By Linet Maina
LOKOJA, JULY 23, 2024, (CISA) – After mistakenly ordaining four fraudulent seminarians into the diaconate under the guise of the Paraclete Missionaries (PM), the Catholic Diocese of Lokoja has officially and publicly disavowed their July 12 ordinations. They assert that the candidates were deceitfully presented to the bishop with fabricated documents and attestations regarding their formation and suitability for ordination, contrary to the standards outlined in the Canon Law.
In a statement dated July 19, a week after the ordinations, the Diocesan Chancellor of Lokoja, Fr Augustine Okafor revealed that the diocese came to the know of the falsehood of the candidates and the existence of the missionary group after one of the candidates, Aloysius Kubiatabasi EBONG, was identified by the congregation as an imposter Catholic priest.
According to the diocese, a carefully orchestrated scheme led to the ordination of the imposter deacons. 75-year-old Bishop Martin Dada Abejide Olorunmolu of Lokoja was misled by Fr Stephen Obioma Nwaigwe who represented himself as the Superior General of the Paraclete Missionaries, an association of priests and brothers of diocesan right, founded in Tanzania by Bishop Telesphore Richard Mkude, emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Morogoro.
“On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Erection of Lokoja Diocese, Most Rev. Martin Olorunmolu, the Bishop of the Diocese, ordained four candidates (Aloysius Kubiatabasi Ebong, Francis Mario Daudu, Nkemaka Charles Chukwudi and Emmanuel Chukwudum Ezeh) of the Paraclete Missionaries (PM) as Deacons in accordance with Canons 1019, 1020, 1022. He carried out the ordination at the expressed written request of one ‘Very Rev. Fr. Stephen Obioma Nwaigwe, who visited him and presented himself as the Superior General of the congregation of the Paraclete Missionaries (PM), Nigeria Delegation,” the statement reads.
The diocese explains that “When asked by the Bishop who the Paraclete Missionaries were, Fr Nwaigwe gave him (the Bishop) a copy of a document with the title, “Decree of Erection” in which it was stated that the Paraclete Missionaries are Religious Institute of Diocesan Right,” erected on August 21, 2016 in the Diocese of Morogoro, Tanzania, East Africa, by Bishop Telesphore Mkude, the then Bishop of Morogoro.”
“Fr Nwaigwe further told the Bishop that the PM soon got to Nigeria and took off in lkeduru and Obitti in Imo State. That presently, they are running the Paraclete Hospital in Oparadim, in the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara; are having their Novitiate House in Amaimo, Imo State and are having their Postulancy House in Umuabi, Enugu State. Furthermore, that they are also In Urorni Diocese and that their Nigeria Delegation of the PM already has Seven (7) Priests and fifteen (1S) Brothers as members,” divulged the diocese of Lokoja.
According to the diocesan chancellor, to cement his claim and to provide little room for reproach, Fr Nwaigwe, after being asked by Bishop Olorunmolu to present relevant documents for the ordination as required by Canon Law, went ahead and after a month, presented falsified documentations and attestations to prove the suitability of the said individuals to be promoted to the order of diaconate.
“The Superior General went away and, after a month came back with the documents: Recommendation letters from the various places of the Candidates’ formation, Attestations that the candidates have been found worthy after publication of banns, Dimissorial letters for each candidate submitted, etc. The Superior General wrote and declared solemnly that all the canonical requirements have been met and that the Candidates had received the required Sacraments and Ministries,” said the diocese.
“It was only after these assurances had been given that the Bishop decided to go ahead with the ordination of the Candidates on July 12, 2024. It was on the occasion of the ordination ceremony at the Cathedral that one of the candidates, in the person of Aloysius Kubiatabasi EBONG, was identified (by those who knew him well) as the man who had been parading himself at the Military Barracks in Lokoja as a Catholic Priest and had even been “celebrating” Masses,” they clarified.
In light of these revelations, the diocese of Lokoja has communicated to the public that it did not admit nor adopt the four candidates: “They have not been known at any time in the past as members of our Diocese. After the ordination, they went away to their congregation. We have nothing to do with any of them. We have been deceived and much of the blame should be on the so-called ‘Superior General, ‘Fr. Stephen Obioma Nwaigwe’.”
The diocese explained that they “are seeking appropriate canonical means to address this unfortunate matter,” and that “the Bishop intended to ordain worthy candidates for the Church and that he was misled by false information from Fr. Nwaigwe.”
In their statement, they called for the faithful to stay calm and pray for the Church and its leaders. They also disclosed that ongoing investigations are underway and emphasized the implementation of necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
