By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—Knights of Saint Mulumba, Catholic Diocese of Ahiara, Mbaise, Imo State have pledged their “unflinching support for, and unalloyed obedience to the Pope.”

The knights also reiterated their “unchangeable stand and determination to sink or float with the Universal Church under the leadership of the Supreme Pontiff and Christ’s Vicar on earth.”

Kaigama, Pope and Okogie

These were part of a five-paragraph statement captioned, “Knights of St. Mulumba (Nig.), Ahiara Diocese, express their gratitude to the Pope,” signed by leaders of the six sub-councils, including Anthony Agbakwuru and Bob  A. Teeth.

“We, the Knights of St. Mulumba, Ahiara Diocese, sincerely thank His Holiness, Pope Francis, for his patience with, and fatherly disposition towards Ahiara Diocese, in the lingering and nagging issue of the Episcopal Appointment in the Diocese,” the knights stated.

While thanking the Pope for his decision not to suppress the diocese, as well as inviting and personally addressing the delegation from Ahiara Diocese on the issue, thus showing the seriousness of the matter, the knights also expressed gratitude to the Pontiff for giving the priests of Ahiara Diocese the opportunity to “wriggle out of the messy situation.”

“On behalf of the entire Catholic faithful of the Diocese, join our hands in apology to the Pope for this incident, which deeply saddened him. We also apologize to our Apostolic Administrator, John Cardinal Onaiyekan and Bishop Peter Ebere Okpalaeke, for the embarrassment they received in connection with this unfortunate situation”, the knights pleaded.