Mbaka: Bishop Onaga Closes Down Adoration Ministry; Bars Priests, Catholic Faithful From Ministry

By Uche Mbah

The embattled  Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria, AMEN, Rev. Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, got his beloved Adoration Center, Enugu, closed by the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, His Lordship, Calistus Onaga.

Mbaka recently fell into disrepute when he declared that the Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, can never rule Nigeria because he is stingy.

Obi is a Knight in the Catholic Church, his elder brother a Priest and his younger sister a Reverend Sister. He has held several personal audience with the Pope in the past.

The uproar generated by such pronouncement against Obi resulted in the Catholic Enugu Diocese dissociating itself from his position. A number of his Priest-Colleagues, thousands of Nigerian Youths, other Nigerians including, Iyom Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu took him on.

Mbaka,as part of damage control, did a mea culpa-apologizing to the former governor of Anambra State calling him “my friend and brother. He also apologized to the youths.

But the leadership of Enugu Diocese Saturday closed down his Ministry. They have had enough of him and his controversies and scandalous incidents.

In a release personally signed by the Bishop, titled” Pastoral injunction on attendance to Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy, Enugu”, the Bishop said his decision is based on the fact that Mbaka’s teachings are at variance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The release reads in part:

“In the light of the happening in the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy, Enugu, capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings; and after several fraternal corrections and admonitions to Father Camilus 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 Enugu Diocese, I HEREBY PROHIBIT ALL CATHOLICS (CLERGY, RELIGIOUS AND LAY FAITHFUL) HENCEFORTH FROM ATTENDING ALL RELIGIONS 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. Camilus 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 Father Mbaka and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu as I entrust him and the Diocese to the maternal care and the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles. ”

This is the second time the Diocese would deal with Mbaka over Obi. In 2019, he was suspended for one month.