“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.”
The above were the very words of the Diocesan Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Callistus V.C. Onaga, while announcing the ban of activities at the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy, Enugu, following the untoward statement made by Rev. Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the Director of Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy, Enugu on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, to the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Fr. Mbaka, during one of his sermons at the Adoration Ministry, reportedly “attacked the good reputation of Mr. Peter Obi, describing him as ‘a stingy man’ and as ‘a joker’, contrary to canon 220 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law which prohibits anyone from illegitimately harming the good name of a person.”
Consequently, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, in a disclaimer “condemned and dissociated herself from the unbecoming and divisive utterances” made by Fr. Mbaka; with the emphasis that, the utterances were strictly “Fr. Mbaka’s views, “entirely personal to him… and not the collective view of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.
To this end, Fr. Mbaka has apologized to the Diocese and to Mr. Obi saying:
“I am not in any political party, but support good people and good governance. Any good person that God can give us is my choice candidate. I am a servant of God; For the sake of peace, I ask for forgiveness in any way I am misunderstood.
“And to Peter Obi himself, I ask God to bless him and manifest his will in his life. When God says Yes, who can say No? And when God says No, who can say Yes?
“I bless Peter Obi and pray for him. I bless my dear fellow Adores and pray for them. I bless the people of God everywhere and I pray that it shall be well with you all.”
Mbaka continued,
“My intention is not to fight or malign Mr. Peter Obi. He is my friend and remains my friend and brother. I love him and I wish him success.
“May God bless him and his good supporters. God’s will be done in his political endeavors.”