Crisis: Awka Diocese Priests Disown Ibezim’s Board, Pledge Loyalty to Primate, Reject Move to Canterbury

By Our Correspondent

Priests of the Anglican Diocese of Awka have dissociated themselves from a controversial communique issued by the Diocesan Board rejecting the directive of the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, and reaffirmed their loyalty to the Primate amid the lingering leadership crisis in the Diocese.

The priests, under the umbrella of the Clergy Association of the Diocese, also declared that they had neither considered withdrawing from the Church of Nigeria nor contemplated joining the Church of Canterbury.

Their position was contained in a letter of declaration signed by the Chairman of the Clergy Association, Venerable Dr. Geoffrey Muolokwu, in which they distanced themselves from the communique issued by the Diocesan Board on October 16, 2026.

The development came as the Supervising Bishop of the Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Samuel Ezeofor, on Wednesday assumed his supervisory responsibilities with a meeting involving the clergy and their wives at the Cathedral Church of St Faith, Awka, amid protests and heavy security deployment.

Ezeofor was appointed by Ndukuba to oversee the affairs of the Diocese following the directive that the former Bishop of Awka and Archbishop of the Niger Province, Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim, proceed on a six-month leave to allow investigations into allegations of corruption relating to the sale of church lands reportedly valued at more than ₦2 billion.

The allegations against Ibezim have become a major point of contention in the Diocese, with the Diocesan Board rejecting the Primate’s directive and insisting that Ibezim should continue to discharge his duties as Bishop of Awka.
However, the clergy’s declaration appears to signal a divergence between the position of the Diocesan Board and that of the priests on the handling of the dispute.

The Board had urged church members and other relevant organs to remain loyal to Ibezim, rejected Ezeofor’s appointment and warned that the Diocese could withdraw from the Church of Nigeria if what it described as interference in its affairs continued.

It also maintained that court cases relating to the dispute remained pending.
Addressing the clergy and their wives during Wednesday’s meeting, Ezeofor said restoring peace and reconciliation in the Diocese was a key part of his mandate, expressing confidence that the Church would overcome the crisis.

He urged the priests to avoid actions, comments and dispositions capable of aggravating the situation, stressing that the worship of God must be conducted with responsibility and dedication.

Citing Psalm 85, the supervising bishop expressed hope that God would restore peace to the Diocese, while cautioning members against relapsing into practices that could undermine progress.

Security operatives were heavily deployed around the cathedral and its environs before the meeting commenced.

The security presence reportedly included personnel of the Anambra State Police Command, police operatives said to have been deployed from Abuja, and local security operatives of Agunechemba.

The deployment was aimed at maintaining peace and preventing a breakdown of law and order during the leadership transition.

Meanwhile, a group of protesters gathered outside the cathedral gate, demonstrating against the suspension of Ibezim and the appointment of Ezeofor to supervise the Diocese.

Videos circulating on social media showed mostly middle-aged men carrying placards and chanting songs promoting peace and love. However, the exact demands of the protesters could not be independently established from the footage.

The protesters were reportedly prevented from entering the cathedral premises and remained outside the gate, with some moving intermittently between the entrance and the Eke Awka Market area.

The leadership dispute has exposed divisions within the Diocese over the authority of the Primate to direct changes in its administration and the response of the Diocesan Board to those directives.

While the Board has maintained its opposition to the Primate’s decision, the clergy’s declaration of loyalty to Ndukuba and rejection of the Board’s communique have introduced another dimension to the unfolding crisis.