By Evarest Manabuchukwu#.
Some concerned knights have raised an alarm over what they described as an impending but avoidable leadership crisis that may result from a faulty change of leadership of Owerrri Diocese of the Anglican Communion.
According to a statement endorsed by some concerned knights and seen by this medium, they are worried over the selection process. They made a case for an Owerri indigene to head the Diocese.
“There is a groundswell of opinion among Owerri people that the next Bishop of the Diocese must be an Owerri indigene or else , they will never cooperate with the next Bishop of the Diocese .
“We are concerned about the undercurrent of rumors of Bishop Cyril Okorocha’s preference of a particular candidate, who even though from Owerri is already seen as an imposition” the knights stated.
They stated that they are aware of another candidate being positioned to take over from Bishop Cyril Okorocha in the person of Bishop David Onuoha, an indigene of Okigwe South of Imo State.
“ We are particularly concerned that our dear Primate has been surreptitiously recruited by these entrenched interests to facilitate the appointment of Bishop Onuoha as the next Bishop of Owerri” the knights stated.
Part of the statement stated “The appointment of a Bishop is an exercise we believe should be driven by the Holy Spirit and not by the overriding self-serving interest of a cabal in the Anglican Communion. We call on our Primate to duly exercise his mandate as the leader of Anglicans in Nigeria to do the right thing. We do not have any preferred candidate in mind, but, would not want Bishop Onuoha or any Owerri diocese man Bishop Okorocha wants to replace him. We only demand that justice be done by way of having an Owerri man as the next Bishop of Owerri that will be answerable to members of the Diocese and not some entrenched external or even internal interests”.
“At this juncture , let us draw lessons from the crisis that has bedeviled the Catholic Church in Ahiazu Mbaise Diocese in Imo state. We cannot afford to trade the peaceful atmosphere in which Owerri Diocese has thrived for a crisis -ridden environment that will not serve to advance the Kingdom of God in Owerri Diocese” the statement concluded