Followers of the Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev Father Ejike Mbaka, on Sunday defied a directive of the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev Callistus Onaga, to stop attending Mbaka’s church.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Bishop Onaga on Saturday in a pastoral injunction on attendance to Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu, enjoined all Catholics to stop visiting the ministry till further notice.
It reported that the bishop advised the Catholic faithful to also pray for Mbaka.
Onaga had “in the light of the happenings in the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu; capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings; and after several fraternal corrections and admonitions to Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the Chaplain of the Ministry; and after having given him pastoral directives and guidelines for the Ministry Chaplaincy, which he persistently violated; and in fulfilment of my pastoral duties as the Chief Shepherd with the obligation to promote and safeguard the Catholic faith and
morals in Enugu Diocese, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Catholic Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese is
concluded.
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“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka at the Catholic Adoration Ministry are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church.”
However, in defiance of the Prohibition, hundreds of Mbaka’s admirers thronged the Adoration ground in protest against the bishop’s directive.
Most of the followers who were with green leaves matched round the Adoration ground.
In a viral video seen by SaharaReporters, they could be heard calling for the removal of Bishop Onaga.
One of them said, “It is Bishop Onaga that should be suspended and not Fr Ejike Mbaka.”
Meanwhile, a human rights organisation, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) has described the suspension order of the bishop as illegal and “a grave attack on the constitutional right of freedom of religion, worship and association.”
A statement issued on Sunday by its President, Comrade Olu Omotayo, called on Enugu Catholic Diocese to retrace its steps from this dangerous incursion into politics and allow people to worship where they like.
The statement is titled, “Closure Of Adoration Worshipping Center Is A Grave Attack On The Constitutional Right Of Freedom Of Religion, Worship And Association Of Millions Of Nigerians Worshipping Thereat.”
It reads in part, “We condemn without equivocation the closure of Adoration Prayer Center, Enugu, which has over the years served as a place of succour for millions of Christians both Catholics and non-Catholics. The decision of the Enugu Catholic Diocese though targeted at the Presiding Priest Rev Fr C. Ejike Mbaka, for his remarks against Mr. Peter Obi, is a grave violation of the Right to Freedom of Worship and Religion of millions of faithful who converge at the center for prayers on a daily basis.
“It would be recalled that the right to freedom of worship is gradually being eroded by religious bodies in Nigeria considering the incident in Abuja when Sheikh Khalid the Imam of Apo Juma’at mosque was removed because of his harsh statement against the President Buhari-led Federal Government.
“The events unfolding in Enugu, where justification is being found to justify the ban by Bishop on Catholics worshipping at Adoration ground because of Fr Mbaka’s statement against Peter Obi, is not only unconstitutional, it’s an attack on the Rule of Law, Freedom of Worship and Religion and taking the country back to the medieval time.
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