The crisis in Ahiara Diocese which has kept the Catholic Church in area, in the doldrums for over six years seems to have a bright opening as Bishop Peter Okpaleke has resigned signaling victory for the people of the area who rejected his Pastor ship of the Diocese.
Okpaleke, despite his concentration as Bishop of Ahiara was not only rejected by the Laity and Clergy but also asked not to enter the Diocese to preside affairs of the Church.
Reprieve came for the Catholics in Mbaise when Pope Francis backed down and accepted the resignation of Okpaleke who was rejected by the Priests of Ahiara Diocese. In his place, Bishop Lucius Ugorji, formerly of Umuahia appointed as temporary administrator.
The announcement Monday came after Francis in June issued a harsh ultimatum to Ahiara priests that they would lose their jobs if they didn’t obey him and accept Bishop Peter Okpaleke as their bishop.
It wasn’t clear how many of them obeyed and pledged in writing to accept Okpaleke. But on Monday, the Vatican announced that Okpaleke was resigning and that Francis had named Monsignor Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji as Ahiara’s temporary administrator.
The development is seen in some quarters as a victory for the Mbaise who despite threats from Rome the seat of the church insisted that Okpaleke would not enter Mbaise land.
Efforts by the new Bishop who is from Anambra to preside affairs of Ahiara was vigorously resisted even by fellow priests of Mbaise stock.
