ON FR. EJIKE MBAKA. By Tobenna Obiano.




Hello friends,

I have ignored enough. I wanted to remain calm and continually read through happenings in this forum. At this point, if I refuse to make a point or take a stand, then I am not a sincere or serious-minded fellow. It's on this Fr. Ejike Mbaka's latest posting out of his parish for another.

You may wonder if I read and follow all happenings here. Ofcourse, most times I do, but I prefer to keep my thoughts to myself instead of calling up for shots and counter shots in this forum. I mean, my sense of reasoning politically and within contest of what is happening in Anambra my home particularly and Nigeria our nation would counter the stand of many of us here. It is safer to remain with me or in my own personal public domain and not here. Our choices can always differ. Let this remain a story for another good day.

To my topic. This Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, an age long Nigerian religious celebrity.

Most people would insist that we do not even discuss this, let alone laying blames. They would even go ahead quoting their most preferred choice of the good book, the Holy Bible, 'speak no ill of the anointed and do my prophet no harm'.

I laugh out well whenever such baseless or careless injunctions pop up because I take it as a nonsensical stand of clueless indidviduals because one cannot limit him or hersle to rhat basis and allow wrongs or evil to be pertetuated. Or else, are there no false prophets? Are there no criminal-minded religious heads? Are there not somany spiritual Pastors? Or do you want a list? Well, we all know the answers.

Evil is in the land and it is not limited to only church goers or unbelievers, it is also in the church and amongst God's people. When God's prophets get involved, should they also not be touched?

Laws of the land and of the people are guiding principles which ought to be obeyed to the last, anyone found wanting, nomatter how highly placed, revered or respected, should be made to pick up it's wrath to the fullest. No one is above the law in sane havens.

Those said, I would have insisted, can we discuss real issues rather than sentimental nonsensicals please.

For clarity purposes, I am a stunch Catholic. I attended nearly a seminary school, up to even writing and passinv a Latin Diplomat examination, an afiliate of Urban Universitu, Rome.

You might need to also know that I have an Uncle who is a Catholic priest and a cousin who also was ordained a Priest last year. Infact, if I had pursued and continued for Priestly vocation, I might as well be ordianed a Priest in a year, two or three from now.

I know so deeply about the church's rite, customs and traditions. It is the peak of immaturity and carelessness for Fr. Mbaka to publicly declare war on him with his been chnaged from nearly a life-long parish to another. I just don't get it.

In the church, like someone rightly noted, it is a norm to periodically rotate Priests to different parishes. Infact, in Nigeria, it is mostly done after every year (an annual rite), but usually the Parish Priest do a maximum of six years in each parish (if no problems with his congregation pops up), while Vicars and Priests in residence could be moved at any given time.

Now, do we know that Fr. Mbaka had remained in his now former Parish for onwards of 21 years? He had been there since 1996. Who does that? Where is that done? Is that parish his home? Whatever that is good for the geese is as well good for the gander. If he is sufferring there, let him gove way for another person to help in tge sufferage, if he is enjoying there, let the enjoyment get to others too.

Fr. Mbaka I also read was saying that some church hierarchies forced for his move only to make him suffer. I don't clearly get that.

A call to Priesthood is a call to divine service of God and God's people. A call to Priesthood is a call to humility, simplicity and sanctity of life in acts and dealings. Priests are globally accepted as sufferers.

When he, Mbaka laid down before his Bishop and the religious to proclaim a vow of eternal service to God and God's people, it was never a forceful one. He pledged eternal obedience to God through the Pope and his Bishop willfully. I wonder the worries and tension.

Now, it is a custom that once a young man takes on the Priestly vocation, he leaves his all: family, people, wealth, wills, goodies and belongs fully for God. He has accepted eternal suffering for the good of others. But unless if he, Mbaka actually did not understand what he signed for. Or would he or is he taking the church for granted? These are pertinent questions.

For me, I feel that Fr. Ejike Mbaka's reposting out of his age-long parish is long overdue. The church left that beyond timing.

Now, a good shepherd, like Late. Fr. Gilbert Ohai did, should always even give up himself as a sacrificial lamb and ask to be posted to those remote and hugely underdeveloped areas, to riverines where souls would be won for Christ, people would be converted, the real poorest of the poor would be met, the physically challenged, the mentally retarded, the aged, the helpless and hapless are all stocked in full. These ones are those who need God and salvation more than anyother group. If you truly and genuinely salvage a soul of any one of these, then you are matching forward for heavenly bliss.

