A Time to Break Silence: On the Appointment of Catholic Bishops in Nigeria

By Joseph F. Mali

In A Time to Break Silence, Joseph F. Mali argues that given the complexity of Nigeria as a multiethnic society, and in view of the volatile situation in the country, especially the relentless bloodshed in the northern region, there is an urgent need to amend the current process for selecting Catholic bishops in Nigeria. Presently episcopal appointments are the prerogative of the hierarchy and a few influential players.

Nigerian Catholics, Mali maintains, are the best judge of their worsening situation. They deserve a chance to choose church leaders who can effectively tackle their social, political, and religious problems. Hence Mali calls on the Catholic bishops, priests, and laity to expand their views beyond the present method of nominating bishops and pave the way for all the clergy and laity to play a role in the selection process. This, according to Mali, is for the common good of the suffering church of Nigeria.

Drawing on the New and the Old Testament, Mali explains the biblical foundation of the election of leaders by the people. Citing the good old saying, vox populi, vox Die (the voice of the people is the voice of God), and referring to Saint Augustine of Hippo, a distinguished African bishop who became a priest and a bishop by the will of the people, Mali concludes that Nigerian Catholics are capable of choosing priests who would make good bishops.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469183152

Joseph F. Mali

NA

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Joseph F. Mali.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2012904648

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-4691-8314-5

   Softcover   978-1-4691-8313-8

   eBook   978-1-4691-8315-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the

copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/28/2014

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

595686

CONTENTS

Preface To The Second Edition

Introduction

1.   A Time to Break Silence (Ecclesiastes 3:7)

2.   Church History Is Being Repeated in Nigeria

3.   Religious Crisis and the Failure of Church Leaders

4.   Should Community Sentiment Influence the Appointment of Bishops

5.   Vox Populi, Vox Dei

6.   Criteria for Bishops in Nigeria

7.   Should A Bishop Accept His Appointment

From Rome

8.   When the Bishop’s office is in Dispute

9.   Lessons from the Leadership Crisis

in Ahiara Diocese

10.   The Complexity of Nigeria and the Uniqueness of the North

Epilogue: Inspirational Words of Pope Francis

Endnotes

This work is

dedicated to

Nigeria in Distress

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

The revision of this book, which was originally published in 2012 under the title A Time to Break Silence: To the Catholic Bishops of Northern Nigeria, was motivated primarily by the leadership crisis in Ahiara Diocese in southeast Nigeria. In a sense, the crisis has validated the thesis of this book, namely, that given the religious, ethnic and political tensions in Nigeria, the clergy and laity of each diocese should be empowered to choose their own bishop.

In 2010 Bishop Victor Chikwe died. In 2013, Fr. Peter Okpalaeke, a priest of Awka Diocese, was appointed as bishop of Ahiara Diocese. Mbaise Catholics vigorously opposed Okpalaeke because he was a stranger to the community. The clergy and laity of the Ahiara Diocese wanted to select their own bishop, someone they knew. The conflict between the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria and the Mbaise community over the appointment of Bishop Okpalaeke is the subject of a new chapter, Lessons from the Leadership Crisis in Ahiara Diocese (Chapter nine).

I am indebted to Fr. Matthias Ndulaka, a priest of Ahiara Diocese, for proofreading the chapter on Ahiara.

INTRODUCTION

Nigeria is a multiethnic society, consisting of hundreds of different tribes, speaking hundreds of different languages, and currently in the throes of political and religious conflict. The divisions and complexities of tribal differences within each community are present as well within the Catholic community. And in recent years, within this community there has been uneasiness over the appointment of bishops, particularly in northern Nigeria, but also in parts of the south and west. The present system only allows the local church hierarchy and Rome to determine the appointment of bishops. In this work we will discuss whether or not all the clergy and laity of each diocese should have a role in the process whereby bishops are chosen.¹

The role of the laity and clergy in the selection of their leaders is deeply rooted in the Bible, in early Christianity and African church history as we shall see. It has long been believed that the people of a community are the best judge of their exceptional circumstances and ought to choose their leaders. This is the very foundation of democracy in tribal Africa and elsewhere. Who is better able to identify those persons capable of wise leadership and vision, capable of understanding the needs and concerns of the community than the members of that very community.

Therefore, I have written this book to arouse Nigerian Catholics, especially,—bishops, priests and laity—to reconsider the existing method of the nomination of bishops by a few privileged elites and pave the way for all the Catholics in every diocese to be part of the selection process. My purpose, I must clearly state, is not to sow the seeds of discord in the church nor to disrespect the high-ranking leaders of the Christian community. Such malice is far from me! I am driven by genuine concern for the sheep and the shepherds.

My priestly calling, as I understand it, involves an authentic commitment to the mission of the church and the well-being of all Nigerians. Over the years, the church has claimed a special mandate from God to continue the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth. I want the church to succeed in carrying out in Nigeria the mandate entrusted to her by Jesus Christ. Accordingly, I was inspired to