Evangelist Challenges Catholic Diocese Over Knight's Expulsion Following Cathedral Protest
A prominent evangelist has strongly criticized the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi and the Order of Saint John International for their decision to expel a knight who protested during a cathedral dedication ceremony in Anambra State. The incident has sparked significant debate about church discipline and pastoral responsibility.
Controversial Expulsion After Public Protest
Apostle Ebube Kabiri, founder of Ocean of Mercy Prayer Outreach, has taken issue with the expulsion of Sir James-Louis Okoye from the Knighthood of St. John International. The expulsion followed Okoye's public protest during the dedication of Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral in Nnewi on January 14th, where he reportedly renounced his Catholic faith in response to what he perceived as insufficient recognition of late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah's contributions to the cathedral project.
The Catholic authorities established an investigative panel that ultimately recommended Okoye's expulsion from the knighthood, a decision that Apostle Kabiri has characterized as excessively harsh and lacking in pastoral discernment.
Questioning the Church's Response
In an exclusive interview, Apostle Kabiri posed a challenging question to church leadership: "Has the Church, in this instance, acted according to the gospel it proclaims, or according to the impulse of power it warns against?" The evangelist emphasized that Okoye's actions represented "an emotional eruption - uncontrolled, public, and unsettling; but unmistakably human" rather than a theological revolt or renunciation of Christian belief.
Kabiri specifically contested the church's characterization of Okoye's protest as apostasy, noting that Canon Law defines apostasy as the complete abandonment of Christian faith, which requires conscious, deliberate, and formal rejection of belief in Christ and His Church. According to the evangelist, Okoye's emotional outburst during the cathedral dedication did not meet this threshold.
Call for Pastoral Approach Over Punishment
The evangelist argued that the church's response demonstrated a failure to follow the principles established during the Second Vatican Council, which emphasized compassion, understanding, and mercy over condemnation and harshness. Kabiri reminded church authorities that Vatican II made clear that ecclesiastical authority exists for pastoral care rather than institutional self-defense.
"Expulsion is never meant to be a reflex; it is a last resort after sincere pastoral effort has failed," Kabiri stated. "In this case, no meaningful attempt at listening, mediation, or reconciliation appears to have occurred. Speed replaced wisdom. Authority replaced accompaniment."
Biblical Precedents for Restoration
Drawing from scriptural examples, Apostle Kabiri highlighted how Jesus consistently chose restoration over rejection when encountering people at their most vulnerable moments. He referenced the Apostle Peter's threefold denial of Christ and subsequent restoration through love and trust, as well as the parable of the lost sheep where the shepherd actively seeks the straying animal rather than abandoning it.
The evangelist warned that when institutions label dissent as rebellion and grievance as betrayal, they risk mirroring political authoritarianism rather than embodying Gospel wisdom. He emphasized that the church's authority should be moral rather than coercive, and that exercising power without listening breeds resentment and deepens division.
Unresolved Issues and Future Implications
Kabiri noted that the expulsion has left fundamental questions unanswered, particularly regarding the perceived injustice that prompted Okoye's protest. "Who will address the injustice he perceived? Expulsion has resolved nothing. It has only ensured that a wound remains untreated," the evangelist remarked.
The church has responded to the controversy by stating that Bishop Jonas‑Benson Okoye did acknowledge Senator Ubah's contributions during the cathedral dedication, though perhaps not in the manner the knight expected. However, this clarification has done little to resolve the broader questions about pastoral approach and disciplinary procedures that Apostle Kabiri has raised.
This incident highlights ongoing tensions between institutional authority and pastoral care within religious communities, particularly when members express grievances in public forums. The evangelist's intervention suggests that many faithful are watching how church leadership balances discipline with compassion in sensitive situations.
