The apex socio-cultural organization in the South East, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that the elevation of Cardinal Peter Okpalaeke should be a huge moral lesson for everyone who followed the rejection he suffered from Mbaise people.
Newsonline reports that Ohanaeze said the elevation of Peter Cardinal Okpalaeke showed that man’s rejection was not God’s rejection.
His Eminence Peter Cardinal Okpaleke, at weekend, canonically received the Red Hat from His Holiness, Pope Francis, at a Consistory in Rome.
Recall that Peter cardinal Okpalaeke was once rejected by the Catholic Diocese of Mbaise, Imo State, before the creation of Ekwuluobia Diocese in Anambra where he is presently a bishop.
In a statement, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said Cardinal Okpaleke’s elevation came with huge moral lessons.
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The statement read: “We congratulate His Eminence Peter Cardinal Okpaleke on his elevation by the Pope.
“We are particularly happy because his elevation is one that came with huge moral lessons to everyone who followed the crisis that trailed his episcopal ordination and posting to Mbaise Diocese.
“While we may not dwell on that controversy, we are concerned with the moral lesson therein, which is that man’s rejection does not represent God’s plan.
“His elevation should serve as a source of encouragement to every Igbo man aspiring to achieve one thing or the other in life.”
He hailed the Cardinal for his sense of humility, tolerance and mutual respect, stressing that “those virtues would no doubt make him succeed as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria.”
