Mbaka in the Eye of the Storm By Jude Atupulazi

Again, www.odogwublog.com fan and Editor of Fides Newspaper writes on Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka’s utterances during the end of year in his adoration prayer ground.

The last two weeks have been awash with the so-called comments of fire brand Catholic priest, Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka on President Goodluck Jonathan and his opponent, Retired General Muhammadu Buhari. The majority of those who were part of the heated debate, took exception to what they saw as his double speak or speaking from the two sides of his mouth. This, they said, was unbecoming of a man of God, more so, a Catholic priest.

Before I delve into this issue, let me make it clear that all I’m going to say in this piece is my opinion as the title of this column (As I See It) suggests. It is therefore not the opinion of this paper, Fides.

Now back to the matter in hand. Father Mbaka is known to be a fiery preacher but this is exactly what makes him controversial at times and this is why he is embroiled in the current web of criticism over his latest utterances. Indeed the condemnations trailing those comments went viral on the internet, with many over stepping their bounds in their criticism.

What triggered all this were two separate comments made by the priest on Jonathan’s administration and the abducted Chibok girls which were seen as contradictory and ipso facto unbecoming of a priest.

The first instance was when the country’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan visited Mbaka’s Enugu adoration ground sometime in November last year. That day Mbaka, who had previously been attacking the Jonathan-led FG, was said to have praised Jonathan and his government to high heavens this way: 

“I want to ask those saying that Jonathan must bring back the Chibok girls. Is Jonathan holding the Chibok Girls? When you, First Lady, went to Borno, you said ‘there is God oh!...Jonathan is not a kidnapper’. We are giving you our support. You have done a lot for this country. You have done it with distractions. We wonder what you will do without distractions. We know what you will do. Adoration will support you and your husband” (Fr. Ejike Mbaka, November 9, 2014).

Then barely a month later, long after the First Lady had left, Mbaka was quoted to have said thus in an apparent volte face:

“Up till now, nobody knows the whereabouts of the innocent Chibok girls kidnapped by Boko Haram and we say we have a government that cannot guarantee the welfare, safety and security of the citizens,” (Fr. Ejike Mbaka, December 31, 2014)

These separate comments coming close to each other are what many people involved in the debate have failed to synchronize. To them, it appears that Mbaka is not consistent. It also appears as though he speaks in favour of whoever visits his adoration ground; hence his earlier favourable comments on Jonathan and the Chibok girls when the First Lady came calling.

To them, if that is not the case, how come he soon after reverted to attacking Jonathan as he was doing before the visit of the First Lady?

Well I believe this is a matter one must tread with caution in order not to run foul of the Biblical injunction that we should touch not God’s anointed and cause His prophets no harm (Psalm 105 vs 15).

That noted, I believe however that some constructive analyses of the trending controversy have to be made in order to avoid a repeat of this issue.

First is that men of God, no matter their good intentions, should speak with respect when criticising leaders. They should also not be too political. Has Mbaka refrained from these two issues? I think not.

Let’s go back to memory lane.

During the time of former Enugu State governor, Chimaroke Nnamani, Mbaka was unduly critical of his regime and often used uncomplimentary words against him publicly. If any man of God should elect to advise a leader, many people had felt and still feel, it should be in private. That is why no Catholic bishop has come out openly to attack any leader personally. At most they issue guarded statements out of respect for their office. It is the press that usually lays things open.

That is also why the Catholic bishop of Abuja Most Rev John Onaiyekan and the president of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) virtually disowned Mbaka outburst on Jonathan, pointing out that he did not speak for the Church.

In those days of Nnamani as captured in Mbaka’s recorded preaching, the then governor and other politicians in the state were always the butt of denigrating attacks.

Thus one would hear things like ‘Ken Nnamani if you deny that you attended PDP meeting to remove Sullivan Chime the heavens will destroy you.’

‘Jim Nwobodo, if you deny attending that meeting you will not return to this town again.’  

‘Jonathan, the seat you are occupying belongs to a dead man’.

