Nigeria’s Anglican Church cuts ties with Canterbury over appointment of ‘pro-gay’ female archbishop
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has cut ties with the Church of England following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, on Monday, described the appointment of Bishop Nullally on October 3, 2025, as “devastating” and “insensitive.”
In a statement he issued on Monday, Reverend Ndukuba said the decision represents a “double jeopardy” for the faith.
The first aspect of the jeopardy, according to him, is that the decision disregards the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who are opposed to female headship in the episcopate.
The second aspect is that Bishop Sarah Mullally is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage.
The Church noted that the newly appointed Archbishop spoke in favour of the Church of England’s decision to approve blessings for same-sex couples in 2023.
Bishop Mullally described the move as “a moment of hope” at the time.
The Nigerian Church said the latest development would further drive a wedge between the emerging shades of opinions in the Anglican Communion.
The church expressed doubts about how someone who upholds same-sex marriage can hope to heal the already fractured fabric of the Communion.
The Nigerian church described the situation as evidence that global Anglicanism could no longer accept the moral and spiritual leadership of the Church of England.
