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His Holiness, Pope Francis, has announced the appointment of the former Catholic Bishop of Umuahia and Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Lucius Ugorji, to replace the outgoing Catholic Bishop of Owerri, Anthony l Obinna.
Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi, Apostolic Nuncio (Representative of the Pope in Nigeria) made this announcement during the ongoing First Plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja over the weekend.
He said Holy Father, Pope Francis, has accepted the voluntary retirement of His Grace Most Rev. Dr Anthony Obinna as the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese.
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In his place, Most Rev Dr Lucius Ugorji of Umuahia Diocese has been appointed the Archbishop of Owerri.
The respected clergy Archbishop Anthony l Obinna, who has been in that position since March 26 1994, will be replaced by Archbishop Ugorji who still remains the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese.
Ugorji is replacing Mr Obinna after the bishop reached 75 years. The mandatory retirement age for bishops in the Catholic church is 75.
Obinna would be remembered as controversial government critic who used his position to often call out Governrmnt officials when they go astray.
Last year, Obinna had called for calm in Imo State and the convocation of a ceasefire meeting to reduce the spate of killings in the State.
He had on many occasions also decried the rate of killings and insecurity in Imo State while calling on Governments at all levels to do more towards safe guarding the lives and properties of people in the State which is supposed to be their primary responsibilty.
He talked about how he charged Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma and other Igbo leaders to protect their indigenes and how that charge has been disregarded in the State.
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