Anglican Church Suspends Archbishop Alexander Ibezim for Six Months
The Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, has suspended the Bishop of Awka and Metropolitan Archbishop on the Niger, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim, from official duties and ordered him to stay away from church activities for six months.
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has suspended one of its most senior bishops, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim, from official duties and directed him to stay away from church activities for six months. The decision was announced by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, who ordered the Bishop of Awka and Metropolitan Archbishop on the Niger to proceed on leave.
The suspension removes Ibezim from the day-to-day leadership of the Awka diocese and from his role as Metropolitan Archbishop on the Niger, one of the church's internal provinces. The Primate's directive covers both official functions and participation in church activities for the duration of the leave, according to the announcement.
The Church of Nigeria is one of the largest provinces in the global Anglican Communion, and its internal disciplinary decisions are closely watched both within the country and by Anglican leaders abroad. The office of Metropolitan Archbishop on the Niger carries particular weight, giving its holder oversight of a province and a prominent voice in the church's councils.
The announcement did not set out the reasons behind the suspension, and no further details about the circumstances were provided. The Primate's statement framed the measure as a directive to proceed on leave, a step that removes a bishop from active ministry while the matter is addressed.
Ibezim has served as Bishop of Awka, the capital of Anambra State in south-eastern Nigeria, and his elevation to Metropolitan Archbishop on the Niger placed him among the senior figures of the Nigerian church. The Awka diocese is one of the larger and more visible dioceses in the region, and a change in its leadership is likely to be felt across its parishes and institutions during the six-month period.
The Church of Nigeria has in recent years faced internal tensions over governance, discipline and the direction of the province, and decisions taken by the Primate's office are typically treated as binding within the church's structure. Suspensions of senior clergy are rare and are usually accompanied by an expectation that the affected bishop withdraws from public church duties while the matter is resolved.
It remains unclear who will oversee the Awka diocese and the metropolitan see during Ibezim's absence, or what steps may follow once the six-month leave ends. The announcement did not indicate whether any review or further process is planned.
For Anglicans in Nigeria and beyond, the case touches on questions of authority and accountability within a communion that has often been divided over how discipline is exercised and how bishops are held to account. The suspension of a metropolitan archbishop is a significant assertion of the Primate's authority and a reminder that the church's internal order is not merely administrative but carries moral weight for its members.
The six-month leave takes effect under the Primate's directive, and the church has not indicated when further information might be released. Until then, Ibezim's public role in the Church of Nigeria is on hold, and the diocese of Awka awaits clarity on its leadership.
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