His Lordship Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina

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Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina was born on June 28, 1964, to Mr. and Mrs. Adesina in Wenchi, Ghana. He is a Nigerian from Oyan in the Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Osun State.

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He began his elementary education at Saint Luke's Anglican Primary School in Akure, Ondo State, from 1970 to 1976. He attended Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, also in Akure, for his secondary education from 1976 to 1981.

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With a renewed desire to serve as a priest, Francis enrolled in the Spiritual Year Programme at Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary in Ekpoma, Edo State — now known as Saint John of the Cross Seminary — from 1981 to 1982. He continued his philosophical and theological studies at Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, from 1982 to 1989, which culminated in his ordination to the Catholic priesthood on October 14, 1989, for the Diocese of Oyo by Most Rev. Julius Babatunde Adelakun. Later, he incardinated to Osogbo Diocese at its creation in 1995.

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From 1996 to 2000, Bishop-Elect Adesina pursued postgraduate studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He later completed his doctoral studies at the Pontifical Urban University, Rome, from 2005 to 2009. In 2008, Msgr. Adesina attended the Institute of St. Anselm, Center for Religious Formation, in Kent, United Kingdom, for a brief formation program.

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His academic credentials include:

Diploma in Religious Studies, University of Ibadan (1986)
Bachelor in Sacred Theology, Pontifical Urban University, Rome (1989)
Licentiate in Sacred Scripture, Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome (2000)
Diploma in Human Growth and Development, Institute of St. Anselm, Center for Religious Formation, Kent, United Kingdom (2008)
Doctorate in Sacred (Biblical) Theology, Pontifical Urban University, Rome (2009)
Diploma, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, Rome (2011)

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From 2000 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2019, Bishop Adesina rose through the ranks of the Seminary Formation Team, serving as Lecturer in the Theology Department and Dean of Seminarians' Affairs before becoming Rector of the Seminary in 2013. He served in that role until his appointment as Bishop-Elect of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode on January 17, 2019.

He is proficient in English, Italian, German, and Yoruba, and holds a reading knowledge of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, French, and Spanish. He is best described as a teacher and lecturer, having taught at Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, from 2001 to 2005 and from 2009 to present.