By Dennis Agbo, Enugu
Anglican Bishiop of Enugu Episcopal province, Archbishop Emmanuel Olisa Chukwuma has reacted to the controversies generated by Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s conduct of the 2018 Bazaar at his catholic church parish, Emene-Enugu. Excerpts:
What are your reactions to issues emanating from Fr. Mbaka’s last Sunday bazaar?
One is very much disturbed about the way Mbaka is going with his prophecy. One wonders if the Roman Catholic church has a check on their priests. For me, I think that Mbaka should better resign from being a priest to a businessman or a political jingoist, because you don’t force people to give offering or give donation. Moreover, he was so arrogant and was insulting the persons that came. You don’t have to force them or give them conditional way of donation because it was a condition he gave them that if they didn’t give they wouldn’t succeed. It is not right and he should remember his background, his father was an idol worshipper that was even a dibia (native doctor), so he cannot tell me he has any power. I have not seen any miracle that has done in Mbaka’s ministry to say that probably eyes were opened. All his prophecies failed! During the time of Chimaroke (Nnamani) he said that Chimaroke would not go for a second term, Chimaroke would die but Chimaroke finished and went to the senate and came back. He promised he was going to resign but he didn’t resign. He prophesied again that Buhari would come, Buhari has come but that Buhari has messed up because Buhari did not give him oil well and that was what he told the governor of Kano state that in all the people that Buhari is giving allocation, are they better than him? Is he for business or for wining souls? One wonders. Again, who do you blame? You blame those who go there thinking that Mbaka has something to offer. Mbaka has nothing to offer, its false prophecies that he is giving and those who themselves pray to him will lose and will not gain anything. So I advise all those who think that salvation is in Mbaka’s altar to desist from it and Mbaka should stop harassing people with his false prophecy.
Fr. Mbaka
What does the Bible say about donations and gifts?
It says God loves a cheerful giver but you should not give by compulsion. Its a voluntary thing from your heart and no dictation, no falsehood, you don’t have to force somebody to give, you give voluntarily, that’s what God wants. You don’t have to tell somebody conditionally that if you don’t do this you will not succeed or you will fail or you begin to talk rubbish to somebody because he did not give to you. Like Peter Obi, well Peter Obi made a mistake by going there but again I commend Peter Obi for not succumbing to that false prophecy and harassment, its unfortunate. So those who go to Mbaka should know that they are going there only to be extorted and will lose. Mbaka has no strong spiritual prophecy to prevail in anybody’s life and whether you like it or not power belongs to God and God’s own will, will prevail over every politician. Again politicians should stop deceiving themselves.
What is your expectation from the Catholic Church over this matter?
The catholic church knows, from the reactions I got from some some reverend fathers, that Mbaka is disgracing priesthood of reverend fathers. All these things that he is doing are not part of the liturgy. I went to a Roman catholic school and I have not seen Reverend fathers behaving this way. Mbaka is a business man and that should be taken note of and so he should stop this ministry of business and face the ministry of spirituality and salvation.
What advice do you have for Nigerians as we go into 2019 elections?
People should look unto God who is the author and finisher of life and stop deceiving themselves by thinking that they are going to certain altars to get what they want. God said call me in the time of trouble and I will answer you. Face your God and cry to God. All of us should look unto God and power belongs to God.
Disciplining Father Mbaka falls on Bishop of Enugu – Bishop Kaigama
- Says prosperity preaching
not style of Catholic Church
By Sam Eyoboka
Former National President, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama reacts thus: “We heard the news about what happened down there in Enugu and it is quite disturbing because it’s not in our character as Catholic priests to delve into partisan politics and we do not engage in prophetic utterances about politics. If anything our prophetic ministry should be about the promotion of good, how to condemn evil and to talk about injustice in the society and things like that.
“In a nutshell it’s not in our character to delve into such political issues neither do we encourage priests to prophesy about who wins or loses elections. No, that’s not what a Catholic priest should do and that is clearly stated in our Cannon Law and in our mode of convention too. It’s not because we do not encourage political matters or developments but we shouldn’t be partisan or take sides and delve into it in that manner,” the Catholic Archbishop of Jos made the distinction.
Continuing, he emphasized that Catholic priests who have spent 10 or more years studying Theology and Philosophy are duty bound by the doctrines of the church which stipulate that priests must stay away from partisan politics.
