From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The mood of the laity, priests, the religious and, indeed, the people of Mbaise on Tuesday, December 19, could be simply described as electric, as they congratulated themselves for finally achieving their heart desire of seeing the inauguration of Rev. Monsignor Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, an Mbaise son, as the Auxiliary Bishop to the Apostolic Administrator (Sede Vacante et ad nutum sanctae) Archbishop Luicius Iwejuru Ugorji of Archdiocese of Owerri.
•Rev Monsignor Simeon Okezuo Nwobi being investitured with the bishop vestment by His Grace, Most Rev Luicius Iwejuru Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri Metropolitan and Apostlic Administrator of Ahiara Catholic Diocese.
Indeed, the people of Mbaise nation, both at home and in the Diaspora, could not have hoped for a better Christmas gift than that of a home-grown bishiop.
As early as 7:00 a.m on that fateful day, the Maria Mater Ecclesiae (Mary Mother of the Church) Cathedral, Ahiara Mbaise, was already overflowing with the mass of human beings from all walks of life who had come to witness the first Episcopal ordination that would be taking place within the precincts of the imposing Cathedral. No other, but a son of the soil – Rev. Monsignor Okezuo – was consecrated the Auxiliary Bishop to the Apostlic Administrator of Ahiara ( Sede vacante et ad nutum sanctae Sedis).
Even the Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral proved inadequate as people struggled shoulder to shoulder, including prominent politicians, traditional rulers to enter into the expansive compound, which then appeared small because of the overwhelming crowd.
The Cathedral itself was already filled to the brim as early at 8:00a.m for the event scheduled to begin by 10:00a.m as hundreds of people, including priests, the consecrated, religious, traditional rulers and other important dignitaries gathered to hear the High Mass from outside the Cathedral.
However, the event of December 19, was a sharp contrast of what happened on May 21, 2013, when the priests, laity, religious and the people of Mbaise nation, were up in arms and had moblized their youths two days before to ensure that the Episcopal Ordination of Rev. Fr. Peter Okpalaeke (now Cardinal) as the second bishop of Ahiara Catholic Diocese never held within the precincts of the newly built Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral.
Ten years ago, youths of Mbaise had barricaded every access roads leading to the Cathedral and placed a mock coffin at its enterance, which most people described as sacrilegious and unheard of.
It would be recalled that Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe, pioneer Bishop of Ahiara had died on September 16, 2010 after 22 year as Local Ordinary of Ahiara.
Soon after an alleged infighting among the priests of Ahiara Diocese over who should replace the late Bishop Chikwe who is from Ezinihite clan began.
This, it was learnt, necessitated the appointment of a neutral cleric by Pope Benedict the XVI on the advice of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.
But that remediation action the by Vatican sparked off crisis that lasted for 10 years.
What is now the Ahiara Catholic Diocese was carved out from Owerri Archdiocese on November 18, 1987, and on January 31, 1988, it was formally inaugurated with Most Rev Adibe Victor Chikwe who had earlier been ordained by Pope John Paul 11 at St Peter’s Basilica Rome on January 6, 1988 as the Pioneer Bishop of the Diocese pronounced.
Bishop Chikwe died on September 16, 2010 after 22 years as Bishop of Ahiara, throwing up the crisis, which started from 2012.
However, the priests, the religious, laity of and the people of Mbaise nation who see the Ahiara Catholic as exclusively theirs vehemently rejected the appointment of Rev. Fr. Msgr Peter Okpalaeke on December 7, 2012 (now Peter Cardinal Okpalaeke, Bishop of Ekwulobia ) by Pope Benedict XVI as the Bishop-elect of Ahiara.
In fact, the priests, the religious, laity and the people of Mbaise vehemently rejected the Papal appointment.
The youths of Mbaise who were instigated by the priests had then barricaded every access road leading the Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral and put the gate of the Cathedral under lock and key two days to the Episcopal Ordination of Okpalaeke initially scheduled to hold at the Cathedral on May 21, 2013.
The tense and unconducieve atomsphere had forced the prelates of the Church and dignitaries who had come from within and outside the country for the ordination to relocat to the more conducive Seat of Wisdom Major Seminary in Ulakwo community in Owerri North council area for the Episcopal ordination of Most Rev Mgr. Okpalaeke as the Second Bishiop of the Ahiara Catholic Diocese.
