Catholic faithful wept freely yesterday, as its fiery priest and founder of the Enugu Adoration Ministry, Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka, moved to his new parish at Emene, a suburb of the state capital.
Thousands of the church members, who thronged the Christ the King Parish (CKP), GRA, Enugu shed tears as trucks, buses and cars lined up to convey the belongings of the priest and the Adoration Ministry out of the premises. But Fr. Mbaka, who managed to control his emotions, as he looked through the wailing crowd had while describing his transfer as the will of God, said he was convinced the leadership of the church approved it to make him suffer.
He said those who plotted his transfer want him to suffer, as they did not consider his security and where he would put his head.
Reviewing how much he had contributed to building the CKP parish from 1997 when he was posted there without any structure till now, he stated that he had been transferred to a location where there was not enough provision to enable him continue his ministry.
He said: “I know I am going there to suffer within now and few months. I am going to suffer because I have no place to put my head. I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the ministry’s assets. I know I am going to suffer and fortunately it is going to happen in the month of lent. Although, I have accepted it as the will of God, it is a mega suffering. All these while, we have been keeping the vineyard and building the Christ the King Parish. All the money I got from my cassettes and crusades were spent on the church, the school and parsonage.”
Decrying what he described as attempt by some persons to politicise the church, by feeding the Bishop with falsehood, he noted: “I am giving God the glory and I welcome the church’s choice and action with absolute acceptance and obedience.
“So, there is no negation to what God has approved and what the church suggested. Nobody should see me as a recalcitrant priest. I am not. I have taken an oath of obedience and I stand on it,” he said.
