Delta: Protest Rocks Sapele Anglican Diocese as Worshippers Call for Removal of Bishop
LAGOS AUGUST 21ST (URHOBOTODAY)-Members of the Sapele Anglican Diocese, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) have insisted that their spiritual head, Right Reverend Blessing Erifeta, must be relieved of his job before peace can reign in the diocese.
This is just as the Primate of the Anglican Church in Nigeria, His Grace, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, who was expected to broker peace on August 7, allegedly did not show up.
To drive home their demand, the aggrieved leaders and members of the diocese went on a protest spree again in the streets of Sapele last week, bearing placards with varying inscriptions.
Some of the inscriptions read: “No Laity No Bishop, No Congregation no Bishop,” “we say no to the insult of our elders,” “No to greed, No to money laundering, foreign trips,” “we want accountability of our funds,” “No to oppression, no to embezzlement,” no to evil prophesy ,” and “Bishop Erifeta must go,” among others.
The protesting members of the diocese were joined in the protest by members of St. John Anglican Church Amukpe, Christ Anglican Church Okpe road, All Saints Anglican Church, Isoko road Sapele, Church of Transfiguration, Ugbeyiyi, St. Andew Anglican Church Abeke road, Anglican Church Ovade Oghara.
In what looked like a unanimous decision, the protesters went round major streets within the Sapele metropolis, chanting “Bishop Erifeta must go.” They said the bishop must leave the diocese before they could re-open churches for worship services.
Invariably, the church has been under lock and key for almost a month since the protests began.
The People’s Warden of the diocese, Mr Onojorhoevwo Oghenero, who briefed journalists at the end of the protest said the protest would continue until the Primate removes the bishop and take him along to Abuja to work in theological seminary.
He said the protest would not end until their demands were met, appealing to the primate not to transfer the bishop to other diocese.
Leaders and members of the diocese had been protesting against the alleged bishop’s financial recklessness, maladministration, intimidation of members, incessant trips abroad, and insult on elders, among others.
The youth of the diocese, in their hundreds, who started the protest, had earlier risen from the youth synod at the diocese headquarters, preparatory to their annual general synod at Jeddo in Okpe L.G.A and placed the cathedral under lock and key.
They also, in a letter dated July 14, 2015, which copies were sent to relevant authorities in the communion, including His Grace, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, Primate of the church of Nigeria, requested that the bishop be removed from office.
They alleged that Bishop Erifeta, in his six-year administration of the diocese, had reduced it to rubbles with members leaving to other branches and denominations in droves over undue financial burden.
A Knight of the Cathedral Church of St Luke Anglican Church, Sir, S.A Agbaroli and other members from the diocese in separate interviews with journalists, corroborated the youths’ allegations.
However, TribuneChurch gathered that the embattled bishop has embarked on courtesy visits to notable traditional rulers in his area of jurisdiction to solicit their support to stay on as bishop of the diocese.
Meanwhile, Bishop Erifeta could not be reached for his reaction, as he was said to have travelled out of town by security men keeping vigil at his premises.