But for five years the priests and the people of Mbaise would not allow him to step his foot into the Cathedral. The protracted controversy that engulfed Ahiara Diocese continued even with the resignation of Bishop Okpalaeke on Feburay 12, 2018 as they insisted on a Bishop of Mbaise extraction. It got so bad that those whether priests or laity that had accepted the Papal appointment were seen as the enemies of the people of Mbaise.
The crisis did not abate even with the appointment of His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan now Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja on July 3, 2018, by Pope Francis as the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Catholic Diocese.
And for the five years he served as the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara, the majority of the priests, religious and the laity did not co-operate with him, as he was allegedly accused of being complicit in the impasse.
However, the Mbaise priests had grudgingly accepted the appointment of Archbishop of Owerri Metropolitan, His Grace Most Rev. Luicius Iwejuru Ugorji, (then Bishop of Umuahia) as the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara on Feburay 12, 2018 on the basis that at least he is from Imo State though he is not of Mbaise extraction.
As the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara and determined to quell the rebellion, Archbishop Ugorji who is also the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, it was learnt, in consultation with his brother bishops and all stakeholders had requested for an Auxiliary Bishop, which was granted by Pope Francis.
Thus, on October 14, 2023, Pope Francis appointed Rev. Msgr. Nwobi, as the Auxiliary Bishop-elect of Ahiara to the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Sede vacante et ad nutum sanctae, Archbishop Ugorji.
Speaking after the episcopal ordination of Most Rev. Msgr. Nwobi as the Auxiliary Bishop of Ahiara Catholic Diocese, on December 19, 2023; Ugorji, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri, Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of Ahiara Diocese and President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), he said that history has been made as Most Rev Msgr Nwobi as the Auxiliary Bishop would be the first time ever a bishop would be ordained on the hallowed soil of Ahiara.
“History has been made today in the Diocese of Ahiara. Today marks the first time ever a bishop was ordained on the hallowed soil of Ahiara Diocese. We are glad to be part of this historic moment. We thank God for keeping us alive to witness this momentous occasion. We are deeply grateful to Him for the gift of an Auxiliary Bishop in the person of Most Rev. Simeon Okezuo Nwobi CMF and for making his ordination today a success. To Him be all praise, adoration and thanksgiving now and forever!
“Likewise we are deeply grateful to His Holiness Pope Francis, the universal shepherd, for his paternal solicitude towards the pastoral needs of the Church in Ahiara Diocese through the appointment of our Auxiliary Bishop. We thank him for all his concerted efforts at bringing peace to Ahiara Diocese. During the dark days of the turbulent succession crisis, he sent the Ghana-born Peter Appiah Cardinal Turkson twice to Ahiara Diocese on a mission of peace. He also invited representatives of the clergy, religious and laity of Ahiara Diocese to a peace meeting with him at the Vatican.
“Finally, as a compassionate father, he granted pardon to all who where responsible for the crisis. He denounced the stiff resistance to a Papal appointment of a bishop and advised that such should never happen again. In all the measures he took during the long-drawn crisis, Pope Francis stood tall as a father with a golden heart for peace and reconciliation. As we thank him today for his fatherly love, we reassure him of our unwavering allegiance, filial loyalty, constant prayers and spiritual closeness.
“We shall remain ever grateful to Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, as well as our immediate past Apostolic Nuncio, Most Rev. Antonio Guido Filipazzi, and the Charge d’ Affairs i.a in the Nunciature, Msgr. Carlo Maria Donati, for their relentless efforts in facilitating this appointment. May God in His love bless them all abundantly!
“I thank the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria for their fraternal care and solicitude towards the welfare of the Church in Ahiara Diocese. Over the years, they have spent long hours during our plenary sessions, deliberating on how best to solve the crisis in Ahiara Diocese, while safeguarding the unity of the Church as one family of God. I thank them also for their episcopal solidarity and communion, which they have vividly expressed by their presence in large numbers at this ordination ceremony.
“Despite the fact that last week many of them attended the episcopal ordinations in Kastina and Zaria respectively, they have made incalculable sacrifice to be part of this celebration. Your Eminences, Your Graces and Your Lordships, please know that I am profoundly grateful to you for this demonstration of solidarity, friendship and love.
