Joseph Kony (LRA) delegations held a back-and-forth dialogue on ending conflicts.
Although Kony failed to sign the Juba peace pact, Odama who headed ARLPI as Chairperson in 2002-2010 says their efforts ushered in peace in the sub-region.