Any one in Nigeria who is well grounded on the recent romance between religion and politics especially in this present regime of President Buhari led administration, would observe that amongst the numerous clerics from different Christian denominations and religious sects, Fr Mbaka is one of the most vocal persons that oftentimes Wade’s into majority of pressing issues and topics bothering the Nigerian people. Some persons even perceived him to be a pro-Buharist as minority of his statements seem to suggest he defends the actions and decisions of the often criticised president.
Fr Ejike Mbaka is a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Enugu State. He is a well-known preacher and he owns a special adoration centre where he conducts massive programmes and lots of person all over the country and sometimes even outside Nigerian troops to, for their spiritual needs and prayers.
Due to his vocal nature especially on political affairs, it would not be a thing of surprise to many to witness the fact that he might as well amassed for himself a negative attention and lots of enemies especially also from politicians who perceive him to speak against their political dealings, or who see comments by him as endangering their negative and evil political agenda.
Just recently there was an incidence that transpired at his adoration centre where a priest and persons alleged to be reporters from BBC where allegedly recording events in his program, unknowingly and uninvited.
‘They were secretly recording’ — Mbaka defends attack on BBC reporters
Fr Ejike Mbaka, disclosed that a team of BBC reporters were attacked after they were suspected to be assassins.
The journalists – Chioma Obianinwa and Nnamdi Agbanelo – were reportedly attacked by Mbaka and some men at his residence over a “negative” reportage about the priest.
According to reports, the ugly scenario started when some group of persons had gone to the adoration ground with one Cajethan Obiekezie, another Catholic priest, to interview Mbaka on Wednesday when the altercation occurred.
In his narrative, Maximus Ugwuoke, spokesman of Mbaka’s ministry, said the “estranged” Obiekezie “came with some persons with an unknown identity who were secretly recording the day’s ministry programme”.
The spokesman said it was at that point, the ministry’s security guards “accosted” the reporters.
“We make haste to state that the report was a carefully crafted mendacious narrative calculated to tarnish the image of Fr Mbaka who in his amiable nature could not have done or directed any of those alleged acts of assault on the BBC team or anyone as alleged against him,” Vanguard quoted him as saying.
“An eye witness account of what happened reveals that one Fr Obiekeze (Cajetan) who estranged himself from the ministry and made a viral video with BBC recently abusing Fr Mbaka and his perceived romance with President Mohammadu Buhari, came to join Fr Mbaka at the altar during his last Wednesday’s weekly ministry programme.
“Unknown to anyone in the ministry, the said priest came with some persons with an unknown identity who were secretly recording the day’s ministry programme until they were accosted by the ministry security suspecting them to be assassins on a surveillance mission. The said ministry security seized the equipment of the strange fellows and sought to know their identities.
“Later in the evening after Fr Mbaka was through with the programme and retired to the parish house to continue his consultation with worshippers waiting to see him, altercations between the fellows and the security men at Fr Mbaka’s parish house drew Fr Mbaka’s attention to them and his timely intervention helped to save the situation.
“Fr Mbaka was surprised when the unknown fellows identified themselves as coming from BBC with Fr Obiekezie. Surprised by such obvious betrayal and stage-managed visit from a fellow priest, Fr Mbaka directed that every of their seized equipment be returned to them and made sure no one hurt either the priest or the unknown visitors he surreptitiously came with.”
Ugwuoke added that Mbaka did not invite the BBC team and was notified of their presence at the venue.
It remains a mystery when the alleged recording was being carried out in the first place. Was it an attempt at character assassination of fr Mbaka or was it just for journalism?
it’s even more mind boggling in the opinion of many that a fellow priest was involved in the said fiasco. Hopefully, this Incidence should be resolved amicably and a meaningful explanation should be given to make a clearer and better understanding as what the intentions of the priest and his team of alleged reporters were up to.
Gift Joseph Okpakorese
Staff Writer
