He was impeded from setting foot in the territory covered by Ahiara Diocese; and his May 2013 Episcopal Ordination took place outside Ahiara Diocese, in Nigeria’s Owerri Archdiocese. As Bishop, he was not allowed to access the Diocese, even after Pope Francis, in July 2017, directed all members of Clergy of Ahiara Diocese to pledge fidelity to him in writing, and to express their acceptance of the appointment of then Bishop Okpaleke as their Shepherd.
Having failed to exercise his Episcopal Ministry in the Nigerian Diocese, Bishop Okpaleke made known to Pope Francis his decision to resign in writing. On 19 February 2018, the Holy Father accepted Bishop Okpaleke’s resignation and “relieved him of the pastoral care of the Diocese of Ahiara.” He was later appointed pioneer Bishop of Nigeria’s Ekwulobia Diocese, which had been erected on 5 March 2020.
Born in March 1960, Bishop Nwobi, the newly appointed Local Ordinary of Ahiara Diocese, is a native of Nigeria’s Ahiara Diocese. He was ordained a Claretian Priest in July 1990.
The Nigerian Catholic Church leader, who was appointed Auxiliary Bishop on October 14 and assigned the Titular See of Rusguniae holds a Diploma in Public Administration from Enugu State University of Science and Technology in Nigeria.
He also holds a Licentiate in Missiology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
As a Priest, Bishop Nwobi has served in various capacities, including Parish Priest at St. Anthony’s in Igbo-Ora and Bursar of the Claretian Theological House of Enugu.
In his Congregation, the Nigerian Catholic Bishop has served as Provincial Superior of East Nigeria Province, Director of the Department of Spirituality of the Claretian Institute of Philosophy Maryland, Nedeke, Lecturer at the Bigard Memorial Seminary of Enugu, and Prefect of the Apostolate at the Claretian Provincial Curia of New Owerri, among other responsibilities.
In an address to a section of members of the Clergy of Ahiara Diocese who paid him a courtesy visit days after his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop, Bishop Nwobi acknowledged with appreciation the positive reactions to his appointment that he has received.
“Since the announcement on Saturday (October 14), I have received overwhelming acceptance from Nigerians in Imo State and all our brothers and sisters in the diaspora pledging their support for Ahiara Diocese,” he said on 17 October 2023.
Bishop Nwobi recognized the Episcopal Ministry of the predecessor of Cardinal Okpaleke, the late Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe, who he said “left a Diocese that was robust, a Diocese that was alive until what happened.”
