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For months now, he has gained prominence as a Bishop without a diocese. To those not conversant with his story, His Lordship the Most Rev. Dr. Peter Ebere Okpaleke might be regarded as an unlikable man.

That however, is far from the truth. For one, Okpaleke, who turned 50 on March 1 and was ordained Priest on August 22, 1992, is a victim of circumstance: He has not been accused of any offence but has been rejected as the new Bishop of Ahiara Mbaise Catholic Diocese of Imo State, South-East Nigeria, just because he hails from neighbouring Anambra State. He is merely the victim of the people’s anger and frustration at having produced hundreds of priests none of whom has been counted worthy of becoming a Bishop while other communities with far fewer priests have produced Bishops.

His travails notwithstanding, News Express found that Okpaleke is very much loved by his people – the Amesi, Aguata people – who see him as a rising star destined for greatness. To demonstrate their love and support for the man who was locked out by parishioners after his consecration on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, Aguata people recently organised a reception for Bishop Okpaleke. The well attended event saw both the elite and the masses congregating to offer their solidarity to their beloved cleric.

The photo that accompanies this story tells part of the story. It shows Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, a prominent economist and presently MD/CEO of Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, with Most Rev. Dr. Okpaleke and Rev. Father Anyaorah.

News Express learnt that Fr. Anyaorah was the principal of Christ the Redeemer Secondary School, Amesi, Aguata LGA, Anambra State, at the time Mr. Ozigbo was a student there. Bishop Okpaleke, then a Seminarian, was Ozigbo’s teacher.

Bishop Okpaleke is supposed to have a 10-year tenure as Bishop of Ahiara Mbaise Catholic Diocese but he remains without a diocese pending when the Vatican finds a way to resolve the crisis.

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