And not a romance with the high and mighty, the rich and intelligent, the learned and the ambitious, the established and achievatrons. They are already saved when they make a little effort. They need less help cause they can get help from anywhere.

I saw where it was alleged that he insisted that he was alloted only but a room and he wouldn't or doesn't know where to pack his things, especially his Adoration Ministry articles or belongings or so. I don't understand Fr. Mbaka. We all know that just for the asking, hundreds of his super-rich followers or fans would gladly put up a magnificent edifice for him.

I think it is the time for others to enjoy too. By bringing Mbaka to them, their remote areas would automatically become a pilgrimage destination and that's part of development also.

Fr. Mbaka who also has series of successfully running businesses including printing press, water company, yoghurt company and many more can from the gains of those do the wonders he so desireth himself rather than crying foul. Mbaka is rich, his AMEN ministry is as well super rich.

In other climes, most religious heads wouldn't accept this Fr. Mbaka's style of congragating followers for himself. You may need to know that Mbaka is more popular than his own Bishop. He is like a lord or master amongst co Priests. These are not right and can never be healthy for the church.

It is good he has divine blessings upon him from above, it is even better that he speaks for the speechless and poor; it also did be great to manage himself more properly and watch his limits.

The church should have long called him to order.

If his enemies are after him, let him as a man of God quietly pray about that and rely solely on God's grace and watch his moves too for heavens help those who help themselves. These are what they, men of God preach us all sundays.

Our limit of rights wholly ends where it begins to become problematic to others.

God be blessed and Happy Sunday friends!



Tobenna Obiano

This issue has been over-flogged. It's a punishment, yes, and for a good reason too. He overstepped his boundaries during the past elections.

@ op
pls can you explain why he was posted from parish priest (Oga) to a resident priest to serve under another priest?
Is that not demotion?
just asking @ Op pls enlighten me.

@ op
pls can you explain why he was posted from being a parish priest (Oga) to a resident priest to serve under another priest?
Is that not demotion?
just asking @ Op pls enlighten me.

Benite:
@ op
pls can you explain why he was posted from parish priest (Oga) to a resident priest to serve under another priest?
Is that not demotion?
just asking @ Op pls enlighten me.

it happened always, resident priest is not same as vicar (assistant parish priest) that will even give him more time to face his adoration ministry since he will not be responsible for parish activities but any other duty as may be assign to him by the cathedral administration.

Benite:
@ op
pls can you explain why he was posted from parish priest (Oga) to a resident priest to serve under another priest?
Is that not demotion?
just asking @ Op pls enlighten me.

it happened always, resident priest is not same as vicar (assistant parish priest) that will even give him more time to face his adoration ministry since he will not be responsible for parish activities but any other duty as may be assign to him by the cathedral administration.

even Monsignor are sometimes send to be in residents, in fact, any priest with special duty. like doctors, teachers, etc that can not stay in cathedral are sent to parish close to their work station. but they will be answerable to the parish priest (the landlord)

NwaAdazi:
"but they will be answerable to the parish priest (the landlord)"

Op what can you say about this part Answerable to a parish priest from being a parish priest? meaning the other person will be regulating his activities in church. abi? Them done shut him mouth be that ooo @ op

Benite:

Op what can you say about this part
Answerable to a parish priest from being a parish priest?
meaning the other person will be regulating his activities in church. abi?
Them done shut him mouth be that ooo @ op

Not really, a parish priest is d person in charge of d parish, a priest in residence is a priest on special assignment livin wit d parish. a parish priest cant command a priest in residence like he commands an assitant priest. infact d priest in residence can refuse to do any work, he can refuse to say public mass or participate in activities nobody can boss him around, he has d choice of what he wants.

My old parish has a priest in residence, he doesnt come out for morning mass or sick calls, baptisms he says one mass on sunday, while odas say 2 or 3 and choses when to go for confession. His primary duty isnt d parish, his main duty is his assignment.

Mbaka is lucky he now has time for his ministy since dat is now his primary assignment.

Benite:
@ op
pls can you explain why he was posted from parish priest (Oga) to a resident priest to serve under another priest?
Is that not demotion?
just asking @ Op pls enlighten me.

IT IS not a demotion, priest in residence are usually priest on special assignment, i knw monsigneurs who are priest in residence, it gives dem time for the particular assignment.