Catholic Church Takes Action As Delta Priest Secretly Weds Lover In United States

The Catholic Diocese of Warri, Delta State, has suspended Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe, from priestly duties following a secret wedding with his lover in the United States of America. Naija News reports that the latest development was contained in a statement titled ‘Decree of Suspension,’ jointly signed by the Bishop of Warri, Rt. Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido and the Chancellor/Notary, Rev. Fr. Clement Abobo, and made available to journalists in Warri on Sunday, January 19, 2025. The statement disclosed that Oghenerukevwe entered into marriage with Dora Chichah on December 29, 2024, at the Streams of Joy Church in Dallas, USA, and footage of the wedding, which circulated online, prompted his suspension. The Diocese revealed that on November 30, 2024, Fr. Oghenerukevwe requested to be released from all canonical obligations associated with Holy Orders. However, the Diocese said it reached out to him, asking for the required documents to begin the process, but the priest secretly married without completing the procedure. The Diocese further stated that Oghenerukevwe retains the right to petition for the revocation or amendment of the decree but must demonstrate a willingness to reform. The statement read partly, “By this action, Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe has incurred a Latae Sententiae suspension in accordance with the provisions of Canon 1394 S1, and I, Most Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, Bishop of Warri, do hereby officially decree that he is suspended from the exercise of sacred ministry. “As such, he is prohibited from presenting himself as a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Warri in any capacity. All canonical implications associated with this suspension take immediate effect (cf. Can. 1333). “May God grant him the grace to reflect on this situation and guide him on the path of reconciliation.”