By Okey Maduforo
Special Correspondent, Awka
Sixteen years after the bloody clash between Umuleri and Aguleri in Anambra East Council, fresh hostilities have erupted over alleged relocation of Bishop’s Court belonging to Niger-West Anglican Diocese.
The rift has divided the Anglican faithful of both communities into two camps, one headed by Ogugua Ikpeze and the other by former Anambra State Chief Judge, P.A.C. Obidigwe.
Also, the Umueri faction has accused the Bishop of Niger West, Johnson Ekwe, of masterminding the relocation of Bishop’s Court, alleging that he has rekindled the enmity between the two communities.
Ekwe’s life under threat
The life of Ekwe is reported being threatened following his uncompromising position on the demands of the two communities.
A source disclosed that “[Ekwe] does not want to get involved in their communal problems. Most of them are not happy about it.
“The people in this part of Anambra State can be deadly and efforts are being made by some Anglican faithful to beef up security around him.”
“They have already approached the police and the Department of State Security (DSS) for his protection before some desperate people launch an attack on him.”
Commissioner of Police, Hosea Karma, told TheNiche that he is not aware of any threat to Ekwe’s life but promised to take action if the command is informed officially.
Petition
A petition signed by one Ikevune Annekwe from Umuleri said: “Throughout the whole of the old Anambra County Council, it was in Umueri that the Anglican Church was planted in 1904.
“Today, that former county council consists of Anambra East, Anambra West, Oyi and Ayamelum Local Government Areas, and some parts of Awka North Local Government Area.
“Before … Ekwe was consecrated bishop of Niger-West Diocese on April 25, 2015, Bishops Ken Sandy and Anthony Nkwoka had held sway in Diocese of the Niger and Diocese of Niger-West respectively.
“Both of them are still living. They can clearly testify that between the Umueri and Aguleri Anglicans, there is no love lost.
“This animosity was made manifest when Aguleri Anglicans refused to operate under Niger West Diocese (upon the creation of the Diocese) simply because the headquarters was rightly domiciled in Umueri (St. Gabriel’s Cathedral Church, Umueri).
“Several efforts were made by the then presiding Bishop Ken Sandy to appeal to the Aguleri Anglicans to recoil.
“On his own part, during the episcopacy of the now retired Anthony Nkwoka as bishop of Niger-West Diocese, there was a clandestine attempt to move the proposed Bishop’s Court from Umueri (where more than 20 plots were made available for the purpose) to Aguleri.
“This was stoutly resisted, prompting the national headquarters of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to halt that move.”
Misunderstanding
Ekwe told TheNiche that “this is an ecclesiastical issue and it is a spiritual matter. There should be maturity when an issue like this is being handled.
“I am the bishop of Niger West Diocese comprising Anambra East and Ayamelum Local Government Area. I am like a father and my duty is to ensure peace among the Anglican faithful.
“Any one who tells you that there is a crisis is only misleading the public and the problem between Aguleri and Umuleri is not a religious one but a misunderstanding that has been there over the years.”
“Where you are today is the Bishop’s Court and it is in Umuleri not Aguleri. Even those who are peddling this allegation are not members of the Anglican communion.”
Obidigwe also insisted that there is nothing like relocation of Bishop’s Court.
Ikpeze declined comment but urged TheNiche to publish the story.
It was learnt that Aguleri donated 10 plots of land and Umuleri 20 plots, which led to the building of the secretariat of the Diocese in Umuleri.