‘Nwodo, the day of your death will not be like the day you stopped your party primaries.’

As if that wasn’t enough he then told Nwodo to be ready to enter the coffin bought for him, even as he then accused Jonathan of master minding rigging in the PDP primaries despite preaching transparency.

It was also at that time that Mbaka allegedly predicted that Nnamani would not win election for his second term. But Nnamani won.

Later Mbaka transferred his aggression to Nnamani’s successor, Sullivan Chime, who was then popular in the state. Mbaka was said to have also predicted his removal from office or something like that but Sullivan not only stayed, but is on his way to completing his second tenure.

Thus even though as a priest Mbaka should speak on trending issues, it is how it is said that makes the difference. If not, people whom he has spoken against have a right to react and when this happens, it can become embarrassing to the Church whose priests have always been respected. That was exactly what happened last week.

It is therefore important that priests of the Church should not be too directly involved in political matters where emotions have always run high and which could degenerate to a seeming disrespect to the priesthood.

This is why one commentator on the internet stated thus: ‘Men of God, I mean real men of God are required to stand as “Watchmen” looking over the city, telling the truth to the authorities without fear or favour. If Mbaka felt that President Jonathan erred in the Chibok girls’ debacle, he should have said so on November 9, 2014 (when Jonathan’s wife visited).

The writer continued: ‘’Then about a month later the same man of God who is expected to be a watchman without double-speaking spoke another thing. This is ridiculous to say the least, it is either the man of God believes that Jonathan is not holding the girls or that he believes that Jonathan is holding the girls, but to be speaking from both sides of his mouth is too appalling to be candidly honest.

‘’It is also either that he believes that Jonathan has done well even with distractions as he said in November 2014 or that he believes that Jonathan has not done well as he said in December 2014.

‘’It is high time these men would either chose (sic) the pulpit or the political podium,’’ the writer concluded.

What the writer meant is that Mbaka by avoiding criticising Jonathan’s government in front of his wife and later doing so after she had left, has left himself open to a sucker punch. He means that Mbaka appears to be ‘’afraid’’ of speaking his mind when circumstances are not conducive.

Mbaka was said (rightly or wrongly) to have then said he didn’t care if Buhari ruled Nigeria as long as he did well thereafter. Well, if this is true, then it is even more unfortunate. It was one statement that was bound to elicit a torrent of reactions which came pouring forth.

Knowing Buhari’s antecedents, which include seeking to Islamize Nigeria, one may not be queried if one labels Buhari an anti-Christ. Any allusion therefore to his being a preferred candidate won’t be welcomed, at least in the Christian-dominated Eastern Nigeria at this time of heightened tensions between Christians and Moslems. But I want to believe he was misquoted.

Secondly has Mbaka any right to concern himself with what happens internally in political parties? Yes and no. yes, in the sense that he owes the world the truth on any issue he feels is not right.

No, in the sense that he shouldn’t be delving too deeply in internal issues like party primaries, especially when members of the party are involved in the usual scheming associated with such.

To have gone public to literally curse the principal actors is not fair, especially by packaging them in recorded speeches. Such could lead to lack of respect for the people so lampooned and their followers are bound to fight back.

We were brought up to believe that we should not talk back to a priest regardless of what he says on the pulpit. But whatever he says is supposed to border on faith and Biblical teachings. It is therefore expected that when for example a priest, pastor or imam calls one’s father a thief, especially when one does not see the father as such, the person will naturally react. This has the tendency of causing confusion and acrimony. Is it necessary? No, indeed.

Everything in life should be done with decorum and some people because of their position are more bound to be decorous; people like priests. Failure to act decorously will invite all manner of people to fight them as is happening now. It is unfortunate.

For us Catholics, it can be embarrassing. We have often berated Pentecostal pastors for doing such things and I, particularly, have not spared them in this column. This is why I feel I should comment now on this matter too.

Has Mbaka erred? Time will tell, but I maintain that caution should simply be the word for people as reverenced as priests. But I pray for a cessation of hostilities against Mbaka before it leads to something else. I rest my case.

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