“So, anyone who hears that a Catholic priest has been so politically involved like that will not be happy because it’s not in line with our tradition and character,” the former CBCN president said. When asked whether it was right for the priest to threaten candidates to make open their donation or incur the wrath of God, this is how he responded: “Our work is not a business.
“Our ministry is an established institution. Yes, we need resources; human, material, spiritual and otherwise to go ahead with the work of God but you don’t force people to contribute and you don’t blackmail people into donating. We need funds to do our work but certainly not at all costs.
“We respect people who come to our church and they should freely give whether as collection in the church or tithe or donation. They should not be molested or pressurized into donating to the church,” Archbishop Kaigama stated.
Asked the kind of punishment for any priest who had fallen short of the church’s doctrine, the immediate past CBCN president said such action is at the discretion of his presiding bishop.
“The priest knows that money should not be the central theme of his ministry which is well known to all Catholic clergy and when any priest falls out of line, the whole Catholic is worried and feels embarrassed but we always allow the individual diocesan bishop to deal with such erring priest.
“The diocesan bishop whose primary duty it is to care for the Laity and Clergy in the diocese owes a responsibility to ensure that there is sanity and he makes every effort to bring the erring priest to line. At the national level, we allow his bishop to take the necessary steps to bring about sanity in the diocese and I am sure the Bishop of Enugu knows what to do in this case,” Kaigama said.
According to him, the Catholic Church as a whole and in this case, “the Catholic Church in Nigeria knows that it is not our style. Prosperity preaching is not our style. We don’t attract people to our church in order to exploit them, financially or materially. Every Catholic priest trained in Theology and Philosophy for 10 years is aware of this. So, the appropriate steps will be taken to serve as deterrent to other priests who may want to toy similar lines in future.”
Kaigama will not be dragged into the type of reprimand to be meted to Rev. father Ejike Mbaka, saying there are several options available to his bishop, in this case the bishop of Diocese of Enugu.
CAN in 17 Southern states disown Father Mbaka
Apostle Joseph Ajujungwa is the Secretary for the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN in the 17 Southern states of the nation. He told Saturday Vanguard that his Association joins other well meaning Christian organisations including the Catholic Church that has condemned the statement credited to Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka.
Rising from a regional meeting of Enugu State CAN in Enugu, Apostle Ajujungwa said he was in touch with the South East CAN chairman who was also unhappy with the antics of the chairman of Adoration Ground, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka.
“I can tell you that the umbrella body of Christians in Enugu State and the South East as a whole has dissociated itself from the statement made by Father Mbaka. He was speaking for himself because what he was doing was fund raising.
“He was not speaking on behalf of the Catholic Church in Enugu or in Nigeria as a whole. CAN has condemned what he said because everything he said was embarrassing to the Christian community as a whole and we are not in support of it,” Ajujungwa told our reporter, adding that even the Catholic Church too has voiced its disapproval of the priest’s behavior.
“It’s quite unfortunate! Even the Enugu Diocese of the Church has dissociated itself from the statement. Even yesterday, I was with the Chairman of CAN South East, Bishop Goddy Okafor who was vehement in his condemnation of Mbaka’s unorthodox approach to fund raising,” he maintained.
According to him, at this critical period of politics in Nigeria we are not part and parcel of such utterances from the pulpit in the country “and dissociate ourselves from such utterances.
“Nobody is happy with such acts, bringing politicians to the altar of God and making such demands. Even if you have a project, there are better ways to raise fund for church projects instead of cajoling and threatening politicians in the name of the Lord and making false statements as if you are God,” he stated.
“It’s absurd. Making false statements as if the highest bidder takes it all. That’s what he was saying. It’s an embarrassment to the Church of Jesus Christ in Nigeria and we are saying that nobody should associate the Church with such unholy utterances. Mbaka was not speaking on behalf of the Church either in Enugu State, South East or CAN in the 17 Southern states of the country,” Ajujungwa stated.
What Mbaka told Peter Obi
*The encounter that led to the outcry against Mbaka at home and abroad
By Dennis Agbo, Enugu
Mbaka: Amen, Praise the Lord! Orji Uzor Kalu who should be the chairman of today (the bazaar) sent a message, you know he just returned from medical treatment, stitches of his surgery have not been removed. He asked if he could come with the stitches but I told him no, that his health is more important to us and he said he will not delegate anybody but that he will come next week or in two weeks time; that when he comes he will participate in the Mass celebration and announce a project he will execute here. I am happy for that, Amen. We are begging God to protect our brother Peter Obi, if Atiku (Abubakar) comes, we could bless him but (turning to Obi) tell him that it is not with these measured steps that the cow will use to get to Umuahi; that we are telling him if he continues like this before December 31st, because 31st is still far for prophecy, the way he is going about it now, he has already failed. Tell him not to wait till 31st, that if he continues this way, 31st is very far. For you (parting Obi), Amen! My brother Governor (former) let us not play tricks to God, say before these children of God what you will do for God (tried to hand microphone to Obi) or does it mean you don’t want to do anything for God? This is pure trick.
