mafifle: Most certainly the issue was not Mbaise v Catholic
Church. It was most certainly an unjust appointment
perpetuated by people we most respect and trust to
direct us.
Pope appoints Bishops as advised by Cardinals and
Bishops.
Now why Mbaise Acted with no fear, no surrender or
retreat
Why the bungling Nuncio and Nigerian Catholic
Bishops retreated to ordain Okpaleke in a mare
seminary not even a Church talk less of a Cathedral.
Like Christ we stood for the truth, justice and the
Canon Law and not the Nigerian Bishops' Law or a
biased Nuncio.
The entire Owerri Province decided it was game over for
the Onitsha Province.
After all negotiations failed Okpaleke was sent back to
Awka after Ordination because no one dared accept
him in case he became a liability or auxiliary by default.
All efforts to deceive people that this was only about
spiritual and obedience I say foul.
Now look at the statistics of "arurur ala" below how all
Bishops come from Onitsha dioceses in the old
Anambra region and realise why Mbaise was right to
agitate. In fact Mbaise should be congratulated for
challenging the corruption and nepotism of the so
called hierarchy.
See how we have been robbed
There are 15 Bishops from the Onitsha Ecclesiastical
Province active and retired.
There are have been 4 from Owerri Province.
Forget the nonsense of petitions.
Domination
The Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province has domination of
the church hierarchy not only inside but also inside.
They have reserved their Episcopal vacancies for their
priests only, and prevent other dioceses outside
Onitsha Province from filling their own vacancies. This
is another flashpoint in the crisis involving the
appointment of Fr. Okpalaeke. This problem is shown in
the following table below.
Name
Place of Origin
Diocese
Date
1
Bishop Godfrey Okoye (R.I.P)
Onitsha Eccl. Province
Port Harcourt
1961-1970
2
Bishop Vincent Ezeonyia
Onitsha Eccl. Province
Aba
1990-
3
Bishop Emmanuel Otteh (R.I.P)
Onitsha Eccl. Province
Iselle-Uku
1996-2003
4
Bishop Martin Uzoukwu
Onitsha Eccl. Province
Minna
1996-
5
Bishop Augustine Akubeze
Onitsha Eccl. Province
Uromi
2005-2011
6
Bishop Solomon Amatu
Onitsha Eccl. Province
Okigwe
2005-
7
Archbishop AugustineAkubeze
Onitsha Eccl. Province
Arch. Benin
2011-
8
Msgr. Peter Okpalaeke
Onitsha Eccl. Province
Ahiara
2012
We can see that they have a pattern of ruling both
inside and outside their Province. And this is called
universalism?
Lopsidedness in Episcopal Portfolio
Next, the summary of all the bishops from the two
Ecclesiastical Provinces shows that while Onitsha
Ecclesiastical Province has a total of fifteen bishops
(both retired and active), Owerri Ecclesiastical Province
has only a total of four bishops (both retired and
active). The comprehensive table is as follows:
Lopsidedness in Episcopal Portfolio
Next, the summary of all the bishops from the two
Ecclesiastical Provinces shows that while Onitsha
Ecclesiastical Province has a total of fifteen bishops
(both retired and active), Owerri Ecclesiastical Province
has only a total of four bishops (both retired and
active). The comprehensive table is as follows:
Bishops of Onitsha Province
Bishops of Owerri Province
1
Francis Cardinal Arinze (retired)
1
Archbishop Anthony Obinna
2
Archbishop Valerian Okeke
2
Bishop Augustine Ukwuoma
3
Archbishop Augustine Akubeze
3
Bishop Lucius Ugorji
4
Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor
4
Bishop Gregory Ochiagha (emeritus)
5
Bishop Hilary Okeke
6
Bishop Callistus Onaga
7
Bishop John Okoye
8
Bishop Martin Uzoukwu
9
Bishop Michael Okoro
10
Bishop Francis Okobo
11
Bishop Vincent Ezeonyia
12
Bishop Solomon Amatu
13
Bishop Simon Okafor (emeritus)
14
Fr. Peter Okpalaeke? (appointed)
15
Fr. Godfrey Onah (appointed)
The bishops call this the table of universalism, but we
call it the table of domination. What is universal about
Onitsha Province having 15 bishops, while Owerri
Province has only FOUR BISHOPS? There is a culture of
favoritism and cronyism in the polity of Nigeria. Hence,
we are also drawing the attention of the Church
hierarchy to the danger of being perceived as favoring
one Province over the others, or favoring one group
over the others. The corrupt template of the Nigerian
political map is never to be associated, directly or
indirectly, with the Holy Church of God.
Attention Please!!
Some people have been calling us names, character
assassinating, engaging in debauchery, and indulging
in calumny against us. Perhaps, this is their own level
of research and argumentation. Let me be absolutely
clear about one thing: Our problem is not about
individuals. It is about injustice. To those calling us
names, I narrate this story. One day, a man was taking
his bath in a local Nigerian makeshift bathroom.
Suddenly, a madman came to the place and took away
the clothing which the bathing person kept there. Upon
seeing what happened, the man taking his bath ran out
naked in pursuit of the clothed madman in order to
snatch back his dress from the madman. When people
saw the two of them running, they began to run away
from the naked man thinking that he was the real mad
person. Ndi Mbaise, we cannot repeat this mistake, else
people begin to think that we are the real mad people.
To use this analogy, as sane people fighting for justice
and a just cause, we have to continue with our
“shower” and let the mad person to continue with his
madness. We will not expose our unclothedness in order to
recover our clothes. We will not lose our sanity in order
to be in pursuit of a mad person. But WE WILL NOT
RELINQUISH THE OFO NA OGU MBAISE.
Conclusion
Finally, can someone tell us why the evidence in this
presentation is not about injustice? Can someone tell
us why Episcopal appointments in Igboland is not
lopsided? Can someone tell us why this is not about
domination? Can someone tell us why this is not about
cabalism in the Catholic Church hierarchy? The Mbaise
struggle is about justice and fairness in the
appointment of bishops in Igboland and Nigeria as a
whole. The Catholic Church hierarchy should rectify this
injustice. Let them bear in mind that justice delayed is
justice denied. So help us God! Amen!
Courtesy of Amadi Azuogu

