There is growing tension within the Enugu Catholic Diocese over alleged plot to send Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry away for studies.
The plot, a long term one by Mbaka’s detractors also include plans to build a Seminary at the Adoration ground.
A statement by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, OYC, alleges a well documented and deliberate plot to frustrate Fr. Mbaka out of the ministry.
The statement was signed by the National President Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and Secretary, Comrade Obinna Achionye
The gang up against Fr. Mbaka which has subsisted over time is capitalizing on the Peter Obi saga for which the priest has long apologized.
The minor group of the Catholic Church which had failed in the past saw the on-going youth mobilization for Peter Obi as an opportunity to garner public support against the plot.
According to the statement, “instead of being an upper room ministry which is what it is, like the Ebube Monso Ministry and the Catholic Prayer Ministry, Elele, Mbaka’s own has now been converted into a chaplaincy.
“Our information revealed that there is a serious gang up and conspiracy against Fr. Mbaka, in addition to plans to take over everything he has laboured for in life, with a view towards crippling his source of magnified charity to the poor masses and send him out to overseas for further studies after 28 years of his priestly ordination.”
The Ohanaeze youths also claimed to have uncovered plans to build a seminary at the Adoration ground, noting that, “if actually it is about Peter Obi, Fr. Mbaka has even apologized for his statements, and we had expected the Church authority to forgive him in line with Biblical injunctions. After all, what he said was a prophecy, the right thing was to pray against it.”
On the threat video, the group said the personality involved was a known mentally unstable character and that no one should lose sleep over “his rantings.”
They appealed to Bishop Onaga “to consider the numerous people Fr. Mbaka puts food on their table everyday. We are saying this because should they take to the streets, it would be difficult to control them. In fact, the situation is just a bomb waiting to explode. We have been talking to them but we don’t know how long we can hold them.
“This is a man who takes care of over 25,000 persons either by direct employment or charity interventions. Such a person should not be treated with levity.
“The Church should learn to practise what they preach on forgiveness. The Bible told us that forgiveness could be as much as 70 times 70. So, since the priest has apologized, the Church should look at the bigger picture and forgive him.”
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council called for the re-opening of the Adoration Ministry, warning that a prolonged closure could spell doom.
The ministry was shut down after Mbaka’s outburst against the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
A protest by the adoration parishioners did also not help matters as a man was seen in a viral video threatening to kill Bishop Callistus Onaga of the Enugu Catholic Diocese.
Mbaka had earlier come out to say that the young man in question has mental issues and declared that he would never be part of any plan to harm the Bishop.
Reacting in statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, the OYC said the prolonged closure of the Adoration Ministry was a time bomb waiting to explode.
The group said they had been making efforts to calm the frayed nerves of Fr. Mbaka’s followers, stressing that it would be difficult to hold them for too long.
Source: EverydayNews
