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Catholic Priest allegedly fl0gs teacher, 50, because she raised questions about deduction of lesson fees in Anambra

 A storm of reactions has emerged online following the disturbing story of a 50-year-old widow, Mrs. Ikeorah Maureen, who has accused Reverend Father Jude Muokwe, a Catholic priest, of physically assaulting and flogging her during a staff welfare meeting in Ifitedunu, Anambra State.

According to Mrs. Ikeorah, a teacher at Angel Primary School in the Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra, the incident occurred during a meeting convened to address the welfare of the school staff. In a viral video, she alleges that Father Muokwe accused her of organizing the meeting, which she denies. The altercation reportedly escalated when the priest, in an act of anger, allegedly assaulted her physically. Mrs. Ikeorah, visibly shaken in the video, has since sought public attention, demanding justice for the alleged assault.

In her viral video, Mrs. Ikeorah claims she had no involvement in organizing the staff welfare meeting, a claim that was seemingly contradicted by Father Muokwe, who accused her of taking charge. As tensions rose, the priest allegedly resorted to violence, an action that led to the physical altercation. The details of the incident remain unclear, but the accusations against Father Muokwe have caught the attention of social media users across Nigeria, prompting an outpouring of support for the widow and outrage at the alleged behavior of the priest.

The incident has sparked a wave of debate on social media platforms, where netizens have begun offering various perspectives on what transpired. Some have defended Father Muokwe, while others have accused him of physical violence and exploitation of his position within the Church. The divided reactions reflect the complexity of the case, with some people questioning the full truth behind the allegations.

While many netizens have expressed anger over the claims of abuse, others have come to the defense of Father Muokwe. One Facebook user, Emma Edozie, posted her views on the incident, suggesting that the priest may have acted out of anger in response to Mrs. Ikeorah “overstepping her boundaries.” Edozie noted that, according to her understanding, the priest also had his own health struggles, having recently visited an eye clinic. She contended that Mrs. Ikeorah’s actions were not fully revealed and suggested that both parties might share responsibility for the incident.

“The woman overstepped her boundaries, but out of anger, the Rev. Fr. reacted, and the woman also hit the Fr. back,” Edozie stated. “Why is she on the media with just one side of the story? She would have been truthful enough to say what she did and how everything happened.”

However, many critics have dismissed this line of thinking, asserting that no matter the circumstances, physical violence is never an appropriate response—especially not from a priest, who is expected to set an example of humility and compassion. This defense, according to these critics, fails to account for the power dynamics at play, where the priest, as a figure of authority, should have handled the situation with greater restraint.

As the story unfolded, further allegations against Father Muokwe emerged, with another Facebook user, Obianuju Benita Anekwe, sharing her own shocking experience with the priest. Anekwe claimed that Father Muokwe had a troubling history of misconduct, particularly involving young boys. She recounted a specific incident during his time as a parish priest in Onitsha, where she alleges that Father Muokwe attempted to lure a teenage boy into a compromising situation.

Anekwe shared the details of a disturbing phone call that one of her friends received from Father Muokwe, in which the priest allegedly invited the boy to the parish house for a “confession session.” Anekwe’s friend, who was a teenager at the time, reportedly refused the invitation, citing a desire to stop engaging in sinful behavior. Despite the boy’s rejection, Father Muokwe allegedly persisted, even suggesting that the boy come to the house for a confession session, promising to “be gentle.” The boy later confided in Anekwe and their group of friends, revealing that he had been involved in a sexual relationship with Father Muokwe for some time.

The shocking revelation prompted Anekwe to express her disgust for the priest, adding that she no longer attended services when Father Muokwe was the officiating priest. According to Anekwe, there were rumors circulating within the parish that Father Muokwe had been involved in the molestation of multiple young boys over the years. However, despite these rumors, she claimed that no formal action was ever taken against the priest by the Church.

“I know this priest. He used to be our parish priest in Onitsha. I just read the name now and it rang a bell. Fr. Jude Muokwe, he’s the one that allegedly beat up that woman. This man used to molest young boys,” Anekwe wrote. “We were sitting out one evening at my friend’s house, then another friend of ours whom we were seated with got a call from him. He put the call on speaker, and this man was telling him to come to the parish house.”