Obi: Father, what I said is straight oh, I said I will come and you show me the project so that we’ll discuss it, that’s what I said.
Mbaka: Okay, let me fearfully agree but this is a political statement.
Obi: (grabs the microphone) Father knows I don’t make political statements. Anybody from Anambra state present here knows that Peter Obi has never promised anything and failed. I am a fundamental catholic, whatever I say in the church, I fulfill it. Father you know that.
Mbaka: Praise the Lord! The guinea fowl said it is the man he ate his yam that he brought the chicken for (proverb). You may be promising and fulfilling promises in Anambra, in your capacity and in what God has done for you Governor (Obi), it is better you listen to me than these things you are saying here. God hates stinginess, I am not saying this to entice you, I am saying it because it will help you in life otherwise you and Atiku will fail! If there is anywhere words should be painted for you it will not be on Mbaka’s altar. Listen! If there is anybody that gives you genuine advise it can save your political destiny. In 2019 you people will not even know when the election will be conducted. You people will not even understand how it went. Praise the living God. How can my brother and my friend come to bazaar without even breaking a kolanut (donation in this sense). You people should listen because I know what I am saying (Obi starts protesting). Listen even if you break kolanut, you do that anonymously. There is a place you are going, vice president of the whole country is not a scout, its not Mass servant. I have not said you should announce anything. Listen Governor (Obi), you saw the Ebonyi man (Governor Dave Umahi) came and spoke, his own project, he didn’t announce it but the way he said it everybody clapped. Ugwuanyi (Enugu state Governor) did not announce anything but what he did attracted claps. You see yours is now taking much long time. Don’t allow us foretell the masqurade in annoyance. The way you and Atiku are moving will end in shame! Let us continue with our Bazaar but listen to me (tapping Obi) since you people have not been supporting us, the ministry has been moving on. What we give here is the holy spirit, Jesus, the Father. The Udi people said they were not feeding with sands when beans had not ripped (proverb). What I am saying is even if you promise to bring him (Atiku) today or to morrow, how else do I let the cat out of the bag for you. (Obi now protesting) listen to me your Excellency, this type of argument leads to failure. Praise the Lord. We want to beg God to bless our brother Peter (Obi) in Jesus name. Let us continue with our bazaar. Let us hand over microphone to our other brother, Hope Uzodinma.
Mbaka’s words to Ganduje, Governor of Kano State
We are already converted that even without his preaching President Buhari belongs to this altar but our problem is we have never been supported by Mr president. Anytime he has problem this ministry carries him almost to the uppermost part of the sky, spiritually, but with zero benefit; even in Islamic culture, ingratitude can pull somebody down.
Here was a big forest when we came in. Because we supported Buhari we were chased out. These things you are seeing, we are building these things by ourselves. No one person has been employed by Buhari after Fr Mbaka almost died and rose for his sake. How I wish you were here when we were speaking to Peter Obi about Atiku. I know that Obi went out here almost disgraced. So supporting Buhari is almost becoming a course, its no longer a blessing. We won’t tell you that we will no longer support him, even if not for his sake but for the sake of his good wife. She has been sending some charity articles, food articles we give to the poor, but this ministry must be built.
For his (Buhari) sake I was almost being assassinated because we stood for him. APC was down till the prophecy came up here that Buhari is going to be the president and after that we were forgotten and abandoned. We are delaying that Atiku will come and see me because I want to know what we can do that will not be put to shame by supporting somebody that God has not approved.
Listen Governor (Ganduje), you know when you were speaking about Igbo people in Kano and all that, these are what we know. We have been supporting you people; if you know what this ministry is passing through because we are supporting Buhari and the attackers are waiting to hear me say we are supporting him again and attack will start and Buhari will remain in his Aso Rock, being somebody who cannot give money. What does that mean?
