… Ezeofor Holds First Service
By Jude Atupulazi
The raging saga between the suspended Anglican Arch Bishop of Awka, Most Rev Alexander Ibezim, and the Primate of Churcn of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Arch Bishop Henry Ndukuba, has taken a new twist as priests of the Awka Diocese have reportedly rallied behind the Primate. This is even as the newly appointed Supervising Bishop, Samuel Ezeofor, has conducted his first Service at St. Faith’s Cathedral, amid heavy security.
The Service is seen as a significant development in the dispute between Archbishop Alexander Ibezim and the leadership of the Church of Nigeria over the administration of the diocese.
The development comes after the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, reportedly directed Ibezim to proceed on a compulsory six-month leave to allow an investigation into allegations against him.
However, Ibezim reportedly rejected the directive. Through the Diocesan Chancellor, Nwofor, he also challenged the appointment of Bishop Ezeofor as the Supervising Bishop of the diocese.
Despite the opposition, Ezeofor proceeded with the service at St. Faith’s Cathedral, where priests in attendance reportedly reaffirmed their allegiance to the Primate and the Church of Nigeria.
The clergymen also reportedly rejected the position taken by the diocesan board under Ibezim, which opposed Ndukuba’s decision.
Their reported stance signals a deepening divide over the authority responsible for overseeing the affairs of the diocese, with the Primate’s directive emerging as a central point of contention.
But in a move aimed at restoring peace and unity, Ezeofor directed every church in the diocese to nominate between four and five persons to serve as stakeholders in a reconciliation process.
The initiative is expected to provide a platform for consultations among members of the diocese and encourage dialogue towards resolving the leadership dispute.
The crisis has raised concerns about unity and stability within the Anglican Diocese of Awka, as the opposing positions of Ibezim and the Church of Nigeria’s leadership continue to shape developments in the diocese.
Ezeofor’s first Service and the reported reaffirmation of allegiance by priests represent a new chapter in the dispute, with attention now turning to the proposed reconciliation process and the next steps in resolving the crisis.
As events unfold, the ability of the Church’s leadership and stakeholders to pursue dialogue and respect the applicable ecclesiastical procedures will be crucial to restoring lasting peace and unity within the diocese.
Additional information from Razor Online