Anekwe’s allegations have raised serious concerns regarding Father Muokwe’s past behavior and have fueled further calls for a more thorough investigation into his actions. The accusations paint a troubling picture of a man in a position of power using his influence to prey on vulnerable individuals.

The growing wave of online outrage has intensified calls for an official response from the Catholic Diocese of Awka, which has yet to comment publicly on the incident. As of the time of filing this report, the diocese has remained silent on the matter, despite the mounting pressure from the public and online communities demanding justice for the victim and accountability for Father Muokwe.

Many people have taken to social media to express their disappointment with the Church’s lack of action and transparency. Critics have pointed out that, without a proper investigation or response from the diocesan authorities, the situation may continue to fester and damage the reputation of the Church further.

“I wonder how long the Church will continue to cover up these abuses. The silence is deafening,” one Twitter user commented. “A proper investigation must be launched into these allegations, and the priest must be held accountable.”

Others have taken a more cautious approach, urging for a full investigation into both the allegations of assault and the claims of prior misconduct. “We need to hear from both sides of the story, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the seriousness of the accusations,” wrote another user. “There’s too much at stake for the Church to remain silent.”

As the story continues to unfold, the community of Ifitedunu and beyond anxiously awaits an official response from the Catholic Diocese of Awka. The public’s growing concern over the allegations against Father Jude Muokwe, as well as the mounting evidence of past misconduct, demands urgent attention and action from Church authorities. For Mrs. Ikeorah Maureen, the road to justice remains uncertain, but the support from netizens and the public’s demand for accountability signals a growing call for transparency and reform within the Church.

In the meantime, the tale of abuse of power, violence, and alleged exploitation has cast a long shadow over the reputation of Father Muokwe, and the Catholic Church as a whole. The coming days may reveal more details as further investigations unfold, and as the diocese is called to address the serious questions raised by this developing story.

Excerpt from Uche Nworah Ph.D

Reactions from Netizens have followed the developing story of a 50-year-old widowed mother, Mrs Ikeorah Maureen from Ifitedunu, who has accused a Catholic Priest, Rev. Father Jude Muokwe of flogging and physically assaulting her.

The lady who teaches at Angel Primary school, Ifitedunu, Dunukofia LGA of Anambra was present at a meeting convened to discuss staff welfare. According to her in a viral video, the Reverend Father accused her of convening the meeting but she claims she did not.

Reacting to the incident, Facebook user Emma Edozie said; “The Priest in question also has his own wounds, he visited eye clinic too. The woman overstepped her boundaries but out of anger the Rev. Fr. reacted and the woman also hit the Fr. back so why is she on the media with just one side of the story, she would have been truthful enough to say what she did and how everything happened”.

Another Facebook user by name Obianuju Benita Anekwe made damning allegations against the Reverend Father on her Facebook page. She wrote…”I know this priest. He used to be our parish priest in Onitsha.I just read the name now and it rang a bell. Fr Jude Muokwe,he’s the one that allegedly bèàt up that woman.

This man used to môlèst young boys.

We were sitting out one evening at my friend’s house then another friend of ours whom we were seated with got a call from him,he put the call on speaker and this man was telling him to come to the parish house.

It was first week in January so the boy told him that his new year resolution was to stop committing such sin,guess what he told him,he told him to come that he would hold a confession session for him afterwards that he was going to be gentle and some other nonsense. The boy who was a teen then strongly refused even though he kept pleading. After the call, he told us that he had been sleeping with him for sometime. To say I was shocked was an understatement. After that incident if I go to church and he’s the officiating priest I will just be looking at him with so much disgust.

He has this distinct voice that even in your deepest sleep if you know him and hear his voice you will definitely know that he’s the one.

It was rumored that he was also molesting some other teenagers,like so many people in that parish knew about it”.

There is no official reaction to the incident by the Catholic Diocese of Awka as at the time of filing this story.