pope Benedict xvi appointed monsignor peter okparaeke as second bishop of ahiara diocese on December 7, 2012 to replace the late most rev. Dr victor chikwe who died on Sept 16, 2010. monsignor okparaeke is a native of Amesi in aguata local Government Area of Anambra state.
Before the appaointment ,catholic faithful in the Diocese were enjoined to pray fervently and fast for God to send the right candidate to the diocese.This exercise lasted for more than a year.As soon as the appointment of Monsignor Okparaeke was announced almost all the priests in the diocese including the laity or congregations, strongly rejected okparaeke ad bishop of the diocese on the ground that he is not an indigene of ahiara diocese.there are over 700 priests in the doicese .Every attempt to persuade the prirsts to accept the bishop was met with stiff opposition, as the congregation sealed off the cathedral premises to prevent his ordination/installation.they marched round the town and thereafter,deposited a coffin fetish near the cathedral premises. Consequently,the ordination if the bishop took place at the see of wisdom seminary in owerri.When the agitation of the priests became intensified,the traditional rulers in the diocese wrote to the Governor of IMO state, seeking his intervention. this caused the governos meeting with both the protesting priests and the congregation. during the meeting the Governor reminded the protesting priests the importance of their duty to obey the pope's instructions by accepting monsignor okparaeke as their bishop and urged the to avoid actions capable of holding the church in disdain. the Governor lamented that the priests action was happening when they should be seeking Gods intervention to free the country from satanic influence.the governor's remarks: The moment we are now is a very bad moment. There are so many agitations,so many crises here and there and it looks like Satan has re-located its headquarters to Nigeria; Some pundits may pick hole on the Governor's involvement in the religious affairs of the state as a politician,more so as the constitution forbids him from doing so.
His predecessor in office was alleged to have lost his second term bid because he flogged a priest while in office.here we have a Governor that is playing the role of a oeaxe