Followers of theCatholic priest, Fr. Ejike Mbaka, on Sunday, in their numbers have protested the recent ban of the church members from attending services at the Adoration Ministry.
The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Callistus Onaga, on Friday, banned Catholic members from attending activities at the Adoration Ministry, following Fr. Mbaka’s comments against Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate.
Mr Mbaka, during his weekly ministration service, on Wednesday, said Mr Obi would not be president of Nigeria in 2023 because he is a “stingy man who does not give out money to people.”
He also said that Mr. Obi is cursed and can never be president except God ceases to exist adding that Mr. Obi should come back to the ministry and tender an apology.
Many Nigerians, including the diocese, criticised him over his comment on Mr Obi.
However, the cleric later apologized to the former governor and his supporters saying that his intent was not to malign the LP presidential candidate.
Mr Onaga, while announcing the ban, explained that the decision was taken because of Mr Mbaka’s refusal to heed several “fraternal corrections and admonitions” extended to him by the diocesan leadership.
He said Catholic members remained banned from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the ministry until the “due process initiated by the diocese is concluded.”
Hours after the ban went public, the cleric announced the suspension of all religious programmes in the ministry beginning from Sunday (today) until further notice.
Although no reason was given for the sudden suspension, it is believed to be in obedience to the ban on Catholic members by Mr Onaga.
But on Sunday, barely two days after, many of the cleric’s followers marched around some streets close to the ministry’s ground at Emene, chanting solidarity songs.
They also demanded the removal of Mr Onaga as the bishop of the diocese.
A video clip of the protest has gone viral on social media. In the video clip the protesters were seen carrying green leaves and sticks and chanting “Onaga must go,” “No more Onaga,” “No more Catholic Church”.The protesters said they were not happy with the Bishop’s decision to ban Catholic members from attending the ministry.
“Onaga should leave. Other bishops are not talking except him. He should be posted elsewhere,” said one of the protesters.
Meanwhile an Enugu based human right activist, Olu Omotayo has condemned the closure of the adoration centre by the Catholic Church describing the action as unconstitutional.
In a statement on Sunday, he said that the closure of the centre was an attack on the constitutional right of freedom of religion, of worship and of association which members of the Adoration Ministry are entitled to.
Omotayo who is the President of Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) called on Bishop Onoga to retrace his steps and reopen the worship center.
The statement is titled, “Closure Of Adoration Worshipping Center Is A Grave Attack On The Constitutional Right Of Freedom Of Religion, Worship And Association Of Millions Of Nigerians Worshipping Thereat.”
It reads, “We condemn without equivocation the closure of Adoration Prayer Center, Enugu, which has over the years served as a place of succour for millions of Christians both Catholics and non-Catholics. The decision of the Enugu Catholic Diocese though targeted at the Presiding Priest Rev Fr C. Ejike Mbaka, for his remarks against Mr. Peter Obi, is a grave violation of the Right to Freedom of Worship and Religion of millions of faithful who converge at the center for prayers on a daily basis.”
“It would be recalled that the right to freedom of worship is gradually being eroded by religious bodies in Nigeria considering the incident in Abuja when Sheikh Khalid the Imam of Apo Juma’at mosque was removed because of his harsh statement against the President Buhari-led Federal Government.”
“The events unfolding in Enugu, where justification is being found to justify the ban by Bishop on Catholics worshipping at Adoration ground because of Fr Mbaka’s statement against Peter Obi, is not only unconstitutional, it’s an attack on the Rule of Law, Freedom of Worship and Religion and taking the country back to the medieval time.”
“It would be recalled that during the Abuja incident on the removal of Sheikh Khalid nobody cited Quranic injunctions that Muslims should respect and obey leaders in authority in order to justify the unlawful removal of the Imam but the removal was roundly condemned by all including Muslims and Christians, so the Enugu incident should be roundly condemned.”
“It would also be recalled that Father Mbaka was only admonished and Adoration services suspended for weeks some months ago because he criticized the Federal Government, which we all condemned.”
It added, “We submit that for anybody to hide under Canon law and close down where millions of faithful worship because the Presiding Priest made a harsh statement against Peter Obi is not only a grave violation of Freedom of speech and association of the priest but a grave violation of the freedom of worship and religion of millions of faithful, both Catholics and non-Catholics who worship daily at the center.”
“We hope that the Enugu Diocese of the Catholic Church will retrace its steps from this dangerous incursion into politics and allow people to worship where they like.”
“It is unconstitutional to close down a place of worship in Nigeria under any guise whatsoever because of remarks against any person even if it is the president of the Federation. The Court of Appeal in Arthur Nwankwo’s case stated that the rights guaranteed the citizens of this country under the Constitution should be jealously guarded.”
