The crisis rocking the Awka Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has deepened, with the diocesan Chancellor, B. E. Nwofor (SAN), demanding N5 billion in damages from the Bishop of Aguata Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ezeofor, over his alleged removal from office.
The dispute follows the suspension of Archbishop Alexander Ibezim by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, who directed him to proceed on six months’ leave to allow for an investigation into allegations against him.
In his place, the Primate appointed Ezeofor as administrator of the Awka Diocese.
However, the Awka Diocesan Board, headed by Nwofor, rejected the arrangement, urging Ezeofor to concentrate on his duties as Bishop of Aguata Diocese, arguing that the church’s governing provisions did not permit him to act as a supervising bishop.
In response, Ezeofor announced Nwofor’s immediate removal as Chancellor of the Awka Diocese.
But Nwofor, in a strongly worded letter to Ezeofor, challenged his authority to remove him, demanding the withdrawal of the letter, a public apology and N5 billion in damages over what he described as a libellous publication.
In the letter titled, ‘Removal as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Awka (Anglican Communion)’, Nwofor gave Ezeofor specific deadlines to meet his demands or face legal action.
He wrote: “I hereby demand that Your Lordship should withdraw the said offensive letter within one day from the delivery of this letter.
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“Your Lordship should, within two days from the date of delivery of this letter, publish an unqualified written public apology to me for the said offensive publication and give such publication the same widespread publicity in the print, electronic and online media.
“Your Lordship should, within seven days from the delivery of this letter, pay the sum of ₦5,000,000,000 (five billion naira) being damage for the ‘libellous’ publication.
“Take notice that if you fail, refuse or neglect to comply with these demands, I will institute an action in court against Your Lordship to obtain redress. Your Lordship is not above the law.”
Nwofor argued that the office of a supervising bishop did not exist in the Awka Diocese, adding that it was neither recognised nor provided for under the Diocese’s Constitution and Regulations, 2023.
He said: “Your Lordship cannot write any letter in the name of an office which does not exist. The Constitution and Regulations of the Diocese of Awka, 2023, has ample, clear, and unambiguous provisions on the administration of the Diocese during the absence of the Bishop, which was approved by the Church of Nigeria Standing Committee on 14th September, 2023.”
The senior advocate further disclosed that Ezeofor’s appointment as administrator was being challenged before the Anambra State High Court in Suit No. A/371/2026.
He also cited a pending motion, No. A/1795m/2026, seeking to set aside the appointment letter.
Nwofor alleged that the statements contained in Ezeofor’s letter had damaged his reputation and exposed him to public ridicule.
“By the offensive and false words contained in Your Lordship’s letter, Your Lordship has deliberately done damage to my credit and reputation and I have been exposed to scandal, odium and contempt,” he said.
Citing the Diocese’s Constitution and Regulations, Nwofor maintained that a member of the legal team could cease to hold office only under specified circumstances, including death, resignation, loss of the office by virtue of which the person was appointed, bankruptcy, a declaration of insanity by a competent authority, or conviction for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude or another offence under Canon XV of the Canons of the Church of Nigeria.
He argued that none of those circumstances applied to him and insisted that his tenure as Chancellor remained valid.
“My tenure of office is still subsisting and I remain the incumbent Chancellor of the Diocese of Awka (Anglican Communion),” he stated.
Nwofor further argued that the Diocese’s governing provisions empowered Archbishop Ibezim and the Chancellor to make arrangements for the administration of the Diocese during the Archbishop’s absence by appointing an administrator with the same authority and jurisdiction as the Bishop.
He added that even in the event of a Bishop’s death or resignation, an appointed administrator would retain his authority until the Primate issued an order for the administration of the Diocese during the vacancy.
Nwofor maintained that neither death nor resignation had occurred in Ibezim’s case to justify such an order by the Primate.
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