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Fr Divine Austine writes Fr Mbaka From America

The many persistent sad events unfolding in Nigeria particularly this year has reminded me of the famous Igbo saying, “Chi fo, anu ozo,” (Day break brings breaking news). In Igboland, “Chi fo anu ozo” indicates two things: one, all is not well with the society; two, what is harming the society is multiplying and doubling down. What is injuring Nigeria is happening at different levels of the society. It is happening at the political level, at the economic level, at the social level and at the religious level. It is occurring at a fast speed and with much intensity. It is either unknown gunmen have attacked a correctional facility in the East or Boko Haram or the herdsmen or bandits have kidnapped school children. On Wednesday 5, 2021, we woke up with the news: “The Controversial priest, Father Mbaka is Missing.” Today, the breaking news is “Catholic Church Suspends Father Mbaka Over Row With Buhari.” As expected, many people with zero knowledge of how the Catholic Church is governed are all over the social media attacking Bishop Callistus Onaga, Mbaka’s Bishop and the Catholic Church. Some commentators have even accused the Catholic Church of being an enabler of a wicked regime. Others queried why Fr. Mbaka should be censored in the face of massive killings going on the country. Someone even said, “They cannot suspend Rev. Fr. Mbaka because he is under divine supernatural and not flesh direction.” The reactions have been swift and commendation of the Mother Church brutal. However, what is common in all of these responses is the complete ignorance of how the Catholic Church is run. For those who do not know, the Catholic Church is not a Pentecostal church. It is not one roadside church founded by some guy. The Catholic Church is a hierarchical institution. The pope is the leader of the universal Church; the Bishop is the shepherd of the local diocese, he governs his diocese, not in compete detachment from the pope but in communion with him. Each Priest and deacon are generally under a Bishop. For those who do not know, the Catholic Church is the only church that can trace her origin all the way back to Christ and the Apostles. It is bigger and larger than one individual.

Furthermore, every priest at his ordination promised to be obedient to his bishop and his successors. On my ordination day, I made that promise. On the very day that Fr. Mbaka was ordained, he made that promise too. The Adoration Ministry is not Fr. Mbaka’s ministry but the ministry of the Catholic Church in Enugu Diocese. It is the prerogative of the Bishop of Enugu Diocese to decide where Fr. Mbaka will exercise his priestly ministry, how he exercises it, the nature of work he does and whether he should minister at all. The Sacrament of Holy Orders (priesthood) is a gift from Jesus Christ through the Church. No one confers the honor upon himself. The Bishop of Enugu diocese is Fr. Mbaka’s ecclesiastical authority. For Fr. Mbaka to continue to function as a Catholic priest, he must listen to him and be obedient to him. The true test of holiness for a Catholic priest or religious is obedience to the Bishop or major superior. Imagine what would have happened if the first disciples of Jesus had ignored the Lord’s command to gather in Jerusalem and to wait for him.

The news making round is that Fr. Mbaka has been suspended for 30 days. If that is true, then the suspension is coming at a wrong time. There were better times in the past when many people expected his Bishop to act decisively, but he did not. Before the 2019 General Election in Nigeria, Fr. Mbaka caused serious uproar when he publicly asked the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to make a financial donation if he wants a favorable prophesy. Even after Bishop Onaga banned every form of political prediction and prophesy, Fr. Mbaka disobeyed his order by publicly endorsing the incumbent President Buhari. That was the time I expected his Bishop to withdraw him from ministry, send him on a long retreat or studies overseas. In my previous articles, I had argued that Fr. Mbaka whom I love so much needs a time-out. I had said that he has reached his saturation point and needs to step away, recharge, refuel and return. Withdrawing Fr. Mbaka from ministry at a time when he simply reechoed the sentiments of many Nigerians is a bad move. Don’t get me wrong. I am not challenging his Bishop’s decision. I am only saying that the decision to suspend him is coming at a wrong time. A lot of people are already giving very bad interpretations to the Bishop’s decision. The Catholic Church in Nigeria which fought the military regimes of Generals Sani Abacha and IBB are now being accused of aligning and supporting a deeply incompetent leadership of Buhari. This is going to cost the Catholic Church in Enugu Diocese and in Nigeria. I hope the Bishop of Enugu Diocese has enough security around his residence. As we saw yesterday, a good number of people who visit Adoration Ministry ground are religious thugs.