All the people that he is giving allocation, what qualification do they have that we don’t have? Who amongs them has done for him what we are doing for him, not what we have done but what we are doing for him. Its because of Buhari that we have told Peter Obi all these rubbish he heard today (last Sunday) and I want to tell you, if Buhari must remain ungrateful to this ministry, he is going no where! The one we supported him is what is holding him spiritually. How many times had he died almost? He should not take it for granted that he is now healthy, anything can happen and his health will collapse.
Atiku is waiting for him somewhere and the only thing that can stop Atiku is spiritual. So you people should go and come back, you should not take us for granted. I am speaking with spiritual mandate. Even if you people do not want to do something for us, look at the poor masses that almost died for you people, not even a broom job is given to anybody. How can I speak to them again to support you? All of them love Buhari but they have been abandoned by the same Buhari. So I am telling you, even the image of this our brother ( Senator Ayogu Eze) who wants to be Governor, if had listened, the moment he said he wants to be governor people started shouting No! can you sense it? Because they felt hurt. These are people who came for the bazaar, you have not seen the adoration people. Come here or send somebody on 31st December night, you will know the capacity of people aggrieved. Our loyalty, our support for Buhari not debatable but the way he has paid back to us is dangerous, cancerous and destructive, can pull any leader down. That is why if we now stop supporting Ugwuanyi (Governor) and start supporting this man (Ayogu Eze), he doesn’t need top spend one kobo and win but as of now, the whole Enugu, forget about those that are deceiving him.
So I want you to help and clean the image. It is a culture of ingratitude and I don’t want that to continue. Like now you have come, when you go, tell him severally he will invite me in Abuja, I will go and stay for one week, come back, nobody will see me, I will call and call and call and even when we see him… listen if I tell you the level of fasting and prayers that are generated from this ministry for Buhari’s health, for his continuity.
If there is time I will take you to where I was living. Because of this Buhari I am in this Bush. Can’t the federal government take this ministry as a project? What will lose from their pocket? a ministry that will back them spiritually and they will go forward. So when you go, you organise your people, tell them that the Man called Motherkai has not been rewarded, therefore the king will never have rest.
You know Jonathan thought, with all he has as a president, that he would win. Jonathan is on this side, he is my brother and my friend but he was alive. I told him he would not win, he should resign honourably before he would be disgraced publicly; that Buhari is taking the chair. If it is a place where things work well, the moment Buhari climbed that chair he would come here. What does it take him? One morning flight, he comes here and thanks the ministry that made him who he is and he can fly back. So it is not a matter of breaking kola with anything silently and we announce it. They will still know because it will be in the record.
When you go to am Imam and the Imam hides his feelings and tells you the lies you want to hear, he should be coursed by Allah. What I am telling you is not even up to the level we are feeling. All those who supported Buhari are living in hunger, all those who supported him are abandoned, all are unrewarded. I don’t say we’ll not support him but hear this message and tell him, if he does not change he will be changed. You have to tell him the truth and God will save him, Allah will save him. The people around him are not helping matters. Buhari is a good man. So when you go, you see the young man that is being held there, he wanted to come and take the microphone away that you people are not helping matters and people are holding him. The people are not happy. Hunger brings anger. So if you can arrange for time, he can come here. He may not know what this ministry stands for. This is the gum that can unite many things for you people and God will bless you. So thank you for coming and as you go, may the Lord protect you. Safe journey and come back again. If you come meaningfully, we’ll welcome you joyfully. God bless you and nsha alla it shall be well.
Shame on Catholic Church
By Charles Ogbu
That Mbaka/Peter Obi video portrays the Adoration Pigeon Priest as a morally bankrupt religious Extortionist who specializes in peddling cash-induced prophecies and selling same to the highest bidder.
But to be clear, Mbaka has always been so. Those who pretend not to have noticed before now have simply not been paying attention.
It was in 2002 that Mbaka first unraveled. That year, he would gather his congregation at the Adoration Ministry and ask everyone to start pointing at the Lion building (Enugu govt house) while commanding Holy Ghost fire against the then governor Chimaroke Nnamani whom he said was a wicked Governor who God already told him would not live beyond that year not to talk of winning the 2003 re-election. This Priest didn’t just stop at this weekly harvest of Holy Ghost fire against the governor, he actually went a step further to release a special audio tape titled “This Wicked Generation” in which he swore that if Chimaroke won his 2003 reelection bid, he (Mbaka) would know he was not serving a living God and would therefore resign as a Priest.
