By Prince MacDonald Enwere.
As a Pentecostal, I hardly jump into discussions which are at the circumference of the Catholic Church or meddle into
Ecclesiastical matters. Ecclesiastical issues follow divine directions.
In the Catholic denomination, decisions are usually in comformity with doctrinal principles and liturgical dogma of Catholicism.
The recent melodrama between the Presidency, Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese and the spiritual director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Rev Fr Camilius Anthony Ejikemeuwa Ebenezer Mbakaogu reminds me the proverbial story of Mbe and Elephant. When animals wanted to get a new king to replace their late king, one early morning, Hen, their town crier announced that all animals should gather at their meeting point in the following morning. As early as 7am all animals have already gathered to elect their new King. On the spot, Lion was nominated as the chairman of the Ezeship selection committee. He called for nomination, Mbe nominated Elephant. Due to fear, no other animal could come out to challenge him except Dog. But Mbe in his wisdom discouraged Dog. This made Elephant to be returned unopposed as the King.
Thereafter, Elephant appointed Mbe his traditional prime minister. After many years, Mbe started developing interest to be the next King of the animals. He was able to convince many animals who started calling for another election. At the heat of this, Mbe told Elephant not to worry that no animal will defeat him(Elephant) without knowing that Mbe is interested in being the King. Mbe convinced Elephant to chose Pussycat as the chairman of the selection committee. The grandrule then was that any animal that can come out openly to challenge the Elephant and win him will be the next King. No animal could indicate interest to challenge Elephant. Later Mbe indicated interest and told Elephant that they are not going to fight that he should go and relax, since he can't fight Elephant that there is no need for Elephant to disturb himself. So Elephant believed Mbe thinking that Mbe will not challenge him, he went and relax. On the early morning of the election, Mbe went to the election ground and draw a circle and used his legs to scratch it making it to look like where two animals fought. Before other animals started coming out, Mbe had already mobilized some of his friends who are already there jubilating including Pussycat. When other animals came and saw the battle ground where Mbe had already scratched with his legs , Mbe told them that that's where he fought with Elephant and defeated him that Elephant has gone back home. Before Elephant could know what was happening, Pussycat had already declared Mbe winner while other animals start jubilating. Elephant then started pursuing Mbe up and down and threatening to kill him.
The fundamental truth here is that Mbe, the traditional Prime minister to Elephant who contributed to his emergence as the King has turned back against Elephant and the Elephant is threatening to deal with Mbe. Rev Fr. Ejikemeuwa Mbakaogu is a fiery and controversial priest of the holy Catholic Church who has remained a firebrand. Rev Mbaka as an ordained Priest of the great order of Melchizedek in the Eucharistic philosophy has remained famous. The truth is that he may not be a pushover in the Catholic Church. For those who knows Fr MBAKA very well can confirm that he is brave and courageous to his belief, conviction and philosophy. As the only son of his late Father, Chief Humphrey Ogbuefi from Amata Ituku in Awgu LGA of Enugu state, Rev Mbaka has remained controversial from childhood even before his priestly ordination in 1995.
Unfortunately, Fr Mbaka has refused to be non- partisan. One thing going for him is that he is courageous and fearless, he doesn't give a damn. During the administration of Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu state, he wrestled with him and both of them put legs in one pair of trouser. He has refused to be confined to his apostolic mandate. He likes meddling into partisan and participatory politics. The Catholic Church, Enugu Diocese and the Bishop are aware of that. In 2015, he nearly turned himself as the Campaign manager for President Buhari and APC. The Catholic Church didn't crucify him neither did His Holiness at the Vatican heard it. When he condemned and nailed Goodluck Jonathan, both the Bishop and the Catholic Church remained taciturn. When he was busy dishing out his controversial prophecies in favor of APC describing President Buhari then as "God sent" both the Bishop and the Catholic Church didn't see that. Whenever he closes his eyes to say "Thus says the Lord" the APC Government will jump into wild jubilation. Then no body threatened to report him to the Vatican.
Now that he has made a dramatic U-turn , maybe under the direction of the same holy Spirit, they no more believe in "thus says the Lord" rather they are now shouting "Pope must hear this ! Pope must hear thus?! Now that he is calling for the resignation of the President , they have started shouting "crucify him! Crucify him! . It is now they remember that there was a time he came looking for contract at the Presidency.
The Catholic Church is now threatening. They have forgotten that Fr Mbaka is like a bug perched at the scrotum. To remove it requires wisdom and carefulness. Study the atmosphere and the heartbeat of the people. The handwriting is clearly written on the wall.