adconline:

You are not telling us the whole truth. Onitsha Eccl Province is the oldest in SE/SS. Owerri Eccl Province is an out post of Onitsha. How come Owerri Eccl province has 4 dioceses with smaller combined population while Onitsha Eccl Province has 3 dioceses with bigger combined population? Why are you not seeing any marginalization in it ?

adconline:

You are not telling us the whole truth. Onitsha Eccl Province is the oldest in SE/SS. Owerri Eccl Province is an out post of Onitsha. How come Owerri Eccl province has 4 dioceses with smaller combined population while Onitsha Eccl Province has 3 dioceses with bigger combined population? Why are you not seeing any marginalization in it ?

kutchs:
While I have always maintained it‘s dangerous the way this issue is going and the need for all parties involved to reach a compromise, I must point out however that you are wrong somewhere. Owerri Eccl Province has 6 dioceses viz Owerri, Aba, Orlu, Okigwe, Umuahia and Ahaira.
Having pointed out that error, I think the Vatican has to take into consideration the character of each diocese in the appointment of a bishop. Ahiara is mostly a rural diocese (the most rural in Nigeria in fact) and that over 99.9% of the faithfuls are indigenes of Mbaise and we can say in effect the church in Ahiara belongs to Mbaise people ‘exclusively‘ thus imposing a bishop from ‘outside‘ on a rural diocese is dangerous.
The character of the Church in Mbaise is different from the character of the Universal Church. The UC is headquartered in Rome and does not belong to Romans only to the whole world thus anyone can lay claim to its headship with squabbles but that is not te case with Ahiara diocese headquartered in Nnarambia with almost 100% local faithfuls both clergy and laity. That to me is the argument of the people of Mbaise.