I am urging priests and lay people who are close to Fr. Mbaka to speak to him. What he does now will be keenly watched and will determine his fate. If you have access to Fr. Mbaka, please tell him to listen to his bishop and be obedient to him. He should learn from the mistakes of the former Archbishop of Lusaka, Emmanuel Milingo, who due to his disobedience was excommunicated and the late former Catholic priest of Aba Diocese, Peter Anosike. The Catholic Church is bigger than one individual. Fr. Mbaka should never allow the number of people who protested yesterday to get in his head. When Peter Anosike was removed from his parish in Azumiri, thousands of people in Aba and its environs protested on the streets and demanded for his reinstatement. Eventually, Anosike disobediently left the Catholic Church and took the Church to court to claim ownership of what he built in Azumiri. He lost the case because everything he built was done in the name of the Catholic Diocese of Aba. After a few years of trying to regain his ground in Aba which of course failed, he relocated to Lagos. While in Lagos, Peter Anosike got married, but lived very unhappy life. He eventually died a sad man. If you know Fr. Mbaka, please share my article with him. I love him dearly. I don’t want him gone or lost. But right now, he should listen to his Bishop. As for lay faithful, priests and religious, let’s pray for him. He is our brother. Let no one encourage him to fight and disobey his Bishop If he does so, he will lose. In the process, he may lose his priesthood, his reputation and everything. And it could cost him his salvation.

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR
Thursday, May 6, 2021
St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota

ABSU Students Kidnapped- Whereabouts Unknown

 

Abia State Government has confirmed the abduction of some students of Abia State University, (ABSU) Uturu.

In a statement signed by Chief John Okiyi Kalu, Honorable Commissioner for Information, Abia State, the government working with the government is currently working with Imo State Government and relevant security agencies in both states to ensure the rescue of the students and others.

He stated further: “the government is currently monitoring an incident that happened in Okigwe, Imo State, yesterday which led to the suspected abduction of yet to be determined number of students of the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), who apparently ran into a yet to be identified gang of hoodlums operating along the Okigwe-Uturu Road.

“Preliminary information available to us indicates that the students were moving in a mini van from Okigwe to Uturu between 7pm – 8pm when they ran into the armed gang who marched them into the nearby forest along with other yet to be identified travelers. Two of the students managed to escape from the hoodlums while others are still being held at a yet to be identified location.

“We are working with the government of Imo State and relevant security agencies in both states to ensure the rescue of the abducted students and others.

“Members of the public and ABSU community are advised to remain calm as we will spare no resource in ensuring the safety of the victims.

“No criminal operating within our environment will be allowed to escape justice as we take the job of protecting lives and property of Abians and visitors to the State very seriously”

MBAKA: Catholic Church calls for ‘Prayer Of Atonement and Reparation’

The Catholic Diocese of Enugu State has called for a prayer of Atonement and Reparation over what they described as desecration of “the holy altar of sacrifice” by the followers of Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka of Adoration Ministry.

On Wednesday, 5th of May, the follower of Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka took to the street of Enugu to protest the sudden disappearance of the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria. The protesters marched to the Bishop’s Court at Igboeze Street, Independence Layout Enugu where they destroyed some parts of the building.

In a statement signed by Bishop Callistus Onaga, the Bishop of Enugu Catholic Diocese, called on all Parishes, Chaplaincies and Religious Houses in Catholic Diocese of Enugu are to embark on this prayer.

The statement reads:

On 5 May 2021, the followers of Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria violently broke into the diocesan cathedral Church and desecrated the holy altar of sacrifice. Over and above this, they brutally vandalized the diocesan bishop’s residence, the cathedral parish house and the secretariat building complex.

