Ibezim Defies Primate’s Six-Month Leave Order, Officiates at Awka Cathedral

Archbishop Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim on Sunday, October 18, officiated at a service at the Cathedral Church of St. Faith in Awka, Anambra State, despite a directive from the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, ordering him to proceed on six months’ compulsory leave and refrain from conducting church activities during the period.

Ibezim, who leads the Province of the Niger and serves as Bishop of the Diocese of Awka, addressed worshippers during the service and urged them to remain steadfast in prayer, faith and unity amid the dispute over his position. His appearance came days after Ndukuba issued the directive in a letter dated October 13, naming the Bishop of Aguata, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ezeofor, to oversee the Awka Diocese and coordinate the province while Ibezim was away.

In his address, Ibezim told congregants that their struggle was not against flesh and blood but a spiritual one, according to a report by local news outlet Onyokomita. The service marked a public rejection in practice of the instruction barring him from officiating at activities of the national church, the Province of the Niger and the Diocese of Awka while on leave.

Ndukuba said his decision followed reports from administrative panels established to examine developments in the diocese, including a visitation team led by the Dean of the Church of Nigeria. The Primate also referred to a meeting with Ibezim on October 9 to discuss the visitation team’s report. He described the leave as an administrative measure intended to allow a thorough and impartial inquiry, restore peace and encourage reconciliation, rather than a disciplinary sanction.

The dispute has been linked in media reports to allegations of financial impropriety and the unauthorised sale of church land. Premium Times reported that the church’s action followed allegations involving the sale of land valued at about ₦2 billion. However, the Primate’s published directive did not detail the specific allegations or set out the findings of the panels, and the claims should not be treated as established wrongdoing.

Ibezim has challenged the church leadership’s action in court. According to Anglican Ink, his suit argues that the procedures set out in the Church of Nigeria’s constitution and canons must be followed before disciplinary action can be taken against a serving bishop. Those arguments represent Ibezim’s position in the litigation and have yet to be determined by the court.

The Awka Diocesan Board has also rejected the Primate’s directive and Ezeofor’s appointment. In a communiqué following an emergency meeting on October 16, the board argued that the decisions were improper while related cases remained before the Anambra State High Court. It warned that the diocese could withdraw from the Church of Nigeria if the decisions were not reversed. The communiqué announced a conditional threat to leave, not an actual withdrawal.

The dispute now extends beyond Ibezim’s individual status to questions of authority, governance and the administration of one of the Church of Nigeria’s dioceses. Ndukuba’s directive calls for Ezeofor to assume oversight during the leave, while Ibezim’s continued officiating and the diocesan board’s rejection of the order point to a significant internal division. With litigation pending and the two sides maintaining opposing positions, the outcome could shape how the church’s constitution and disciplinary procedures are interpreted in this case.