We’ve complied with Papacy directives —Ahiara Catholic priests

…Send apologies to Pope
…Change history, Okorocha tells Mbaise

By Chinonso Alozie

Owerri—Catholic priests of the Ahiara Diocese in Imo State said they have complied with the directives of the Papacy.

This was made known to Vanguard, yesterday, through a release issued to newsmen in Owerri by Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo.

In the release, it quoted Rev. Fr. Joseph Ezeji to have made the statement during a meeting between Okorocha and Catholic priests of Ahiara Diocese over their refusal to accept Bishop Peter Okpaleke, as consecrated Bishop for the diocese.

According to the release, “Rev. Fr. Joseph Ezeji gave the vote of thanks, pledging allegiance to the Papacy, to abide by the decisions of the Pope and confirmed that all Mbaise priests have written their letters of apology to the Pope.

“What the people are requesting  is for any Bishop groomed from their soil to lead them. The canon law seems to have been bent in the case of Ahiara Diocese.”

Change history, Okorocha tells Mbaise

The release went further to capture the mood of Governor Rochas Okorocha, on the burning issues.

According Okorocha, “we must change the story of Ahiara. I want to state here categorically that since this crisis, I’ve been listening patiently and watching. But I  had wished that my advice was taken ab-initio and ipso-facto.

“If Mbaise must be in the news, it must be in the news for the right reasons. This is because Mbaise is the largest  single ethnic group in the South-East and there is no place you will go in this world without having an Mbaise man doing well in that region. Mbaise also contributes substantially to what makes Imo thick.”

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