Gafcon 2026 Abuja: Conservative Anglican Bishops gather to chose dia own leader, declare break away from Canterbury

Conservative Bishops and priests of di Anglican Church don gada for Abuja di Nigeria capital to choose dia own global leader as dem refuse to pledge loyalty to di first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally .

Mullally go dey officially installed as di leader of di Anglican Communion later dis month but her appointment don cause ogbonge division for di church especially in in Nigeria and oda parts of di world.

Dis set of conservative Anglicans come together to form di Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon), and di aim, according to dem, na to uphold orthodox Anglican faith.

Traditionally, the Archbishop of Canterbury na di most senior cleric for di Church of England, and e dey considered as "primus inter pares" - or first among equals - of all di heads of di worldwide Anglican Communion.

Dis mean say na di Archbishop of Canterbury be di spiritual leader of di almost 95 million Anglicans for di world.

But di conservatives believe say na only men suppose to be consecrated as bishops, and dis na one of di main reason for di breakup.

Di oda reason na di issue of blessing of same sex unions, wey di global Anglican church bin approve, but di conservatives refuse to accept am.

In October last year, Gafcon decide say dem go "reorder di Anglican Communion". Dem refuse to take part for meetings wey di Archbishop of Canterbury call, and dem encourage dia members to cut remaining ties wit di Church of England.

Di group insist say dem no comot from di church, rada na dem be di true Anglican Communion.

Di election of dia own global spiritual leader go bring di Church a step closer to finally cutting ties wit di Anglican church, and dis na "very aggressive tin to do", according to Prof Diarmaid MacCulloch, who be Emeritus Professor of Church History for di University of Oxford.

"Dis na schism, even if dem no wan tok am. Dis na set of leaders, all male, going to one conference for Africa to maintain identity wey no longer satisfy many Anglican churches - dat na one all-male episcopate calling di shots," MacCulloch tok.

For di members of di Anglican church for Nigeria, dia opinions on top di division dey divided.

"Di work of God na individual tin. If you are called - you fit be man, you fit be woman - you need to fulfill di calling of di Lord," Bunmi Odukoya wey dey worship for Vining Memorial Church Cathedral for Lagos, tell BBC.

Anoda worshipper, Uche Nweke, no agree: "I no tink say e dey Christian. When you look at di Bible and di apostles, no woman bin dey dia, so for woman to be di head of di Anglican church for England, I no tink e go well."

However, for Alexander Olasinde, anoda member of di Anglican Church for Nigeria, e no agree wit di policies of di Anglican church leadership for England, but e still no support di breakaway faction.

"All of us as Christians get one goal, and dat na to make am to heaven. We need to find a common ground. If we continue for dis trend we go get grudges and unsettled issues between us. So how go even make am to heaven?"

Wetin to know about Gafcon

Gafcon bin start for 2008 afta some group of conservative bishops bin gada for Jerusalem to adopt 'Di Jerusalem Statement'; and dis na in response to theological differences inside di Anglican Communion, especially sake of di issue of same-sex unions.

According to tori for di Gafcon website, dia issue wit di Anglican Church of England bin start for 2002 wen, according to dem, di Diocese of New Westminster, Anglican Church of Canada, bin authorise liturgy to bless same-sex unions. Den in 2003, dem ordain one Anglican clergyman for America bishop, afta e don divorce im wife and enta into same-sex relationship.

"Gafcon dey created to guard and proclaim biblical truth globally and provide fellowship for orthodox Anglicans," di statement for dia website tok.

Di leadership of Gafcon na group, di 'Primates' Council', wey dey made up of majorly archbishops from Africa and oda conservative provinces, including di head of di Anglican church for Nigeria, Rev. Dr Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba.

Di chairman of dis 'Primates Council' na Rev Dr Laurent Mbanda, di Primate of di Anglican Church for Rwanda.

About 500 delegates wey include some Anglican bishops from di Americas, Australia and oda parts of Africa dey expected to attend dis conference wey go start on Wednesday, 4 March to Frida, 6 March 2026, for Abuja.

"Now wey di future don arrive, we must come togeda to torchlight di path ahead," di group tok for dia website.