Cardinal Peter Ebere Okpaleke is a Nigerian prelate noted for his pastoral qualities and evangelization who in 2017 prompted an intervention by Pope Francis after he was rejected by the diocese to which he was appointed bishop because he was not of their cultural group.

Peter Okpaleke, and his twin brother Paul, were born on March 1, 1963, in Amesi, Anambra State, Nigeria. He attended local schools before entering the Bigard Memorial Major Seminary, in Ikot-Ekpene and Enugu, in 1983, where he studied philosophy and theology.

Okpaleke was ordained as a priest on August 22, 1992, for the Diocese of Awka, after which he served in various pastoral and administrative roles within the Diocese of Awka.

He held positions such as university chaplain, parish priest, diocesan finance administrator, and diocesan chancellor.

From 1999 to 2002, he completed higher studies in canon law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

A significant turning point in Okpaleke’s career came on December 7, 2012, when Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as the Bishop of Ahiara Diocese. However, this appointment led to a major controversy when the local clergy and parishioners in Ahiara rejected him, arguing that he was not from their ethnic, linguistic and cultural group. They described his appointment as discrimination and “ecclesiastical colonization.”

Despite being consecrated as a bishop on May 21, 2013, Okpaleke was never allowed to enter Ahiara Diocese due to the protests. The crisis escalated to the point where Pope Francis intervened in 2017, giving the priests of Ahiara thirty days to write to the Vatican pledging obedience or face suspension. Although the priests complied with writing the letters, they continued to reject Okpaleke.

On February 19, 2018, Pope Francis accepted Okpaleke’s resignation as Bishop of Ahiara. He was widely praised for his humility in choosing to resign. Okpaleke viewed the events as God’s will and harbored no ill feelings towards those who rejected him.

Two years later, on March 5, 2020, Pope Francis appointed Okpaleke as the first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Ekwulobia which has a Catholic population of 609,818 (as of December 31, 2022). He was installed in this position on April 29, 2020. In his new role, Okpaleke has focused on emphasizing evangelization at the local level and encouraging a personal relationship with Jesus among the faithful.

As Bishop of Ekwulobia, Okpaleke has articulated a vision for his diocese that emphasizes becoming “God’s family open to encounter and personal relationship with Jesus Christ and with one another, in faithfulness to the Church and the good elements of Igbo culture.”

In a surprising turn of events, Pope Francis elevated Okpaleke to the rank of Cardinal in August 2022. This appointment came as a shock to many, given the earlier controversies in his career. Okpaleke himself expressed a sense of unworthiness upon learning of his elevation.

Noted for his composure, articulation, and pastoral qualities, he has recommended to his flock the values of “love and respect for every person, male and female, as God’s children.”

Cardinal Okpaleke places great importance on the Eucharist and liturgical participation. He has noted that Nigerians have a high Mass attendance rate, with 94% of Nigerian Catholics attending Mass at least weekly which he attributes to a traditional worldview that recognizes God’s presence in daily life; the role of the family as a “domestic church” where faith is passed down; and a sense of community within parishes. Okpaleke emphasizes that Catholics come to Mass “to encounter Christ in the Eucharist.”

Okpaleke has published nine works ­­— books and monographs.¹They include: The Administrator of Diocesan Property (2002); A Handbook on the Administration of Parish Property (2002); Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution in the Church (2004); Irregular Unions (Marriages) and Denial of the Reception of Holy Communion (2004); Pastoral Visitation: Towards knowing the significance and necessary preparations (2006); The Role of Deans in Diocesan Apostolate (2008); The Establishment, Competence, Functions and Organization of Diocesan Pastoral Council (2010); I Believe in the Communion of Saints (2011); Consultative Process and not Democracy in the Catholic Church (2012).

Okpaleke has belonged to the Canon Law Society of Nigeria since 1995 and he currently the Chairman of the Canon Law Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.

The cardinal speaks Igbo, English and Italian.