Closure of AMEN: Mbaka Reacts To Adherents’ Protests; Warns Of Consequences

By Adesina Soyooye

The embattled Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, AMEN, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, has warned of the consequences of the protest by his adherents.

Mbaka’s adherents had taken over the streets of Enugu in protest against the shutting down of AMEN by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, His Lordship The Rt. Rev, Calistus Onaga.

The Bishop had ordered all Catholic faithful in the Diocese, including Priests, to stop attending to any program, including Church Services at AMEN. Onaga said Fr. Mbaka has deviated from the Catholic doctrine.

The order followed Mbaka’s unprovoked attack against Peter Obi, the  Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, during last Wednesday’s Service in his Church. He called Obi stingy, and cursed him that he would never be President of Nigeria as long as there is God.

Not able to contain, or bear, the backlash, Mbaka apologised to Obi and the millions of youths rooting for Obi’s candidacy. The apology did not, however, stop the Bishop’s action.

While Mbaka, uncharacteristically, quietly obeyed the order to shut down, not so his adherents. They took to the streets of Enugu in protest, howling insults at the Bishop, and asking for his sack.

Reacting to the protests in a statement he, personally, signed, Mbaka distanced himself from their action, warned them of the consequences, and asked them to leave ” My dear Bishop” alone.

The statement reads in part:

“My attention has been drawn to the activities that took place in the Adoration Ground on Sunday. I am not in any way involved in such activity.

“We received with obedience the directive issued by my Bishop, His Excellency, Most Rev. CVV Onaga on June 17, 2022.

“May I, therefore, appeal to the faithful, in particular members of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria, to remain calm and united with the Body of Christ in the Diocese, and also refrain from any measure of violence either in action or by abusive utterances.

” Those who take to attacking or insulting my dear Bishop should desist from such.

“The Bishop is the Shepherd of the Church in the Diocese and we remain his flock who in every way and at all times, is expected to be respectful, obedient and willing to respond favorably to his apostolic directives.

“May I, also, remind you that all Adoration activities are suspended unti further notice.

“Adoration, Ministry is ever submisive to the Mother Church. I enjoin all Adorers to know this and remain constantly in prayers for the manifestation of the will of God in the life of the Ministry.”

This is not the first time Mbaka would run down Obi and apologize. The first time, he humiliated Obi during AMEN’s bazaar because Obi refused to give him cash and, instead, asked him to show him a Church project he would help undertake. Mbaka refused and publicly humiliated Obi before the congregation. He apologized later, profusely just as he did now.

But last Wednesday, he said his apologies to Obi at the time was indeed a curse as he was forced to do that by the Bishop. He said he only obeyed the Bishop.

It is not also the first time the Church would sanction him over his utterances and behavior. In the wake of his scandalous tango with President Muhammadu Buhari over the refusal of Buhari to give a contract, without due process, to some foreigners Mbaka took to Abuja and introduced to Buhari, the Bishop had suspended the Priest for one month.

Then, as is the case now, his adherents took to the streets in protest, and in the process, attacked and destroyed the Catholic Cathedral, Enugu.

This time, the Police has taken the preemptive measure to heavily guard the Cathedral to avoid a repeat of last time.