By Charles Igbo
It was a rain of millions of Naira for Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry on Sunday, October 24, during the Ministry’s Annual Harvest at its headquarters in Emene.
Casually dropping a whooping sum of N30m was the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi. He accompanied that sum with 200 tubers of yam and 100 bags of rice. Present also was the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and other dignitaries.
It is not known why Governor Umahi was that generous to Fr. Mbaka’s Ministry. Mbaka has always used the occasion of the annual harvest to raise money for his Ministry. When his invitees don’t give, he cajoles them to give, and/or tries to twist their their arms.
A very notorious example was the way he treated former Governor of Anambra State, and PDP’s Vice Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, in 2015. He thoroughly ridiculed and embarrassed Obi for not publicly donating anything to the Ministry.
It triggered a backlash against Mbaka who had to apologize to Obi profusely.
Usually, Mbaka also uses the ocassion to make political predictions. This last Sunday, there was no such predictions. He had had a serious tango with the leadership of the Catholic Diocece Enugu over such predictions, and was warned to stop forthwith. As a disciplinary measure, he was placed on suspension for one month.
However, the warning has not stopped Mbaka from making political statements, recently, in the main, criticizing President Muhammadu Buhari.
Using his presence at the Harvest as a peg, Umahi appealed to Mbaka to stop his criticism of Buhari, so far.
Recall that Mbaka and Buhari were close. He was one of Buhari’s main campaigners in 2015 and 2019. But Mbaka withdrew his support for the President, and became one of his main critics over what the Presidency alleged was President Buhari’s refusal to give Mbaka a contract.
It is left to be seen if Umahi’s largesse, and appeal, will do the magic – that is stop Mbaka from criticizing President Buhari.
