From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has told his followers that he would only return to the adoration ground on the orders of Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rev. Calistus Onaga.
Speaking on Wednesday when he made an unscheduled appearance at the adoration ground to address his followers, he pleaded with the faithful to stop attacking the bishop as any attack on the Bishop is also an attack on him.
Thousands of adoration faithful had gathered at the adoration ground despite a directive by the ministry that there would not be services till further notice.
Mbaka said he came out to let them know that he was alive and healthy. He told them to continue to pray for him, assuring that the current setback will end in victory.
He informed the wailing congregants that he had gone for a personal retreat and would return stronger.
Mbaka also urged them to pray for the Bishop and Peter Obi who he described as a son who should be supported by every Igbo.
“I’m a priest of the Catholic Church and the Bishop is my father. I swore an oath to obey him and his successors. I cannot do otherwise.
“I have come to bless you and to dismiss you. I don’t want you to go to the main road. I don’t want you to be pugnacious or to be cantankerous. I don’t want the adorers to be violent. I don’t want Adoration people to be classified as bandits for we’re not bandits. We’re obedient children of God. We love the mother church and the mother church loves us so much.
“We appreciate our Bishop and henceforth, I want to order everybody here to stop Insulting the Bishop. We can’t forget all his goodness to us. This is a time we show our Bishop love. Speak good of him, don’t write anything negative of him. To insult the Bishop is to insult me directly.
“I will never come out here for Mass until the Bishop approves it. Don’t ask me why, because I’m a Catholic priest, I have to obey. I don’t know the date of my return. Only the Bishop will decide.”