His Holiness, Pope Francis, has announced that at a Consistory scheduled for August 27, 2022, he will create 21 new cardinals.
According to a statement by the Chancellor, Diocesan Catholic Chancery, Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia Aguata Local Government of Anambra State, Fr. Lawrence Nwankwo, among those to be created cardinals is His Lordship, Most Rev. Peter Ebere Okpaleke, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia.
Fr. Nwankwo urged the public to pray for His Lordship, Bishop Okpaleke, and thank God with the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia (CADEK) for this singular honour of the choice of their chief shepherd by the Holy Father.
Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke and his late twin Paul were born on March 1, 1963 to the family of Reuben Ezeuko Okpaleke and Bridget Ekejimma Okpaleke both of blessed memory, of Umuokpalawuzie kindred of Umuocha village, Amesi, Aguata L.G.A of Anambra State.
He has four surviving siblings.
He was baptized on April 1, 1963 by Fr. J. Sheehan.
He spent his early childhood at Uga, and raised by his maternal grandmother, Evelyn Abiahuaku Ibekwe.
The young Peter attended Oganiru Primary School Uga (1971-1976); Uga Boys’ Secondary School, Uga (1976-1981), St. John Bosco Seminary Isuaniocha (1982-1983), Bigard Memorial Seminary, now St. Joseph’s Major Seminary Ikot-Ekpene (1983-1987), Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu (1988-1992), Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt (1995-1997), Pontificia Universita Della Santa Croce, Rome, Italy, (1999-2002) where he obtained a doctorate degree in Canon Law in First Class Honours.
He also has a diploma in Ecclesiastical Administration.
Fr. Peter Okpaleke was ordained a priest on August 22, 1992. But this journey could be traced back to 1972 when providentially he was “conscripted” to serve at Mass without having ever been an altar server.
This was because other altar servers were absent because it was raining.
Fr. Peter Okpaleke spent most of his priestly life in the chancery with breaks in between when he went on post-graduate studies and when he had some stint in pastoral ministry.
He served as Assistant Secretary to the Bishop (1992-1995); the Awka Diocesan Financial Administrator (1997-1999), the Diocesan Chancellor (2002-2011).
During this period, he also served as the Diocesan Master of Ceremonies and served in many boards, committees and commissions of the Diocese.
Fr. Peter served pastorally as the Assistant Chaplain (1997-1998) and then chaplain of St. Joseph the Worker Chaplaincy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka (1998-1999) respectively.
He also served as the administrator of St. Anthony’s parish Nanka from March 2002 – October 2002 and the parish priest of Ss. John and Paul Umubele Awka from October 2011 to May 1, 2013.
Fr. Peter Okpaleke was appointed the Bishop of Ahiara Diocese by his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on December 7, 2012.
The episcopal ordination took place on May 21, 2013, at Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri. Because of the opposition, spearheaded by some members of the clergy of Ahiara diocese, Bishop Peter did not take canonical possession of the Diocese of Ahiara and did not exercise episcopal ministry in Ahiara.
On February 19, 2018, the Holy Father, Pope Francis accepted Bishop Peter’s resignation as the Bishop of Ahiara.
On March 5, 2020, the Holy Father announced the creation of Ekwulobia Diocese and the appointment of Bishop Peter Okpaleke as her first bishop.
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