By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Callistus V. C Onaga, has directed all clergy, religious and lay faithful to stop attending the Adoration Ministry superintended by the controversial Fr. Ejike Mbaka.
In a letter dated 17 June 2022, entitled “The pastoral injunction on attendance to Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy, Enugu,” the Bishop noted that Fr. Mbaka had consistently deviated from Catholic teachings, leading to happenings capable of “undermining the Catholic faith and teachings,” even after “several fraternal corrections and admonitions.”
The letter read: “In the light of the happenings in the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy, Enugu, capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings; and after several fraternal corrections and admonitions to Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the chaplain of the ministry, and after having given him pastoral directives and guidelines for the ministry chaplaincy, which he persistently violated and in fulfilment of my pastoral duties as the Chief Shepherd with the obligation to promote and safeguard the Catholic faith and morals in Enugu Diocese, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Catholic Adoration ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese is concluded.
“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, at the Catholic Adoration Ministry, are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church.
“I enjoin all the Christian faithful to keep praying for Fr. Mbaka and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu as I entrust him and the Diocese to the maternal care and protection of the blessed virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles.”
The directive is sequel to an outburst by the embattled Priest during his weekly ministration service on Wednesday, 15, 2022, where he said Labour Party Presidential flagbearer and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, will not be president of Nigeria in 2023 because he is “a stingy man who does not give out money to people”.
Mbaka added that unless Obi apologises to Adoration Ministry for not making a donation to his ministry when he was requested to, his ambition would be fruitless.
He also added that he apologised to the former governor in 2018 for making uncomplimentary statements against him under duress from his Bishop.
However, on Friday, June 17, the controversial priest against offered an open apology to Obi for calling him stingy, while adding a blessing for his ambition.
He said he did not intend to malign the LP presidential candidate, but “to pray for him” and urged his supporters not to be offended by my utterances.
“Peter Obi is my friend and remains my friend and brother. I love him and I wish him success. May God bless him and his good supporters. God’s will be done in his political endeavour,” he said.
Fr. Mbaka’s apology came after the Catholic Diocese of Enugu condemned the cleric for his comment on Mr Obi, adding that they did not represent the position of the church and violated the various provisions of the canon laws of the church.
The directive issued by the Enugu Catholic Diocese asking all clergy, religious and lay faithful to stay away from Fr. Mbaka’s Church may have coerced him to make the apology on Wednesday.