The appointment and subsequent journey of Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke to the rank of Cardinal stands as a remarkable and complex chapter in the modern history of the Catholic Church in Nigeria. His initial appointment in 2012 as the Bishop of the Ahiara Diocese by then-Pope Benedict XVI ignited a firestorm of opposition from a significant portion of the clergy and lay faithful within the Mbaise region of Nigeria.

 

The core of the resistance lay in Bishop-designate Okpaleke’s non-native status to the Ahiara Diocese. This triggered deep-seated sentiments rooted in the “son of the soil” principle, the belief that the local church leader should originate from the community he serves. This cultural preference overshadowed canonical norms regarding episcopal appointments, leading to an impasse where Bishop Okpaleke was never formally installed.

 

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For approximately five years, he remained a bishop without effective jurisdiction over the diocese to which he was appointed – an unprecedented and challenging situation that Pope Francis inherited upon assuming the papacy in 2013.

Seeking to break the protracted deadlock, Pope Francis intervened decisively in 2017.

 

In a direct address to the dissenting priests who were preventing Bishop Okpaleke’s installation, the Pontiff unequivocally demanded their obedience to the hierarchical structure of the Church. He issued a firm ultimatum, requiring each priest to personally write a letter of apology. These letters were to explicitly pledge their allegiance to the Pope and unequivocally accept Bishop Okpaleke’s appointment as their shepherd. Under this papal directive, the priests ultimately complied and submitted the requested letters.

 

However, Pope Francis, demonstrating a profound understanding of the situation’s underlying complexities and perhaps discerning that the written apologies did not necessarily signify a genuine reconciliation, took a further significant and arguably unexpected step in 2018. He asked Bishop Okpaleke to resign from the Diocese of Ahiara.

 

In a statement expressing his deep sorrow, the Pope acknowledged the profound divisions within the diocese and the immense pain the situation had inflicted on all involved. This decision, while appearing to concede to the demands of the dissenting faction, was likely a strategic move aimed at long-term healing and the greater good of the Church in the region.

 

Two years later, in 2020, Pope Francis demonstrated his continued trust and confidence in Bishop Okpaleke by establishing the new Diocese of Ekwulobia in Anambra State. In the same year, he appointed Bishop Okpaleke as its first Bishop. This appointment finally allowed Bishop Okpaleke to assume full pastoral responsibility for a diocese, marking a new chapter in his ministry.

The culmination of this remarkable journey occurred in 2022, when Pope Francis elevated Bishop Okpaleke to the prestigious rank of Cardinal within the Catholic Church. This elevation carries immense significance, making him a member of the College of Cardinals – the elite body of senior clergy responsible for electing a new Pope upon the death or resignation of the incumbent.

 

Nigeria currently boasts four Cardinals within the Catholic Church. Alongside Cardinal Okpaleke, the other eminent figures are Cardinals Francis Arinze (ordained a priest in 1958), Olubunmi Okogie (ordained a priest in 1966), and Olorunfemi Onaiyekan (ordained a priest in 1969). However, due to the age limit of 80 years stipulated by Church law for participation in papal elections, only Cardinal Okpaleke, born in 1963, is currently considered an “elector Cardinal.” Cardinals Arinze (born in 1932), Okogie (born in 1936), and Onaiyekan (born in 1944) are now past the age of active participation in a papal conclave.

 

Many observers interpret Cardinal Okpaleke’s extraordinary trajectory as a powerful testament to his unwavering integrity, profound humility, and steadfast faith in the face of significant and often public adversity. Pope Francis’s decision to elevate him to the Cardinalate is widely perceived as a strong and symbolic statement against ethnic prejudice and parochialism within the universal Church.

 

Simultaneously, it also reflects a nuanced understanding of the intricate cultural dynamics and deeply rooted local sentiments that can profoundly influence the life and governance of the Church in diverse regions around the world. This act acknowledged the complexities of the unique situation in Ahiara while firmly upholding the fundamental principles of unity, obedience to the Magisterium, and the universal nature of the Catholic Church.

 

The elevation of Cardinal Okpaleke serves as a potent reminder of the Church’s commitment to transcending local divides in service of its global mission.