Catholic priest and Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Rev. Ejike Mbaka, has denied any involvement in the protests carried out by his followers at the Adoration ground on Sunday.
Mbaka in a statement said he is acting in obedience to the directive of Bishop Callistus Onaga of Enugu Catholic Diocese to impose a ban on worshippers attending his church.
“My attention has been drawn to activities that took place in the Adoration ground on Sunday. I am not in any way involved in such activity,” Mbaka said.
“We received with obedience the directive issued by my Bishop, His Excellency, Most Rev CVV Onaga on June 17, 2022”.
Mbaka called on all the members of his Ministry to remain calm and united with the Diocese and to stop insulting the Bishop.
“May I, therefore, appeal to the faithful, in particular members of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria, to remain calm and united with the body of Christ in the Diocese and also refrain from any measure of violence either in action or by abusive utterances,” Mbaka said.
“Those who take to attacking or insulting my dear Bishop should desist from such. The Bishop is the Shepherd of the Church in the Diocese and we remain his flock who in every way and at all times is expected to be respectful, obedient, and willing to respond favourably to his apostolic directives.”
He also announced a suspension of all Adoration Ministry activities till further notice.
Bishop Onaga barred members from attending services in Mbaka’s church after the latter called former Anambra State governor Peter Obi “a stingy man” who would never rule Nigeria.
He had said that until Obi came and knelt before the adoration alter that his presidential ambitions would be in vain.
Mbaka thereafter apologised to Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 general election, while the church is shut by the Enugu Catholic Diocese.
SOurce: Guardian.ng