The youth wing of apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC), has appealed to the Catholic authorities to forgive Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka and reopen the Adoration Ministry.

It will be recalled that the ministry was shut down after Mbaka’s outburst against the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.

In a statement made available to journalists, the OYC said the prolonged closure of the Adoration Ministry may affect many homes which benefit either through direct employment or charity intervention by the ministry.

The statement was signed by the OYC National President, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and the Secretary, Comrade Obinna Achionye.

While alleging deliberate plot to frustrate Fr. Mbaka out of the ministry, the OYC said, “instead of being an upper room ministry which is what it is, like the Ebube Monso Ministry and the Catholic Prayer Ministry, Elele, Mbaka’s own has now been converted into a chaplaincy.

“Our information revealed that there is a serious gang up and conspiracy against Fr. Mbaka, in addition to plans to take over everything he has laboured for in life, with a view towards crippling his source of magnified charity to the poor masses and send him out to overseas for further studies after 28 years of his priestly ordination,” the statement added.

The Ohanaeze youths also claimed to have uncovered plans to build a seminary at the Adoration ground, noting that, “if actually it is about Peter Obi, Fr. Mbaka has even apologized for his statements, and we had expected the Church authority to forgive him in line with Biblical injunctions. After all, what he said was a prophecy; the right thing was to pray against it.”

They also appealed to Bishop Callistus Onaga of Enugu Catholic Diocese “to consider the numerous people Fr. Mbaka puts food on their table every day.”

The statement added: “We are saying this because should they take to the streets, it would be difficult to control them. In fact, the situation is just a bomb waiting to explode. We have been talking to them but we don’t know how long we can hold them.

“This is a man who takes care of over 25,000 persons either by direct employment or charity interventions. Such a person should not be treated with levity.

“The Church should learn to practise what they preach on forgiveness. The Bible tells us that forgiveness could be as much as 70 times 70. So, since the priest has apologized, the Church should look at the bigger picture and forgive him,” the group concluded. (Vanguard)

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