2003 election came and governor Chimaroke won his re-election, finished his second term and even contested and won another election as a Senator.
Mbaka neither resigned as he swore he would nor did he even apologize for misrepresenting God.
And here we are!
Well, like I said, I can’t find the right words to qualify the mountain of shame I watched in that video. Not only did this so called Man of God openly suggest to Obi that a huge financial contribution could sway his 31st December prophecy to his favor, he turned around to threaten that the Atiku-Obi ticket would fail unless they build a project for his ministry and still told the Buhari team that Buhari would fail unless he came to visit his ministry with monetary gift. It begs the question, who between Atiku and Buhari will Mbaka’s pigeon gift with victory if the two contenders were to donate the same amount to his Ministry???
This man publicly told Kano state governor Ganduje, that he (Mbaka) embarrassed his own brother, Peter Obi simply because he was anticipating Buhari’s harvest of cash. I watched that part and almost died crying.
There is no way anyone would try to analyse that video without going crazy.
Shame on the Catholic Church for allowing a religious Buccaneer to continue to subject the entire church to bottomless ridicule!
But beyond the shamelessness and unintelligence of that Priest, there is a huge lesson Peter Obi’s refusal to succumb to Mbaka’s blackmail and nursery school manipulation should teach all of us and the lesson Is:
Always stand your ground once you are reasonably convinced you are standing on the right, just and fair ground.
By refusing to publicly announce the project he voluntarily agreed to do for the church, Peter Obi was living true to the gospel of Matthew 6 verse 1 which admonished Christians not to announce their good deeds before men, but to do so secretly so that their father in heaven who sees in secret will reward them. Unfortunately, this gospel was lost on Mbaka, the so called man of God
For Shame!
Anyone who sees Peter Obi should help give him a hug on my behalf. In a working country, that man should be contesting to be the President, not the Vice. His principle, integrity, prudence in managing resources and calmness even in the face of provocation should be studied as a 3 unit course in school.
Please follow me on twitter @RealCharlesOgbu
God laughs from His throne, Catholic priest reacts
I was angry after watching Fr Mbaka’s video until a priest friend of mine sent this in another whatsapp platform, this consoled me, and I hope it will console all who felt disappointed with Fr Mbaka’s utterances. Read:
‘Brothers, I didn’t have the courage to finish the video…it was so disgusting and pitiable.. my only consolation was that Governor Obi didn’t bulge to Mbaka’s antics. It should serve as a lesson to us priests especially those regarded as “powerful Priests”. We must be more careful and tactful especially when our fame is on the upsurge otherwise we throw caution to the winds and make utterances that cast question marks on our so called gift and prophecy.
Mbaka humiliated himself before the public just because he couldn’t penetrate Obi’s pocket. He even uttered words like “stinginess”. “I will make a prophecy in anger”, simply because Obi tried to be the man he has always been. He forgot that Obi doesn’t donate or even invest where he doesn’t see the need.
Mbaka lost manners and decorum all in a bid to make money to build his private ministry. You need to watch other clips. He was even carrying kola to present to Victor Umeh. Imagine what he said to Buhari’s representatives led by Kano state Governor. He said, “we have been used and dumped” …”This ministry has not benefited from Buharis administration”…”This project can be taken as a federal government project and it will cost them nothing”… The list is inexhaustible.
Today, I feel so ashamed for the first time in my life being a Priest all because a senior brother whom many adore belittled himself and made a fun of the ministry of Jesus Christ to which we are called.
I keep asking myself, has he(Mbaka) forgotten the meaning of “alter Christus” that now the prediction of a prophecy is dependent on how fat you donate to his project? I wish we priests should apply caution in our many doings and undoings especially when our numerous fans are singing our praises.
I console myself today on the words of Christ to Peter, “and the gates of hell, shall never prevail” Mtt. 17:18). No matter how we priests try to destroy the Church of Christ, we will never succeed because He said further, “I am with you to the end of time, (Mtt.28:20).
For those who felt ashamed for this ridicule of our Catholic faith and belief, be consoled on the words of Christ of Mal.3:6, “For I am the Lord, I do not change”. Therefore brothers, No matter how often we fail you, God will never fail you, for He alone is enough. Look unto Him and unto no man, we are mere instruments and an instrument can become faulty…Today, the instrument of God through Mbaka in all sense of it became faulty…but God himself is never faulty and I believe that when that utterance was going on, the words of God in Ps.2:4 “ But the one who rules in heaven laughs, the Lord laughs at them” was on the other hand being fulfilled. While Mbaka ridiculed prophetic utterance, God laughs from His throne.
