Lucius Ugorji emerges new Catholic Archbishop of Owerri

Most Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Lucius Ugorji, the former Catholic Bishop of Umuahia and Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese has been appointed the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Diocese, TopNaija reports.

The appointment was announced on Sunday by Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi, Apostolic Nuncio (Representative of the Pope in Nigeria) during the ongoing First Plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja.

During his time as Bishop of Umuahia Diocese and Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji demanded that the clergy and laity of Catholic Diocese of Ahiara in Imo State eschew mutual distrust and embrace the power of love and unity.

With the appointment, Ugorji replaces Archbishop Anthony l Obinna who has been in that position since March 26 1994.

In December 2020, he resigned his position as chairman, Governing Council of Imo State University, Owerri, to the surprise of Governor Hope Uzodinma.

He was said to have severally approached Governor Uzodinma on the proper funding of the University with the request that the State-owned tertiary institution cannot run or fund itself.

Ugorji reportedly said he could not understand how Uzodinma expected him to preside over an underfunded and stagnant University as a man of God.

The cleric was said to have observed that IMSU was not being run as an institution of higher learning deserving of Imo State University status and that in order to avoid dabbling into any mess, he opted to resign.