Mbaka needs retraining, group tells Pope

Pope Francis has been urged to invite Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, to the Vatican for retraining.

The appeal was made by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law. The group said to save the image of the church from further embarrassment from Mbaka, that there is an urgent need for the Adoration priest to be retrained.

The group was reacting to the recent show of shame involving Mbaka and the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi.

Mbaka had after Obi refused to make an open donation during his ministry’s harvest in Enugu, said that the PDP will not win the 2019 poll.

Though Mbaka had apologised to Obi and Nigerians, but the intersociety said on Sunday he needs retraining as a priest

“For the purpose of saving the image of the Mother Church and the people of good conscience , Father Mbaka is in dire of pastoral study and sanctification classroom leave.

“He is also in dire need of fresh ideas , including post priesthood bachelor ’s degree or post graduate studies and qualifications.

“He must be transformed from ‘trader -priest ’ to priest of scholarship and eminent spiritual background and not allowed to return to Nigeria until he completes a doctorate in any chosen or assigned discipline,” the group said.

The group condemned the level of crave for materialism and acquisition in most modern day churches and called on the Catholic church to beging campaigns to end the ugly trend.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga has rejected the recent apology Mbaka tendered to Obi.

Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry is under the jurisdiction and supervision of Bishop Onaga.

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Onaga said during the weekend at a diaconate ordination mass celebrated at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu:

“Before we met Mbaka, he had already apologised to Obi but when we listened to the apology, we realized it was no apology but apologetics, so we mandated him to do a written apology to Obi which he agreed to do and actually did it in our presence.

“He was remorseful and regretted his action. We believe he would do the needful by sending across the written apology,” he said.

While he urged priests under his control to maintain strict neutrality in matters of politics and focus of their mandate as priests, he said Mbaka is gifted but should not allow himself be led into disobeying the directives and authority of the church.

“I urge you all to pray for Fr. Ejike Mbaka. This man has added value to the church through his work. I have on several occasions told him that he is gifted but we must not allow anybody railroad us into disobeying the directives of the church. I therefore urge you all to pray for him so that the church can maximize his gift to the glory of God,” he added.

By Ebere Ndukwu….

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