Pray for us priests….’. Copied.
‘Defecating’ on God’s altar
By Chioma Gabriel, Editor Special Features
In the beginning…
It is often said that a long story is not told at benediction. However, that saying can no longer hold true with the way things are going in the Catholic Church nowadays.
Known for its condescending sneer towards the gospel of prosperity, Catholics in Nigeria are today outraged by the events that played out at the recent thanksgiving and bazaar of Adoration Catholic Prayer Ministry in Enugu. Mammon has gained entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the church and it took one man to defile the sacredness of the Church’s holiness.
Money. Mammon. The holy book says the love of money is the root of all evil and many men of God have fallen in love with mammon.
The pride of the Catholic Church is the celibacy of priests because celibate life and ostentatious living do not go pari-passu. For this cause, Mother Theresa lived and died.
But as sin entered the world through one man, greed and corruption have entered the church through corrupt priests.
Angel Lucifer used to stand before the Most High, praising Him day and night but one day, he said to himself: I can ascend the throne of the most high, I can be like the most high…The rest is history.
And here we are.
Defecating in the church
Controversial Catholic priest and Spiritual Director of Adoration Catholic Prayer Ministry, Fr Ejike Mbaka again in the news again over his prophecies on 2019 elections and his attack on the vice presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, Mr Peter Obi for refusing to donate money to his ministry.
Obi had just returned from the Vatican where he received Papal blessing to proceed with his vice presidential ambition but got back home to be ‘defecated’ upon by Fr Mbaka.
In a video that has gone viral, Mbaka was seen telling the vice presidential candidate of PDP, Peter Obi during the annual harvest and bazaar celebration of the church that neither the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar nor President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, would win the 2019 presidential election.
Details of his remarks are boxed above
A man of controversy
Fr Mbaka is not new to controversies. His predictions and prophecies are often greeted with mixed reactions from Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora. Mbaka has the tendency to speak from both sides of the mouth. He says one thing and contradicts himself the next time. He had knocked Buhari severally and turned around again to praise him.
He had also given conflicting prophesies on Buhari and Atiku.He once prophesied that Atiku will defeat President Buhari in the 2019 presidential election but he warned the PDP presidential candidate not to behave like Buhari when he gets to office.
In December 2017, Fr. Mbaka had prayed for Atiku saying that he has what it takes to make Nigerians smile.
Mbaka, who in his new year eve message of 2015, predicted Buhari’s electoral victory over the then President Goodluck Jonathan had also later accused him (Buhari) of playing ethnic, despotic politics by surrounding himself with people without vision and not inclined to his line of thought.
He said the President has wasted a golden opportunity offered him by God and by implication, has disobeyed God.
“Someday, they said the government has spent trillions of naira on social investment scheme and I want to know who are the people they were spending the money on; the vice president said they are giving N10,000 to small scale businesses and I asked, is this how they will transform Nigeria? You give somebody N10,000 for business, what type of business will N10,000 start?”
When Atiku Abubakar emerged the PDP presidential standard-bearer, Mbaka knocked him and raised fears that Atiku may not be able to solve the problems of Nigeria, as according to him, the problems of the nation were so enormous and challenging.
“If anybody is thinking that if Atiku becomes the President of Nigeria, things will get better, ‘who born you? It is easier for a Camel to pass through the eye of a needle than this country to be good.
“Somebody will have billions and want to take the one belonging to the public while hunger will be killing his people. Look at the type of money they shared during the primaries to the extent that they brought Bureau de Change. They said Buhari is change, but Atiku is bureau de change. They were sharing the money in dollars and it was going out in millions of dollars in Nigeria where hunger is killing people, where you don’t have food to eat.
When the ruling All Progressives Congress announced the cost of its Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, Mbaka described the cost as outrageous; saying that if the leadership of the party had conscience, they would not have collected N24 million from people to obtain the forms, adding that a party with conscience would have returned the money to the aspirants instead of casting aspersions on them.
“There are some people that sold their land to pay for this form because of the promise they were made. I don’t think these politicians were thinking of heaven, that is why they are ready to kill anybody that stands on their way,” he said.
Atiku’s response
Irked by Mbaka’s lack of confidence in Atiku, spokesperson of the Atiku Campaign Organisation, Segun Sowunmi had said the 2019 general elections will be based on issues and as such, will not join issues with Rev. Fr Mbaka.
