THE Catholic Diocese of Enugu is in a quandary about what to do with their obstreperous priest and spiritual director of the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka.
In January 2016, after the controversial priest had revelled in tons of political prophecies that drew the ire of the Goodluck Jonathan government, he was posted out of the Christ the King Parish, GRA, Enugu, where he started his ministry, to the lesser known Our Lady Parish, Umuchigbo, Nje-Nike.
No one can say exactly how the Diocesan leadership would treat the new controversy stirred by the ebullient and irrepressible priest. What could they do to keep him silent? He had once been posted from GTC, Enugu, to CKP, where in six months, according to some sources, he supervised the building of the church cathedral and parish house. He must have an unparalleled, albeit controversial, system of fundraising that delivered quick results. But his controversial statements led to what some interpreted as a punishing exile to a less attractive parish in Emene. Yet, neither the censure by the Diocesan leadership nor his transfer from parish to parish has dampened both his outlandish prophecies and his exceedingly candid but embarrassing portrayal of men in power. Nor has his baiting of politicians seeking electoral victory abated one bit.
He browbeat the Jonathan government, endorsed the Muhammadu Buhari candidacy, spoke searingly about many men in office, especially in the Southeast, and played ducks and drakes with the affections and gullibility of thousands who thronged and still throng his Adoration prayer grounds. If the Diocesan leadership thought that his transfer in 2016 would quieten his theology and dissipate his strength and followers, they were grossly mistaken. The eager dupes who flock to him cannot be dissuaded by anything, not even his flagrant and questionable methods of fund-raising, nor his abrasive, inordinate and sacrilegious putdowns.
Fr Mbaka’s latest sacrilege is his diminution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential running mate, Peter Obi, a former Anambra State governor whom he described as stingy for refusing to disclose in what ways he would assist the Adoration Ministry. Fr Mbaka had invited Mr Obi to the annual harvest and bazaar celebration, and seized the opportunity to squeeze donations out of him. But the thrifty Mr Obi could not be cajoled into parting with anything, let alone announcing any gift on behalf of himself or former vice president Atiku Abubakar, to whom he is running mate in next year’s presidential election. Consequently, Fr Mbaka denounced him and predicted that his stinginess would cost him and his principal the election.
The bazaar, held last Sunday at the Adoration ground, was a public ceremony, with many politicians and candidates in coming elections present. Fr Mbaka was full of admiration for those from whom he had coaxed substantial donations, but unsparing to those, like Mr Obi, who showed an uncommon parsimoniousness. The priest’s strong-arm method of raising donations is of course not a new thing. He had perfected it over the years and elevated it into a successful art form. It had yielded great projects over one decade and enhanced his reputation and standing in the church. Lured into doctrinal complanications, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, upbraided Fr Mbaka and reiterated their warnings to priests indulging overtly or covertly in politics.
Said Fr Achi: “The church is apolitical. The church doesn’t take any political position at any time and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), a couple of weeks ago, issued an official statement to that effect; that the pulpit should not be used for any political campaign or the priest coming out to endorse any candidate as against the other. So, there has been official statement to that effect by CBCN. So, anything on the contrary is against what the church is teaching. He (Fr Mbaka) doesn’t represent the official position of the church because the church’s position has always been clear and that is what the position of the church has always been, and it hasn’t changed yet. Church officials don’t come out and make political statements or say things that might suggest that one political candidate is endorsed as against the other, no. It is against the church’s mode of operation. It is against the church’s principles.”
In a follow-up statement issued by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), the church insisted: “While we are sure that Enugu Catholic Diocese where Fr. Mbaka is incardinated has or taking appropriate measures on the reported incident, we wish to categorically reiterate that no Catholic Priest is permitted to be involved in partisan politics. All liturgical ceremonies must never be used as an occasion for campaigns ahead of 2019 political activities. Catholic Church remains apolitical and would never support or subscribe to any political party. Our concern is for peaceful election process seen to be free, fair, credible and just, and a democratic governance that would herald peace, justice, equity, development and religious freedom for the common good.” The hint that the Enugu Diocese would take steps to return Fr Mbaka to doctrinal rectitude is unmistakeable. But whether whatever steps they take will be adequate or effective remains to be seen.
The Enugu Diocese will ponder two major arguments in their search for ways to discipline their controversial priest. One, how would they handle the worshippers who adore and sustain the Adoration Ministry, a throng that has clearly become powerful, unyielding, and even idolatrous? Two, how could they regulate the church’s fund-raising propensity in such a way that the funding of future church projects is not jeopardised? They will recall that in 2016, and even before then, they had had reason to caution and discipline their exuberant priest. They will also recall that they had to pull their punches because he was effective and getting things done. More importantly, they will recall how gingerly they proceeded against him in the face of his diehard followers who resented the lid their eminences attempted to place on the young priest.
So, once again, the Diocese will find themselves, despite their deep resentment of Fr Mbaka’s methods, proceeding with utmost caution. It is indubitable that the priest is wrong, unwise, recalcitrant and doctrinally inexact. They will therefore attempt to treat him severely, hoping that like what the punitive posting of 2016 attempted to do, the uppity and irreverent Fr Mbaka could be wearied into some form of unaccustomed silence or lethargy, or perhaps total compliance. Such outcomes, however, will jar against the priest’s DNA.
There is also no doubt that the Catholic Church, despite their long history of embracing liberation theology and other forms of theological activism, possesses stringent and adequate rules and regulations to govern church activities in political environments. Their main dilemma will however be how to enforce such rules in the face of populist priests who lack the restraint and moderation necessary to insulate the church from the putrefying practice of selling prophetic favours. Fr Mbaka unwisely gave the impression to politicians that his prophecies were up for sale, sale to the highest bidders. No corruption is worse than that. Indeed, if the Catholic Church hierarchy continues to feel that the Enugu Diocese is soft on the priest, there is no telling whether they would not be minded to disregard the consequences and wield the big stick.
What Fr Mbaka did last Sunday at the Adoration harvest and bazaar was execrable and indefensible. Mr Obi wisely bore the harassment and insult hurled at him by the priest. But it is perhaps time the Catholic Church eventually wielded the big stick to save their reputation.
END
Mbaka’s hypocritical righteous superiority is beginning to get
on the nerves of Igbo Catholics.
As the saying goes ‘what’s better than money?’