Fiery Catholic priest, Reverend Father Ejike Camillus Mbaka yesterday relocated to his new duty post at Our Lady Parish, Umuchigbo, Iji Nike accompanied by hundreds of his parishioners, admirers and well-wishers, Nation reports.
He was recently transferred from Christ the King Parish, GRA, Enugu where he had, over the years, built a cult like fellowship on the strength of precision of most of his prophecies and miracles recorded during prayer sessions at his Adoration Centre .
Mbaka prophesised the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of last election and also warned him last month of a plot to kill him.
His followers believe his transfer is a punishment.
Mbaka himself said yesterday that his posting is a witch hunt.
As early as 7am yesterday, a crowd had started forming at the Christ the King (CKP) GRA, Enugu preparatory for the movement.
Several lorry loads, buses and cars filled with people lined the streets as he made his way to Emene.
Band groups dished out music to which people were dancing.
Some were overcome by emotion that they broke down in tears.
Social and economic activities along the major streets came to a temporary halt.
The journey lasted about four hours.
It was a triumphal exit sort of. Mbaka addressed the crowd and said: “I know we are going to suffer between now and a few months to come. I am going to suffer and suffer. I know that.
“I’m 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 Adoration Ministry’s assets.
“I know I’m going to suffer. Fortunately, it is going to happen in the month of lent. So, I am going to use my exit here as a Lenten observance but Jesus said it all in John 16:20 to his apostles that you will be sorrowful and the world will be rejoicing but very soon I will turn your sorrow to joy.
“But for now I know you are going to suffer. The Adoration Ministry is passing through suffering right now even though I’ve accepted that is the will of God. Is the will of God through suffering? It is a mega suffering
“The quantum of the assets of the Adoration Ministry is the only thing I am bothered about for now.
“Where am I going to keep them? I am going to stay in one small room that has only one small bed, one small table, little toilet and bathroom. So where am I going to keep all the adoration assets?
“My clothing and books I can keep in the car or somebody’s house but where will I keep these assets that I have given to the Catholic Church of Enugu?
“But I say may God take the glory and whoever that has offended me, I have forgiven.
“I won’t fight anybody or even dream of battling anybody. If anybody allows the devil to use him, the same that advised you to make a mistake will laugh at you when you cry over the error. The baby is born, there is no going back.
“We are moving out. We have been doing it and we will do it again. Moses was going out with a rod in his hand, Mbaka is moving out with his Bible and this nobody can take away from me.”
Decrying what he described as “attempt by some persons to politicise the church”, by feeding the Bishop falsely, he declared: “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. I pray God to bless all of you who in one way or the other have supported the work of God here and those who have sincerely allowed God to use him or her for the work we did here all these years.
“God will bless the people of God here and reward you according to your labour. The parish is not going to collapse; the church will continue to grow.”
He likened his posting to Iji Nike to the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt.
His words: “God has planned a future and hope out of disaster and where I am going. He will go before me to level mountains.
“The Bible says that He will deliver me from all evil; He will keep my going out and coming in both now and forever… I am praying that God will keep his church and my fellow adorers so that our journey to Umuchigbo will be a journey of Israelites out of Egypt.
“Some of them were grumbling leaving Egyptian soil because they were having the phobia for the unknown but
I am telling you people as a courageous leader, do not be afraid.
“We are moving and in not distant time, you people are going to smile.”
Fr Mbaka should just take his long overdue transfer with the equanimity of a Catholic Priest without raising any unnecessary dust. Why is he calling his transfer an error? Why is he talking about enemies and forgiving them? Why is he creating the impression that the Bishop was ill – advised concerning his transfer and that the Bishop will regret and “cry” over his “error”?
It was a massive and comprehensive Diocesan transfer, and after nearly 15 years in a particular Parish, Mbaka has been 5 times overdue for transfer.
My own Priest at St Anthony’s New GRA, Fr Charles Ozoani, one if the brightest and most intelligent priests I have known was also transferred to Olo in Ezeagu, after just 2 and half years of a great work, and we excreted him yesterday with huge emotional disposition because he is the first Catholic Priest during whose Homilies I take great scriptural teaching notes in my ipad. So, we all miss our priests (though some people are celebrating their own priests’ transfer), but the Work must go on.
To God be the glory!
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