Late Bishop Chukwu Laid to Rest in Ebonyi Catholic Cathedral

From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki

The remain of the late Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Most Rev. Peter Nworie Chukwu, was on Wednesday committed to mother earth at St. Theresa’s Cathedral, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Pope Leo XIV, represented by the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Grotty, expressed deep sorrow over the death of the bishop and condoled with the clergy, religious, and laity of the Diocese of Abakaliki.
Grotty described Bishop Chukwu’s years of episcopal ministry as being marked by pastoral outreach, the formation of the laity in the social doctrine of the Church, and the strengthening of diocesan institutions.
He noted that the Vatican was deeply touched by the passing of the late bishop and prayed for the repose of his soul.
In his homily, the Catholic Archbishop of the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, described Bishop Chukwu as a shepherd who remained close to his flock and left no one in doubt that he was a bishop with a listening ear and a heart that truly cared for his people.
He further described the late bishop as an empathetic pastor who made the joy and hope, grief and anguish of his flock his own.
“To his work, Bishop Chukwu brought intelligence and wisdom, the spirit of enterprise and resourcefulness, as well as gifts of gentleness and good humour. He was a tireless prophetic voice, a strong defender of the voiceless, and an active crusader for social justice.
“Bishop Chukwu also brought courage to his ministry, always speaking truth to power in condemnation of social injustice, greed, and graft without fear.
“Above all, he brought faith, love, humility, and commitment to his ministry. He lived true to his episcopal motto, ‘I’m Totally Yours,’ an expression of Marian spirituality and his resolve to serve God and his flock with total dedication.
“That spirit of total dedication remained the driving force of his entire pastoral ministry as a bishop,” he stated.
In his tribute, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, described Bishop Chukwu, who until his death served as Assistant Secretary of the Conference, as a true servant of God who embraced his pastoral duties with an extraordinary blend of humility, courage, and unwavering faith.
He said that within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, the late bishop was a cherished voice of wisdom and fraternal charity, qualities that led to his election as Assistant Secretary of the Conference.
Ndagoso stated that the Conference would greatly miss Bishop Chukwu’s gentility, patience, and timely words of encouragement.
“He never sought the spotlight, but his quiet competence, calm disposition, spirituality, and dedication made him a pillar among us. The Conference has indeed lost a faithful collaborator,” he said.
Similarly, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election and 2027 National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential aspirant, Mr. Peter Obi, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru, and his Enugu State counterpart, Governor Peter Mbah, were among prominent leaders who attended the burial ceremony.

Other dignitaries present at the event included former Senate President and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Ebonyi State Deputy Governor Patricia Obila; former Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi; senators; members of the House of Representatives; and several government officials from within and outside the state.
Also in attendance were 42 members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and several Catholic archbishops from across the country.
In his tribute, Governor Francis Nwifuru lamented that Bishop Chukwu died at a time when Ebonyi State and Nigeria urgently needed leaders of his moral stature, spiritual depth, and fearless disposition.
He noted that the bishop’s death came at a period when society was battling moral decline, insecurity, economic uncertainty, and weakening value systems.
According to the governor, the late bishop represented an icon of hope, integrity, and moral rebirth, making his death painful and difficult to comprehend.
“Bishop Chukwu lived not for comfort, but for conviction. He was one of those rare servants of God whose voice echoed beyond the altar into the conscience of society.
“Our late bishop stood for truth even when truth became unpopular. He defended justice even when injustice appeared powerful, and he remained courageous even when fear had become fashionable. He was also a stickler for excellence and discipline.
“He never pretended to be neutral where morality and societal conscience were concerned. Rather, he carried the burden of spiritual leadership with uncommon sincerity and discharged his episcopal responsibilities with conviction, intellectual versatility, charisma, and candour.
“In an era where many leaders have chosen silence in the face of moral decline and social uncertainty, Bishop Chukwu chose the difficult path of truth. He reminded us that the Church must never surrender its prophetic voice and that leadership must always be anchored on justice, accountability, and the fear of God.
“Today, as we commit his remains to mother earth, one painful question echoes in our hearts: why did death strike at a time when Ebonyi State and Nigeria urgently yearn for leaders of his moral stature, spiritual depth, and fearless disposition?
“At a time when society battles erosion of values, insecurity, economic uncertainty, and weakening moral systems, our bishop represented hope, integrity, and moral rebirth. His departure at this critical period is painful and difficult to comprehend.
“Yet, as Christians, we are comforted by the eternal promises of God. Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 4:7: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.’
“Without doubt, Bishop Chukwu fought the good fight of faith. He served God with sincerity, defended the weak, strengthened the hopeless, preached Christ with courage, and dedicated his earthly journey to the advancement of God’s kingdom.
“His episcopacy witnessed spiritual revival, expansion of evangelism, strengthening of Catholic institutions, and deepening of moral consciousness within Ebonyi State. He was not merely a preacher on the pulpit, but a shepherd among his flock, a father to the vulnerable, and a moral compass to leaders,” Nwifuru stated.
The late Bishop Chukwu died on Friday, April 10, 2026, following a brief illness. He was 60 years old.
Chukwu was born on November 5, 1965, in Ededeagu Umuezekoha, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
After attending Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Owerri, where he completed his philosophical studies between 1985 and 1989, he proceeded to Bigard Memorial Major Seminary, Enugu, where he undertook theological studies from 1990 to 1993.
He later studied at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, between 2000 and 2001, and at Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States, where he obtained a doctorate degree in Philosophy between 2002 and 2007.
He was ordained a priest on July 3, 1993, and was incardinated into the Diocese of Abakaliki.