Catholic priest Father Mbaka hands over to successor at his Enugu parish after 20 years

FIERY Catholic priest Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka has stood down as the head of the Christ the King Parish in Enugu where he has served for the last 20 years and handed over to his successor Reverend Father Theodore Ozoamalu.

 

While delivering a sermon as the spiritual director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Reverend Ejike Mbaka, gained national and international acclaim in December 2014 when he attacked President Goodluck Jonathan's economic policies at a Christmas mass. He has since been attacked by critics who accuse him of dabbling into politics, while his supporters have praised him for saying the truth.

 

Last month, President Muhammadu Buhari received Reverend Mbaka at the presidential villa in Abuja, where he praised his courage. During the hand-over ceremony yesterday, Reverend Mbaka said he was going to suffer as he would be moving from a duplex to a room in Our Lady Parish, Emene, where he is to serve as a resident priest, under another clergyman.

 

He, however, urged them not to worry, asserting that God has greater plans for him. However, Reverend Mbaka said he welcomed the decision of the church leadership to transfer him with absolute acceptance and obedience, stating that nobody should see him as a recalcitrant priest.

 

After his controversial sermon, Father Mbaka became a target for the then government and he said that some members of the Jonathan administration wanted to kill him. At one stage, all his bank accounts were frozen by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in what political opponents described as a government crackdown.

 

Reverend Mbaka added: “I know we are going to suffer. Between now and few months to come, I am going to suffer because I have no place to lay my head.

 

"I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the ministry’s assets. Fortunately it’s going to happen in the month of Lent, so I am going to use my exit here to observe Lent but Jesus said it to His apostles in John 16:20, ‘You will be sorrowful and the world will be rejoicing but very soon I will turn your sorrows to joy."

 

He added that the Adoration Ministry is passing through suffering right now but he has accepted it as the will of God. Father Mbaka said all the money that he made through private crusades was used to build the church in Enugu.

 

He assured his followers that the parish would not collapse due to his exit and urged them to treat his successor well and assist him in any way he needs help. Father Mbaka said God will keep the parish because they have fought the good fight and as such he regrets nothing as the highest gift God has given him is his Holy Spirit who assisted him up till now.