Anglican Diocese Of Owerri Boils Again, As Congregation Locks Out Priest

Just as the crisis rocking St Marks Anglican Church, Orogwe, Owerri,
West LGA, Imo State has remained unresolved till date, another inferno
is now engulfing St Peters Anglican church, Irete in the same Diocese.

A source from the church which pleaded for anonymity said the crisis
climaxed last Sunday 19th April when a section of the congregation
decided to lock out the vicar incharge Rev Kenneth Chikere and his
curate Rev Tim Ashama on account of long bottled up anger which
bordered on greed, embezzlement and regular cursing of the
congregation.

The source said that although the plan to lock up the church leaked at
the planning stage, the Bishop Cyril Okorocha's intervention could not
stop the aggrieved church members as they shunned the Bishop
invitation for dialogue.

One of the aggrieved members of the church told this paper that the
target of the exercise was Rev Chikere, a native of Uratta in Owerri
North LGA recalling that the said Priest had similar history in his
last station Ohaohia Mbieri.

The worried member said the sending of the clerical synod secretary to
the church last Sunday to mediate is just to stop the flame because
according to him, "the fire is still smoldering".

However, some Priests who spoke to Trumpeta on the crisis doubted the
involvement of Rev Chikere in what they called dirty deals of greed,
embezzlement and arrogance adding that if anything the Rev Chikere has
enough to eat.

In another development, of feelers from St Marks Anglican church,
Orogwe is anything to go by, the church community may embark upon an
action which may not be palatable because of the absence of a resident
Priest.

A concerned church member who wondered why Bishop Okorocha does not
want to post them a resident Priest since the last Priest and his
curate were sacked, said the church community is tired of remaining,
as he put it, "Priestless" and warned that the present storm that is
gathering may be allowed to burst.
--Trumpeta