Pope Francis has named Monsignor Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji as the administrator of Ahiara Diocese.
He did by accepting the resignation of Bishop Peter Okpaleke who had been rejected for years by the priests of his Ahiara in Imo State.
The announcement, Monday, February 19 came after Pope 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 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 Ugorji as Ahiara’s temporary administrator.
The case was a test of papal authority, and has echoes with another divisive bishop appointment in the news concerning Chilean Bishop Juan Barros.
Barros has been rejected by many faithful and priests.
Meanwhile, there is uneasy calm in the Diocese since the announcement of Monsignor Ugorji was communicated to the people.
Bishop Ugorji was until his appointment serving in Umuahia Diocese.
In a statement on Monday from the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria signed by its director of social communications, Rev Fr. Chris Anyanwu, the church said the appointment of the new administrator was with immediate effect.
“Following the resignation of Most Rev Peter Okpalaeke as the Bishop of Ahaira Diocese, as a result of the crisis that has lingered for nearly six years in that diocese, His Holiness Pope Francis has today appointed Most Rev Lucius Ugorji, the Bishop of Umuahia as the Apostolic Administrator of Ahaira Diocese. This appointment is with immediate effect,” Fr. Anyanwu said.