Therefore. I hereby declare and call for a one week union of prayer in repiration and atonement for this heinous act against our central place of worship and the sanctity of the Church. The prayer begins from Friday, 7th May to Friday, 14th May 2021. Every parish, chaplaincy and religious community in the
diocese is obliged to participate in this holy activity.

In addition to the traditional May devotion prayers (like daily benediction), the following prayers are to be offered for this purpose
(a) 5 decades of the Holy Rosary
(b) Act of Reparation to the Most Blessed Sacrament (attached to this letter) and
(C) Psaims 51 and 23.

I enjoin you to remain sober and keep the diocese in prayer. With divine assistance and grace, we shall overcome this challenging moment. May Our Lady, the Queen of May intercede for us, Amen.

 

 

Video: When We Speak ,Something Happens

IS BISHOP ONAGA WORKING WITH ENEMIES TO EMBARRASS FR. MBAKA OR WHAT?

Charismatic Enugu priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has disclosed that the authorities of the Enugu Catholic Diocese were behind his two days ordeal.

Mbaka, who addressed his parishioners at the Adoration ground in Umuchigbo Nike, Enugu, said he was summoned by the Bishop from where he was kept incommunicado.

He said the plan was to keep him for 30 days.

He said a lot of issues were presented against him after which the Church leadership, led by Bishop Calistus Onaga told him that he would remain indoors for one month, a period that would allow him pray and meditate over his activities.

The priest said he requested to be allowed the opportunity to come and address his parishioners after which he would shut down, “but they said No. Allow me to and celebrate mass for my people just for today, I won’t even tell them that I am being punished, they said, No. I will just tell my members that I’m going for 30 days prayer, that after 30 days, we will come back and everybody will obey, they said, No.

“I also begged them to appoint another priest to come and celebrate mass for you today, they also said No.

“They didn’t treat me in a pastoral way. I was asking ‘am I being punished for what’?

“They said it was a meeting, but even before I reached the Bishop’s house, 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.

Mbaka cautioned that “in a time and cases like this, don’t give me a punishment that will cause troubles for us because I’m not alone.”

He said Bishop Onaga upon seeing the protest over his predicament, allowed him to go.

Mbaka said one of things presented against him was that he blessed Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as well as his recent criticism of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Government.

“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.

Source: Social media

Breaking: Catholic Church Suspends Father Mbaka As DSS Denied Encounter With Mbaka

The Report reaching us that the Catholic Diocese of Enugu has suspended Ejike Mbaka from church activities for one month, according to unverified source .

Mr Mbaka was asked to proceed on suspension with effect from May 3 after being summoned by Bishop Callistus Valentine Onaga, the Diocesan Bishop. Bishop Onaga called Fr Mbaka in following his repeated clashes with President Muhammadu Buhari and warned that his conduct was smearing the image of the church, the largest of any Christian organization worldwide, church officials familiar with the matter told our Reporter.M

Fr Mbaka sparred with Mr Buhari’s aides in a series of verbal fireworks that included the Nigerian Presidency threatening to blackmail the Priest as a political jobber and public contract racketeer. Fr Mbaka denied the allegations.

Bishop Onaga and other senior Reverend Fathers of the Enugu Diocese were compelled to step in and mitigate the unfolding public perception  that could have far-reaching consequences on the image of the Church.

The church leaders recognised that Fr Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry as an independent congregation that does not fall directly under the main church’s control, he could still be reined in as a priest under the Roman Catholic’s certification, officials said.

Following his suspension, Fr Mbaka returned to his ministry located north of the outskirts of Enugu city centre, where he subsequently incited his members against the Bishop, sources said.

Fr Mbaka’s followers claimed without evidence that he was kidnapped by Bishop Onaga and handed over to the State Security Service. They subsequently marched on the premises of the Bishop on Wednesday morning with placards bearing several inscriptions.

The members went to town to allege that the SSS had arrested Fr Mbaka — generating widespread media reports despite lacking requisite corroboration.

A spokesman for the SSS denied taking Fr Mbaka into custody or coming in any contacts with him .

A spokesman for the Diocese did not immediately return a request seeking comments. Fr Mbaka’s line was switched off when dialled by The Gazette on Wednesday night.