“My dear brother Bishop Simeon Nwobi, I felicitate with you on your Episcopal ordination today and wish you a fruitful episcopal ministry. On behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, I warmly welcome you to the College of Bishops with all rights and responsibilities. Like the biblical Simeon, I can now sing my nunc dimittis – ‘At last, all powerful Master, you give leave to your servant to go in peace according to your promise” (Lk 2:29ff). Furthermore, like John the Baptist, I am inclined to say to Bishop Simeon: you shall increase and I shall decrease (cf Jn 3:30). I am glad to hereby appoint you my Vicar General to help me in taking care of administrative and pastoral matters in Ahiara Diocese.
“I turn to the clergy, consecrated men and women and laity of Ahiara Diocese and greet you warmly with brotherly affection. The ordination of Bishop Simeon Nwobi is the greatest fruit of the spring time in the Diocese of Ahiara, inaugurated when I began my mission of peace in Ahiara Diocese five years ago. I have no doubt that the consecration today of Bishop Simeon Nwobi will completely heal the wounds of division. There should be no more rancour, distrust or bitterness. There should be no more resentful words, or inflicting of wounds. This is the time to turn your swords into ploughshares and your spears into pruning hooks (cf. Is 2: 4). This is indeed the time to deepen the bonds of unity completely, burying past animosities and painful memories in order to advance the cause of the gospel. This is the time to foster the spirit of mutual love, understanding, trust, and cooperation. I encourage you to unite in heart and mind with St Paul when he said: ‘Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching for those things which are before, I press towards the mark for the prize of high calling in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 3: 13-14).”
In a terse congratutory message to the newly installed Auxiliary Bishiop of Ahiara Diocese, Msgr Nwobi, Cardinal Okpalaeke, Bishop of Ekwulobia in Anambra State, who was physically present said: “It is with joy that I send this message of goodwill to you and to the good people of Ahiara Diocese on this occasion of your ordination as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Sede vacante of the Episcopal see that I was appointed to in 2012.
“God’s ways are not ways and God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. However, we know that ours is a God of providence. Like a Shepherd, God continues to lead us despite our resistance to our salvation. Our prayer is that God may help all of us to learn to walk by faith and not by sight because in God’s will is our peace.
“You have a lot ahead of you besides the already heavy burden of Episcopal ministry. Through the power of our loving, you are to bring together the scattered children of God, facilitating reconciliation and be the balm to be used by the Lord in healing minds, hearts and souls.”
Similarly, the immediate past Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara, John Cardinal Onaniyekan said: “His Grace Archbishop Luicius Iwejuru Ugorji, May the Lord be praised for his goodness to you, through you, to the Diocese of Ahiara on the Episcopal ordination of Most Rev Mgr Simeon Okezuo Nwobi as auxiliary Bishop.
To all of us who sincerely wish the Diocese of Ahiara well , this is surely a salutary gush of fresh air and grace after the unfortunate challenges of recent years. The good Lord, for whom nothing is impossible, will surely bring to fulfilment the good work that he has started through you. You can count on my sincere and fervent prayers as you undertake this important mission.”
Also speaking, Rev. Fr. Joseph Ezeji, president of Ahiara Priests’ Association who congratulated their own son as the Auxiliary Bishop of Ahiara thanked God for the turn of events.
“To God we return all the glory and honour for by flesh shall no man prevail. It is with heartfelt joy that we the members of Ahiara Diocesan Priests Association express first our gratitude to God, who made this day possible. To our Apostolic Administrator, His Grace , Most Rev Luicius Iwejuru Ugorji who aided its dawn, to the Priests of Ahiara Diocese who passionately and courageously sustained the call for ‘Okezuo’ and the Laity for their prayers and solidarity. We welcome you to your home ‘Nna anyi’ bishop, pledging more intentionally and unwavering support in rebuilding the broken walls, patching the cracked spits and draining the waterlogged areas wherever they still exist as grace enables,” he enthused.
Also, Amadi Chigozirim, who said he is from Aboh Mbaise noted: “Mbaise has succeeded in getting her own person as Bishop of Ahiara.” Reminded that Msgr. Nwobi is just the Auxiliary Bishop to the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Catholic Diocese, he said that a bishop is bishop whether auxiliary or not.
However, at last, peace has returned to the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara after 10 years in what many observers had blamed on the attitude of the Mbaise nation, describing them as a clanish people, adding that it was unbecoming of a people who professed to be Catholics and whose sons and daughters are all over the world as priests and religious ones, but who rejected a fellow Igbo as bishop on the flismy excuse that he is not from Mbaise and was not incarndinated in the Owerri Province .