Hours after the Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu State, Rev Father Ejike Mbaka, resurfaced on Wednesday after being incommunicado, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu suspended the controversial cleric for one month.
According to sources in the Catholic Diocese who spoke with SaharaReporters, it was learnt that the Reverend Father was suspended not because of his political missiles towards the Muhammadu Buhari government.
A source stated that Mbaka was suspended rather for allegedly inciting his congregation to lead a protest and vandalising the residence of the Enugu Catholic Bishop, Most Rev Callistus Onaga and for blessing and showing support for the Indigenous People of Biafra and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
“Who told you that the Enugu Catholic community does not like how Mbaka is criticising the Buhari presidency? Has the conference of Catholic Bishops not many times in the past also voiced out their criticisms of the ineptitude and inefficiency of the present government?
“The Catholic Church suspended Father Mbaka over the assault on his boss, the Bishop of Enugu,” the source stated.
Another source added that Mbaka was suspended for making inflammatory political remarks, especially by making his support for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, “ridiculously obvious.”
“Do you know that the Catholic Church suspended Father Mbaka not because he was intensifying his criticism of Buhari? But it was because of his too many prophecies and confusing utterances especially about his deep love for Kanu publicly. That looks like drumming for secession, which deviates from the Catholic norms to promote good governance and peace,” another source added.
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After he resurfaced and addressed his supporters on late Wednesday, Mbaka had himself stated that that his disappearance happened because he spoke favourably about the leader of the IPOB, Kanu.
Mbaka said he was only released because the adoration faithful protested his unexplained disappearance.
He said Bishop Onaga upon seeing the protest over his predicament allowed him to go.
Mbaka said the church was strong against him for blessing Nnamdi Kanu. “Are you the owner of my mouth? You can’t tell me who to bless? If you are not happy that I blessed someone, you have your own mouth, you can curse the person.
“They didn’t treat me in a pastoral way and I was asking am I being punished for what? “They said it was a meeting, but even before I reached the Bishop’s house, the conclusion has already been made. What happened to me was like the day I was shot on the road.
“Unfortunately for them, even before the meeting, a woman was already going around bragging that the Bishop will call me for a meeting, and that I was going to leave my house here for 30 days, and that after the 30 days, I would be sent to Rome, and Adoration ministry will be closed.
“In a time and cases like this, don’t give me a punishment that will cause troubles for us because I’m not alone.”
However, he has been asked to proceed on suspension with effect from May 3 after being summoned by Callistus Onaga, the diocesan bishop.
JournalReporters had reported last Wednesday Mbaka's criticism of the Muhammadu Buhari regime over its inaction on the widespread killings across the nation.
Reviewed by Okenwa Chinedu
on
May 06, 2021
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