Yesterday, the entire Catholic Christendom East of the Niger stood still as the great son of Naze who is currently the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Owerri Ecclesiastical province marked his 49th priestly anniversary in grand style. Those who know him at a close range understand that he is not a man of many words and silence may be seen as his middle name. Our reporter, Wereuche from Owerri narrated that he spent the day in quiet meditation. Those around him came up with a seeming fanfare and pageantry but he waved them aside and prefeed his usual trademark which is SILENCE.
Today, the management of OWARCH NEWS AGENCY which is the mouthpiece of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri ecclesiastical province make bold to invite all the sons and daughters of this province scattered all over the world to join us in celebrating this great man of God and lifting him up in prayer. When contacted, the Director of this News Agency, Fr. George Nwachukwu who resides in Illinois, USA prayed thus, “Mmesoma, may God continue to keep you strong, healthy, and faithful as you shepherd His flock”.
Let us recall that our principal Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji was born on January 13, 1952. This humble man who stepped the appellative current from Amarachi to Mmesoma is a Nigerian prelate of the Catholic Church who presently serves as the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri in Imo State, Nigeria.
In 2022, he was appointed as the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). He followed on from the previous president, Augustine Obiora Akubeze.
Let us nor forget that Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji was ordained a priest on April 16, 1977
On April 2, 1990, Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Umuahia. The Apostolic Pro-Nuntius in Nigeria, Archbishop Paul Fouad Tabet, consecrated him bishop on July 1 of the same year in Umuahia Cathedral; co-consecrators were the Bishop of Awka, Albert Kanene Obiefuna, and the Bishop Emeritus of Umuahia, Anthony Gogo Nwedo.
Pope Francis additionally appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ahiara on February 19, 2018, for the duration of a vacancy that came about due to the crisis surrounding Peter Okpaleke, the bishop who was rejected by many priests in the diocese due to his ancestry.
Pope Francis appointed Ugorji archbishop of Owerri on March 6, 2022.
