"My name is JohnPaul Ebuka Oraefo. I am a Nigerian. The name of my hometown in Nigeria is Ogbunike, which is in Anambra State, one of the eastern states of Nigeria. I was born on October 22, 1997.

In my family, I am the second of my parents' three children. And I am also the first son. I have an older sister and a younger brother. My father, Chinedu Oraefo, died in 2016, but my mother, Chinyere Oraefo, is still alive.

My desire to become a priest began when I was young. I entered the minor seminary in 2008. This seminary is the minor seminary of my diocese, the Archdiocese of Onitsha. The name of the minor seminary is All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha. After studying at the minor seminary, I had two years of pastoral experience at St. Joseph's Secondary School, Awkaetiti, and St. Joseph's Parish, Awada, respectively. I was then sent to St. Pius X Seminary for a year of spiritual formation as was done in my diocese.

In the year 2017, with the approval of my Archbishop Most. Rev. Valerian Okeke, I was admitted to Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu to study Philosophy. I studied there for four years and in 2021, I was sent to our minor seminary, All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha, for my one-year pastoral work. While doing my pastoral work, my Archbishop told me that I could do Theology here in Rome. At the end of my pastoral year, I arrived here in Rome.

I am deeply grateful to God for this divine providence. I also thank my Archbishop, the Rector and the Formators of the International Ecclesiastical College Sedes Sapientiae and the Centro Academico Romano Foundation (CARF Foundation)".