“We have taken the position that we will respect the clergy. We will respect all Nigerians, the leaders of the political class and we will even respect President Muhammadu Buhari and his campaign.
“Therefore, we plead with all Nigerians that we focus on the issues before the nation and the issues, and agenda before the Nigerian nation is that we need an Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to become in charge of the country as he will be able to bring his private sector discipline into the running of government business such that he can open up the economy to serve and add value to everybody in Nigeria including the clergy.
“And in doing that, part of the great care we must take is that the leaders of thought and religious leaders in the society must be encouraged to concentrate on the issues that help us to unite as a country.
“We call on all of them including Father Mbaka to please work with us and the PDP presidential candidate and ask questions where they need clarifications.”
On Mbaka kicking against Buhari’s second term, APC said:
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has not always kept quiet over Mbaka’s pronouncements. When Mbaka kicked against Buhari’s second term initially, the party said it was not bound by the prophecies of any individual as regards the forthcoming presidential election in 2019.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, while responding to a statement credited to Fr. Mbaka, who had advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election then, said the APC as a political party is not run based on prophecies, which, according to him, “is a personal conviction or belief.
“We cannot run a political party by prophecy. Prophecy is a matter of personal conviction or personal belief. The party cannot act based on any kind of prophecies because we are not operating on that. We only act based on what is politically correct. People are free to believe such prophecies but our party will not act or take critical decisions based on prophecies”, he said.
Mbaka then had expressed disapproval of President Buhari’s leadership of Nigeria, and lamented that Nigerians had suffered untold hardship.
He had said, “Mr. President, as I was waiting on the Lord, I’m asked to advise you, don’t come out for second tenure. After this, retire, peacefully. Mr. President you are the cause of your own problem. God gave you an adviser, a wonderful mentor, a visionist, a matriarch, in the person of your wife, Aisha, but you don’t want to listen to her. That woman is heartbroken because she understood that you are not yourself. Come back to yourself or you will cry by the time you will be sent out of office. So, those who are encouraging you to come out and run again, they want to disgrace you shamefully and publicly”, Mbaka had said.
Social media ablaze
But the last straw that broke the camel’s back was the recent utterances which has set the social media on fire. Nigerians have taken to Facebook, Twitter, instagram and through the national media to criticise Fr Mbaka for the recent ‘money for hand, back for ground’ prophesies.
The Catholic Church has also disowned Mbaka, saying he might be disciplined.
According to the Director of Communications, Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, the diocese was not in support of the cleric’s remarks. He noted that it was wrong for priests to make political statements from the pulpit.
“The diocese is not in support of any priest making political statements. The church is supposed to be apolitical and the Bishops’ conference has said that repeatedly. We are not supposed to make any political statements from the pulpit within the context of Mass, that is, church service. So, it would be wrong to stand at the pulpit to make any political statement. There is a document issued by the Bishops’ conference to that effect. So, he just spoke on his own, not representing the diocese.
“We are not expected to come out openly to support a particular candidate for any reason. The church’s law does not accept such a thing. So, it would be wrong for anybody (priest) to come out and give an endorsement to a particular candidate.”
In a tweet by Mazi Odera on the issue, he said: “How can Rev FR Mbaka throw caution to the wind and attack a PAPAL KNIGHT with this venom standing on the altar of the Most High? This is the same man who the former Pope gave a Papal’s knight on his commitment and propagation of the gospel with his wealth. His great and good work rang all over the world and attracted commendations, not only from Catholics but wider world.
“This same Peter Obi just came back three days ago from Vatican where the Pope called him and gave him his Papal blessing and how can Mbaka who is not even a Cardinal go against the Pope like this, all to score cheap political points? How can the Catholic House of Bishop watch this affront and remain silent? This must be what made Christ to throw down the table of money changers in the temple and call them den of robbers.
.”Peter Obi is being accused as the governor who brought the church closer to government, which I can authoritatively say that he has done more to churches than all other governors lumped together, including what he did for schools, health centers, hospitals and church buildings. His monthly visitation to schools all over Nigeria with standard 1 Million Naira cheques has never been beaten or rivaled. So, why should Mbaka force him to pledge his finance for him or he will carry out his threat of prophesying against his candidature as if God has handed his mantle to him. “The threat and intimidation is ungodly, unwarranted and filled with venomous mischief.
