Bishop of Ziguinchor
Msgr. Jean Baptiste Valter Manga, of the diocese of Ziguinchor, was born on 18 June 1972 in Oussouye, Senegal. After the philosophy cycle in the philosophical seminary of Brin (1993-1995), he studied theology in the major seminary in Sébikhotane (1995-2000). He was awarded a licentiate in biblical theology from the Collège des Bernardins, Paris, in 2009, and a doctorate in ethnology and anthropology from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris, in 2015. He was ordained a priest on 20 December 2000. He has held the following offices: teacher of mathematics and natural sciences at the minor seminary of Ziguinchor and chair of Vocations Commission (2000-2006), parish priest of the parish of Saint Benedict, Néma (2015-2021), teacher at the major seminary of Brin and the Assane Seck University of Ziguinchor (2015 to the present), vicar of the parish of Nyassia (2021-2023), general secretary of the Pastoral Office, head of the Permanent Formation of priests (2021 to date); since 2023 vice rector of the Notre Dame Major Seminary in Brin and vicar of the Good Shepherd Parish in Enampore.