On another note, don‘t you think it portends danger for the Church in Mbaise if Bishop Okpaleke assumes office against the people he‘s supposed to sherpherd? Do you think he will get the best out of his priests (in terms of obedience, respect and support)? Do you think the people will welcome him with open arms when he goes on pastoral visits as they did late Bishop Chikwe with the song LEE NNUKWU UKOCHUKWU ONYE N‘EME IHE N‘ASO CHINEKE K‘ONA ABIA? This are the things the Vatican should look into.

adconline:

I meant to say Onitsha Eccl province in Anambra state with 3 dioceses while Owerri Eccl province in Imo state with 4 dioceses even though Anambra has more Catholic faithful than Imo. So it could be deduced that Arinze has helped Imo faithfuls more than Anambra faithfuls. As a matter of fact, Old-Aguata and some parts of Aniocha that could make up the proposed Aguata/Ekwulobia Diocese has more Catholics than Ahiara diocese

adconline:

I meant to say Onitsha Eccl province in Anambra state with 3 dioceses while Owerri Eccl province in Imo state with 4 dioceses even though Anambra has more Catholic faithful than Imo. So it could be deduced that Arinze has helped Imo faithfuls more than Anambra faithfuls. As a matter of fact, Old-Aguata and some parts of Aniocha that could make up the proposed Aguata/Ekwulobia Diocese has more Catholics than Ahiara diocese

kutchs:
Nobody is talking about number here nwanne and whether Cardinal Arinze has helped Imo faithful or not even though thats what he is supposed to as the highest ranking Catholic official from Nigeria. What am talking about which you chose to neglect is the character issue and ofcourse the desperation of the CBCN, the Pro Nuncio and other interests to force him on the people against their wish.

I personally have nothing against Bishop Okpaleke as my bishop, what am against rather is his insensitivity to the feelings of his supposed subjects.

kutchs:
Nobody is talking about number here nwanne and whether Cardinal Arinze has helped Imo faithful or not even though thats what he is supposed to as the highest ranking Catholic official from Nigeria. What am talking about which you chose to neglect is the character issue and ofcourse the desperation of the CBCN, the Pro Nuncio and other interests to force him on the people against their wish.

I personally have nothing against Bishop Okpaleke as my bishop, what am against rather is his insensitivity to the feelings of his supposed subjects.

kutchs:
Nobody is talking about number here nwanne and whether Cardinal Arinze has helped Imo faithful or not even though thats what he is supposed to as the highest ranking Catholic official from Nigeria. What am talking about which you chose to neglect is the character issue and ofcourse the desperation of the CBCN, the Pro Nuncio and other interests to force him on the people against their wish.

I personally have nothing against Bishop Okpaleke as my bishop, what am against rather is his insensitivity to the feelings of his supposed subjects.

rapins: Now I am beginning to appreciate the saying that when you see a snake and an Mbaise person, you first kill the Mbaise person before the snake.
All these Mbaise pagans that are parading themselves as Catholic, why do you always show people how wicked you are?
The earlier you begin to accept and work with your Bishop the better for you. Rome has given you a Bishop and nothing can stop that.
Mbaise people are every where in other Dioceses, has anyone sent any of them away?

kutchs:
Nobody is talking about number here nwanne and whether Cardinal Arinze has helped Imo faithful or not even though thats what he is supposed to as the highest ranking Catholic official from Nigeria. What am talking about which you chose to neglect is the character issue and ofcourse the desperation of the CBCN, the Pro Nuncio and other interests to force him on the people against their wish.

I personally have nothing against Bishop Okpaleke as my bishop, what am against rather is his insensitivity to the feelings of his supposed subjects.