Diocese of Ahiara Archives

Nigerian bishops urge clergy, laity to accept bishop’s appointment
- Catholic News Service, Global Church
- August 16, 2017
Father Kingsley Anyanwu, editor of The Guide, the Ahiara diocesan newspaper, says he “cannot say that everybody, that is including the priests, religious and laity, have heeded the appeal from the provincial bishops to accept Bishop Okpaleke as their bishop and prepare for his installation.” Pope Francis has ordered the priests to accept their bishop, or face suspension from office.
READ MORE
Deadline nears for pope’s ultimatum for Nigeria diocese
- Global Church
- July 7, 2017
There are conflicting reports on how many priests in the Nigerian diocese of Ahiara will comply with the demand by Pope Francis to submit a letter of obedience by Sunday. Many of the priests who are sending letters still insist the clergy of the diocese suffer discrimination by the Church in the country.
READ MORE
Pope again flexes papal muscle to keep tabs on cardinals
- Associated Press, Vatican
- June 16, 2017
Pope Francis has revived what has been called a “noble tradition” of asking cardinals to inform him when they leave town and where they’re going. This show of papal muscle comes after the pope wrote a letter asking for obedience to a rioting diocese in Nigeria and the tensions with the Knights of Malta.
READ MORE

Three ironies about a dramatic show of papal muscle in Nigeria

At the popular level, Pope Francis often is perceived as a lovey-dovey man of dialogue and peace. However, beneath that surface still beats the heart of a classic Jesuit superior, and a dramatic show of papal muscle in Nigeria this week confirms that when the time comes for obedience, he fully and completely expects to get it.

Pope tells Nigerian priests to accept bishop or be suspended

Pope Francis has demanded obedience from priests in a Nigerian Diocese where the bishop has been unable to take up residence. Nigerian church leaders met Francis to discuss the situation of Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke, who was appointed bishop of Ahiara by then-Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, but has been rejected by the clergy because he is not from the diocese.