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Followers of the Religious Director, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev Father Ejike Mbaka, on Sunday defied a directive of the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev Callistus Onaga, to cease attending Mbaka’s church.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Bishop Onaga on Saturday in a pastoral injunction on attendance to Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu, enjoined all Catholics to cease visiting the ministry until additional discover.
It reported that the bishop suggested the Catholic trustworthy to additionally pray for Mbaka.
Onaga had “within the gentle of the happenings within the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu; able to undermining the Catholic religion and teachings; and after a number of fraternal corrections and admonitions to Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the Chaplain of the Ministry; and after having given him pastoral directives and tips for the Ministry Chaplaincy, which he persistently violated; and in fulfilment of my pastoral duties because the Chief Shepherd with the duty to advertise and safeguard the Catholic religion and
morals in Enugu Diocese, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, spiritual and lay trustworthy) henceforth from attending all spiritual and liturgical actions of the Catholic Adoration Ministry till the due canonical course of initiated by the Diocese is
concluded.
“My choice is predicated on the truth that a number of the teachings and utterances of Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka on the Catholic Adoration Ministry aren’t per the teachings and religion of the Catholic Church.”
Nonetheless, in defiance of the Prohibition, lots of of Mbaka’s admirers thronged the Adoration floor in protest towards the bishop’s directive.
Many of the followers who have been with inexperienced leaves matched around the Adoration floor.
In a viral video seen by SaharaReporters, they could possibly be heard calling for the removing of Bishop Onaga.
Certainly one of them mentioned, “It’s Bishop Onaga that needs to be suspended and never Fr Ejike Mbaka.”
In the meantime, a human rights organisation, Civil Rights Realisation and Development Community (CRRAN) has described the suspension order of the bishop as unlawful and “a grave assault on the constitutional proper of freedom of faith, worship and affiliation.”
A press release issued on Sunday by its President, Comrade Olu Omotayo, referred to as on Enugu Catholic Diocese to retrace its steps from this harmful incursion into politics and permit folks to worship the place they like.
The assertion is titled, “Closure Of Adoration Worshipping Middle Is A Grave Assault On The Constitutional Proper Of Freedom Of Faith, Worship And Affiliation Of Thousands and thousands Of Nigerians Worshipping Thereat.”
It reads partially, “We condemn with out equivocation the closure of Adoration Prayer Middle, Enugu, which has over time served as a spot of succour for tens of millions of Christians each Catholics and non-Catholics. The choice of the Enugu Catholic Diocese although focused on the Presiding Priest Rev Fr C. Ejike Mbaka, for his remarks towards Mr. Peter Obi, is a grave violation of the Proper to Freedom of Worship and Faith of tens of millions of trustworthy who converge on the heart for prayers each day.
“It might be recalled that the suitable to freedom of worship is steadily being eroded by spiritual our bodies in Nigeria contemplating the incident in Abuja when Sheikh Khalid the Imam of Apo Juma’at mosque was eliminated due to his harsh assertion towards the President Buhari-led Federal Authorities.
“The occasions unfolding in Enugu, the place justification is being discovered to justify the ban by Bishop on Catholics worshipping at Adoration floor due to Fr Mbaka’s assertion towards Peter Obi, just isn’t solely unconstitutional, it is an assault on the Rule of Legislation, Freedom of Worship and Faith and taking the nation again to the medieval time.
“It might be recalled that in the course of the Abuja incident on the removing of Sheikh Khalid no person cited Quranic injunctions that Muslims ought to respect and obey leaders in authority as a way to justify the illegal removing of the Imam however the removing was roundly condemned by all together with Muslims and Christians, so the Enugu incident needs to be roundly condemned.
“It might even be recalled that Father Mbaka was solely admonished and Adoration companies suspended for weeks some months in the past as a result of he criticized the Federal Authorities, which all of us condemned.”
It added, “We submit that for anyone to cover below Canon regulation and shut down the place tens of millions of trustworthy worship as a result of the Presiding Priest made a harsh assertion towards Peter Obi just isn’t solely a grave violation of Freedom of speech and affiliation of the priest however a grave violation of the liberty of worship and faith of tens of millions of trustworthy, each Catholics and non-Catholics who worship each day on the heart.
“We hope that the Enugu Diocese of the Catholic Church will retrace its steps from this harmful incursion into politics and permit folks to worship the place they like.
“It’s unconstitutional to shut down a spot of worship in Nigeria below any guise in anyway due to remarks towards any particular person even when it’s the president of the Federation. The Courtroom of Enchantment in Arthur Nwankwo’s case acknowledged that the rights assured the residents of this nation below the Structure needs to be jealously guarded.”
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