The Roman Catholic Diocese of Aba takes its name from the major commercial city of Aba in Abia State. Aba Diocese was created from Umuahia Diocese on April 2, 1990. Its first diocesan bishop, Most Rev Dr. Vincent Valentine Ezeonyia, CSSp, was installed on 2 July 1990 at Christ the King Church; he was ordained Bishop 1 July 1990 at Mater Dei Cathedral in Umuahia. At the time the Catholic Diocese of Aba was created, there were 24 Parishes, 33 indigenous priests including those born and bred in Aba, many Religious men and women and a Catholic population of 227,225. The bulk of the Catholic population was concentrated in Aba Urban and its immediate environs. Dr. Ezeonyia died in 2015.