A senior journalist who dared to advise Catholics in Ahiara Mbaise, Imo State, South-East Nigeria, to drop their rebellion as accept the man chosen by the Pope as their new Bishop has incurred the wrath of one of the ringleaders of the rebellion. Ezechukwu’s crime is that he advised the people to accept the appointment of Monsignor Peter Okpaleke – whom they have vehemently rejected for being a non-indigene – as the Bishop of Ahiara Catholic Diocese.

In a text message sent this morning from the line +2348037026589, Rev. Fr. Prof. B. Nwigwe berated Uche Ezechukwu, who wrote about the issue yesterday in his column in the large-circulating Daily Sun, even placing a curse on him.

Rev. Fr. Prof. B. Nwigwe: wrote: “I have read what you wrote. My first impulse was to ignore an ignorant ranting of an idiot. People should talk from informed reason. You want to defend your brother and you want to solve a problem that Catholic bishops can’t. You insult priests and call them names. May you never see anything good in your life and may you die this year and go to hell. You are a fool through and through. I warn you to desist from involving your stupid self in issues you have no ideas about. I will write in answer to your rubbish talk.”

Not yet done, the irate cleric soon sent another message that read: “I cause (sic) you and your family and you will see that from today nothing will go well for you. You will die a nasty death and rot in hell thereafter. You are a bloody fool for dabbling your stupid self into an issue that does not concern you and about which you are totally ignorant. If you talk again, you will be in court for libel nasty fool.”

Ezechukwu, who is a devout Catholic, has dismissed the curse, saying: “I don’t see it as a threat. He is neither God nor godly.”

Ezechukwu has been receiving solidarity messages from friends and associates, most of whom condemned Nwigwe.

Camy Terry Ezeliora said: “Can’t believe this is coming from a Priest of the Catholic Church....the writer is not God and the curse he decrees about is of no effect. But again, this controversy has clearly exposed the depth of spirituality and holiness of most of our priests. Things have terribly gone bad in the Catholic Church and the pursuit of positions and filthy wealth have taken preeminence over evangelism and the gospel. No wonder the Church loses thousands of her members daily to more serious denominations.”

On her part, Anthonia Oguah said: “All these from a Reverend, I’m disturbed about such ranting from a supposedly ‘MAN OF GOD’. Lord have Mercy.”

And to Maxi Okwu, National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Allliance (APGA): “This man is not a priest of the church of St Peter.”

•Photo shows Ezechukwu.

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