RE: LETTER OF REQUEST To NUNCIO TO APPOINT AND ORDAIN A BISHOP OF MBAISE ORIGIN FOR THE EPISCOPAL SEE OF AHIARA DIOCESE
His Grace Augustine Kasujja, Papal Nuncion, Apostolic Nunciature in Abuja, Pope John Paul II Crescent, Maitama, P.M.B. 541, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria nuntiusabj@hotmail.com March 24, 2013 RE: LETTER OF REQUEST TO APPOINT AND ORDAIN A BISHOP OF MBAISE ORIGIN FOR THE EPISCOPAL SEE OF AHIARA DIOCESE AND A REJECTION OF THE IMPOSITION OF FR. PETER OKPALAEKE ON THE PEOPLE OF MBAISE
Dear His Grace Augustine Kasujja, Papal Nuncion, My name is Dr. Onyema Nkwocha. I am Nwa Mbaise (the son of Mbaise) resident in the United States of America. As a concerned Mbaise citizen, the purpose of my writing to you is to appeal to your Grace, to please use your good Episcopal Administrative offices to appoint and ordain a Bishop of Mbaise origin for the Episcopal See of Ahiara Diocese, and to reject the imposition of Fr. Peter Okpalaeke (or any other Bishop for that matter) on the people of Mbaise.
Historically, on December 7, 2012, the currently retired Pope Emeritus, Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment (and literarily the imposition) of Rev. Fr. Peter Okplaeke of Awka Diocese as the Bishop-Elect of the Episcopal See of Ahiara Diocese, Mbaise to replace the dearly beloved late Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe (please click on link below to view my open letter to the then Pope Benedict XVI: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/104196/1/an-open-letter-to-pope-benedict-xvi-appoint-an-ind.html ). This Vatican's unexpected announcement took Mbaise people by surprise and immediately set off a series of tumultuous avalanche of protestations and agitations everywhere in Mbaise, Nigeria, and the world over. The protestations cumulated in an organized general street march on Saturday January 12, 2013 at the St. Brigid's Catholic Church in Ahiara where and when both the priests, nuns, and laity of Mbaise as a whole came out en-mass in protest of the appointment of Rev. Okpalaeke; and as show of support, formally, and unanimously rejected the imposition of Fr. Okpalaeke of Awka in Anambra State, as Bishop of Ahiara Diocese. Literarily, all Mbaise Catholics and beyond were in support of the march of protest against the broad day light brand of injustice on a faithful people!
As things stand now, the appointment or imposition on the people of Mbaise of Fr. Okpalaeke or any bishop other than a son of Mbaise, will not augur well in promoting the spiritual growth and well-being of the peoples' faith, especially now that both the ordained and laity of Mbaise are aggrieved and feel that an injustice has been done to them. The appointment of Fr. Okpalaeke from Awka sent an insulting, chilling, callous, and unforgettable disrespectful message that of the almost 500-strong Catholic priests of Mbaise origin, that none is qualified or has the reputation and Episcopal/Canonical credentials to be ordained Bishop of the Ahiara Diocese according to the Vatican's Code of Cannon Law, Can. 378 §1.
However, contrary to Vatican's and its advisors' popular beliefs, I in particular, and we the people of Mbaise in general refuse to believe that among the nearly 500-strong catholic priests of Mbaise, that there is not at least one or two most qualified, competent, and having the reputation to be appointed and ordained Bishop of Ahiara Diocese as the successor of the late Bishop Chikwe. Therefore, I appeal to your Grace to please reconsider, appoint, and ordain a Bishop of Mbaise origin for the Episcopal See of Ahiara Diocese, and to reject the imposition of Fr. Peter Okpalaeke or any other Bishop on the people of Mbaise. Please Your Grace, I appeal to you to use your good Episcopal Administrative offices to stop steadily growing wedge and split between the Vatican/Roman Catholic Church and the people of Mbaise.
Thank you Your Grace. Respectfully, Onyema G. Nkwocha Dr. Onyema G. Nkwocha Author: “Effective Leadership in Nigeria”; “The Republic of Biafra”, & “Democracy in Nigeria.”