The Anglican Diocese of Awka has been drawn into controversy following a petition alleging financial impropriety against its Archbishop, His Grace, The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim, PhD.
The petition, filed by Prince Bonti Echezona Onuigbo and reportedly supported by a senior lawyer in the Diocese, alleged irregularities in land transactions and questioned recent employment decisions within the church.
However, in a dramatic turn, the Diocesan Board convened an emergency session on Monday, August 18, 2025, at the Awka Diocesan Retreat and Resource Centre, Okpuno, and unanimously cleared Archbishop Ibezim of wrongdoing.
In a strongly worded resolution, the Board dismissed the petition as “false, baseless, and politically motivated,” stressing that all land sales were transparently conducted and properly documented.
Ven. Samuel Okonkwo, Archdeacon of St. Faith Cathedral, Awka, said the petitioner lacked standing.
“Prince Onuigbo is neither a registered member of the Cathedral nor a stakeholder in the Diocese. Internal matters of the Church must be raised by those who are truly part of its life and witness,” he noted.
Financial officers of the Diocese, including Treasurer Prof. Clifford Nwanna and Financial Secretary Mrs. Lovelyn Umeh, presented records indicating that proceeds from land sales were duly paid into the diocesan account.
Ven. Jason Onyeakagbusi, Secretary of the Land Committee, confirmed that records of diocesan property dated back to the era of late Archbishop M. S. C. Anikwenwa, describing the petition as “misleading.”
On allegations regarding staff retrenchment, Ven. B. K. Ofili countered that the Diocese had, under Archbishop Ibezim, created new institutions that generated employment.
He cited the establishment of Paul University, Awka; the Archbishop Alexander Ibezim College of Education, Nibo-Nise; Millennium College of Nursing Sciences, Awka; Renaissance Modern Polytechnic, Mbaukwu; and several schools across the Diocese.
Other diocesan leaders, including Prof. Emma Ezenwaji, President of the Council of Knights, and Sir Arc. Okey Chukwuogor, affirmed that Synod had long ago adopted the policy of treating some diocesan lands as “investment property,” well before Archbishop Ibezim assumed office.
The Board’s resolution stated: “The petition constitutes a false allegation aimed at tarnishing the good image of His Grace, The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim, PhD, and ridiculing the reputation of the Diocese and the Church of God.”
Meanwhile, Ven. Dr. Ifeanyi Umeh, a senior cleric, alleged that internal opposition was being fuelled by lingering disputes over land issues involving a certain prominent lawyer in the Diocese
He suggested that Archbishop Ibezim’s efforts to safeguard diocesan property had unsettled some individuals, leading to attempts to discredit him.
Because our Archbishop insisted on transparency, some individuals are resorting to false accusations and blackmail,” Umeh said.
With the Board’s vote of confidence, Archbishop Ibezim appears vindicated. Yet the episode has exposed simmering tensions within the Diocese and renewed calls for stronger mechanisms of accountability.
“The integrity of the Church remains intact. We stand firmly behind our Archbishop,” a senior lay member told reporters after the meeting.
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