Updated
The new Archbishop of Nigeria, Nicholas Okoh is in Herndon, Virginia for CANA’s annual council.
The Christian Post interviewed him Tuesday. In a motion for rehearing to the Virginia Supreme Court the nine churches in dispute with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia over church property earlier this month reversed field and instead of claiming they are a branch of the Church of Nigeria now claim that CANA is not a branch of the Church of Nigeria. The primate of Nigeria, previously Akinola now Okoh, has attended many if not all of CANA’s annual councils.
Extracts from the Christian Post article entitled Breakaway Groups Prevented Anglican Split, Nigerian Primate Suggests:
Okoh is in the Washington Metropolitan Area this week for the annual council meeting of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America – a missionary initiative of the Church of Nigeria which, along with other similar initiatives, Okoh believes solved the Anglican crisis at the time and prevented a split. CANA consists largely of Anglicans who broke from The Episcopal Church. This is Okoh’s first U.S. visit since becoming head of the Church of Nigeria.
…
It’s been three years since the Anglican Church of Nigeria “crossed borders” into the United States to establish a new home for conservatives who were unhappy with the liberal direction of the U.S. Episcopal Church. … According to Okoh, the Church of Nigeria received the same sanctions as The Episcopal Church this year, which include removal from the Anglican Communion’s ecumenical dialogues and from a body that examines issues of doctrine and authority.
Emphasis added: That is news to us although it was intimated in Okoh’s address to the Nigerian press last week reported here.
Asked about whether Okoh had sought permission to be in the diocese, Henry Burt, a spokesperson for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, said “Bishop Johnston received no request from Archbishop Okoh to exercise any ministry in the Diocese of Virginia. Unfortunately, the circumstances of this visit do not aid the process commended by the Windsor Report.”
UPDATE: Bishop Martyn Minns says members of CANA have dual citizenship, in The Church of Nigeria and in ACNA.