Pope Appoints Bishop Rejected by Nigerian Diocese, 20 Others, Cardinals

Matilda Omonaiye/

The Pope has appointed the Bishop of Ekwulobia diocese, 59-year-old Most Rev. Dr. Peter Okpalaeke, as a Cardinal.

Okpalaeke was one of the two new Cardinals from Africa appointed alongside 19 others.

Eight of the new Cardinals are from Europe, six from Asia, four from Central and Latin America, and one from NorthAmerica.

The other cardinal from Africa is 63-year-old Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr, bishop of Wa diocese, Ghana.

They will join other cardinals in a consistory on August 27.

Bishop Okpaleke was first made the bishop in December 2012 for the newly created Ahiara diocese, in Imo State.

He was, however, rejected by a section of the clergy and laymen of Ahiara on the ground that he is not of the area’s Mbaise ethnic origin 

He was then made bishop of newly created Ekwulobia diocese, in Anambra State, two years ago.

Okpalaeke attended local schools and in 1983 entered the Bigard Memorial Major Seminary in Ikot-Ekpene and Enugu, where he studied philosophy and theology from 1983 to 1992. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Awka on 22 August 1990.

In the 20 years following his ordination he filled a wide variety of pastoral and administrative positions, including university chaplain, parish priest, diocesan finance administrator, diocesan chancellor, and secretary and member of diocesan boards. He also studied canon law in Rome at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

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