The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion has demoted a Venerable in the Archdeaconry, Aguata Diocese of the church in Anambra State for allegedly recognizing and inviting a dismissed gay priest to sit with him during a funeral service.
It would be recalled that in 2017, the church dismissed nine priests over their alleged involvement in homosexual activities and were thereafter banned from taking part in any church activity.
The Archdeacon in-charge of the area while presiding over a funeral service in the community, invited the dismissed priest to sit with him at the altar, informing the people who were at the ceremony that the priest did not commit any offence but his `dismissal was due to envy.
On hearing what happened at the funeral ceremony, Rt. Rev Samuel Ezeofor, the Bishop of Aguata Diocese, who was transferred from Ogbaru Diocese to Aguata, decided to set up a panel to investigate the matter.
Upon the recommendation of the panel, the Bishop suspended the Archdeacon and subsequently demoted to an ordinary Reverend.