In his reaction, James Olisa Asiegbu said, “Church, to the best of my knowledge, is a hospital for the sinners and not a club for the saints. Let’s leave the actions of Fr Mbaka to the circle of clergy for cautioning. But what ever happened, the pride, prestige and respect of Peter Obi is still intact. A man that showered so much love for his people during his tenure can not be easily ridiculed.”
Enechukwu Okechukwu Trinity said, “If we cannot speak when our men of God are misleading us, then we will continue living in this mess. It’s high time we called a spade a spade instead of painting words. I know that Nigerians won’t even be misled on issues of whom to vote in. We are waiting. It’s a sacrilege when men of God choose to support evil because of money”.
Buchi Diboh said, “ Peter Obi visited Vatican, met the Pope and sought his blessings. The Pope did not demand for money but prayed for him. He came to Enugu to meet Rev. Father Mbaka, a parish priest. You know the rest of the story? Africa Why?”
For Maria Udeh Nwachi, “I could not finish this video. I am a huge fan of Father Mbaka, but what he displayed here was totally not like the man I completely adore. It takes courage to watch this video to the end. My courage failed me here. The few minutes I watched, I was shaking and in tears. I feltembarrassed and humiliated all through. It was not easy. I am in a very horrible mood over what I saw.”
Reno Omokri, former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan also blasted Fr. Ejike Mbaka for asking the Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje to ‘sow seed’ to God’s altar.
Omokri accused Reverend Mbaka of inviting Ganduje, who has been accused of collecting kick backs from contractors, with video evidence, to the ‘House of God.’
“This is the same Mbaka who asked Nigerians to reject PDP and vote for the APC in 2015. It was wrong to invite Ganduje to sow ‘stolen funds’ at the altar of God.”
In a tweet, Dr Joe Abah asked, “
Can any Catholic person please educate me on why Ejike Mbaka is still a Catholic priest? Is he still part of the Catholic Church or is he on his own now?”
For Mazi Chima Amadi, Ph.D, “Was Gandollar representing PMB in Mbaka’s bazaar? If no, who invited him?”
Daddy freeze has also thrown sour grapes at Reverend Father Mbaka for blasting Peter Obi for refusing to donate money.
Engineer Anujulu Nonso said: I am a Catholic. An APGA faithful but after watching this Fr. Mbaka political harvest yesterday, I came to a conclusion that Fr. Mbaka is not what you think he is. Why persuade Peter Obi to make a donation and saying that Atiku will lose the 2019 election ? What nonsense?
“Peter Obi is the wisest politician ever lived. You can’t push him to do what he doesn’t wish to do. He earned my respect, my support and my vote after Sunday. Who is Mbaka to decide what will happen in Nigeria’s politics? Come what may, I am with Obi both now and at the poll. I will fight the battle with him till the end. Mbaka, don’t let me renounce my Christian faith because of you. Enough is enough.”
Don’t crucify Mbaka, pray for him, Peter Obi begs Nigerians
*Says donations to churches attract greater rewards when done secretly
The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Peter Obi, has asked people to stop attacking Rev. Ejike Mbaka over his prophecies.
Obi’s reaction came following a pronouncement by Mbaka on Sunday that both Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Peter Obi would fail the way they were going. He wanted Obi to announce a project he would do for his church. He also said that President Muhammadu of the All Progressives Congress was yet to show gratitude for his prophecies and prayers and “will be changed if he doesn’t change.”
In a statement by Obi’s media aide, Val Obienyem, the former governor of Anambra State said he did not feel bad about the priest’s pronouncement.
Obi maintained that in every situation, there would be something positive to learn from what happened, adding that Mbaka had always spoken from the “higher perspective of wisdom.”
The PDP vice presidential candidate implored the laity to always remember their priests in prayers, adding that it was wrong for priests to be attacked based on what they say on the pulpits.
He said, “Please let us leave Fr. Mbaka alone; our duty to him is prayers for God to lead him aright.
“While one may disagree with him, we should always acknowledge that he speaks and acts from the higher perspective of wisdom.”
Obi who noted that he had a Reverend Sister and a Reverend Father as elder and younger siblings respectively, added, “I have full respect for men of God and will always remember them in my prayers. When they go wrong as humans, subject to human frailties, ours is not to castigate them, but to pray to God to lead them aright.”
Describing donations to churches as an “appreciation of God’s love and benevolence to us, Obi said, “they attract more rewards when done secretly.