Before falling out with Mr Buhari recently, Fr Mbaka was an ardent supporter of the President. He endorsed his campaign in 2015 and claimed his blessings played a role in its success.

But as Mr Buhari’s regime failed to tackle acute poverty and insecurity, Fr Mbaka said he was compelled to speak up and distance himself from his regime, describing it as evil and satanic and calling on the President himself to vacate office.

Mr Buhari’s controversial spokesman Garba Shehu subsequently issued a statement, claiming Fr Mbaka’s comments were out of anger for his unsuccessful attempts to corner lucrative federal contracts. The priest denied the allegations but confirmed that he recommended a group of security contractors to the president whose proposals were not acted upon.

Church sources said Fr Mbaka’s latest suspension was being viewed as significant for its undertone, but not the first time the fiery priest would face administrative action.

“We know people will link this to his confrontation with Buhari, but he was once demoted from a parish priest to a deputy under a parish priest,” a church official said.

“He had also been transferred from bigger parishes to smaller ones for his frequent infractions in the past.”

Still, church officials admitted Mr Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry has been a cash cow for the Enugu Diocese, even though it was built by Mr Mbaka and not directly under its control.

 

Source ; The Gazette

Breaking: Fear Grip Senators As Boko Haram Threaten to Attack the National Assembly

There is currently a heightened tension leading to palpable fears in the National Assembly over increasing threats of a terrorist attack on the premises.

A report by DAILY INDEPENDENT said that credible security intelligence had alerted the political and bureaucratic leadership of the legislative arm with measures being put in place to avert any incident.

Driving into the premises has been tedious since Monday, due to security checks put in place by the management, with operatives jointly stopping and searching in-bound vehicles.

Currently, the House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, has just interrupted the plenary session to address his colleagues on undisclosed issues.However, given the palpable tension within the legislative complex, the closed door session called for by the Speaker may not be unconnected with the said threats of attacks by the murderous terrorist group.

In a related report, The PUNCH said that several members of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, confirmed to their correspondent that they had been notified of the imminent attack by the terrorist group.

One of them, who is from a state in the South-West, said his presence would henceforth be limited on the premises.

“That is the security alert I saw today. I’m already moving out of here. I’ll only be around when there is a major reason to do so. Nowhere is safe in the country anymore,” he said.Already the notice on the impending attack has been made available to the lawmakers.

The notice, a copy of which our correspondent obtained, was sent to the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, other principal officers and all members of the House.

The ‘security alert’, dated May 4, 2021, was issued by Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security, National Assembly, Mr Usman Shiddi.

 

Journalist101

Breaking:DSS Released Fr Mbaka

Reports reaching us has it that Reverend Fr Ejike Mbaka was released minutes ago by the Department of Security Services (DSS).

According to an eye witness at Adoration Ground, Enugu, members of the worship centre are currently running into the place, rejoicing. He also told our reporter that a very close relative of the Reverend confirmed that he has been released.

“As I am talking to you now, I see a convoy going to Adoration Grounds, confirming what a relative of his told me. I am going back there now. He is safe and sound, and has been released”.

Meanwhile, others reports say that Catholic faithful earlier today besieged the Enugu Bishop’s Court holding Bishop Callistus Onaga hostage.

The crowd demanded for the release of Mbaka, who was allegedly arrested by security agents Tuesday.

According to them, Bishop Onaga called Mbaka on the phone and handed him over.

Adorationers who arrived for the Wednesday programme were shocked by Mbaka’s absence leading to a protest to the Bishop’s residence.

Parts of the bishop’s house were destroyed by the protesters who demanded for Mbaka.

Breaking: Fr. Mbaka Return Sparks Jubilation Allover Enugu State

we can authoritatively confirm the return of the Enugu Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka who reportedly suddenly went missing earlier today.

Mbaka’s return, Wednesday afternoon sparked massive jubilation across Enugu, especially from members of his church and Adoration faithfuls.

Wild protest had followed reported disappearance of the fiery priest with Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council claiming that the federal government was behind his disappearance.

we will bring further details on this as Mbaka is set to address a press conference today.
Journalist101

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