The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has reacted to criticisms that have trailed a viral video recorded during his ministry’s annual harvest and bazaar celebration showing an altercation between him and the Vice-Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, wherein he tried to compel the former governor to publicly disclose how much he would donate to his church project.

As seen in a new YouTube video uploaded by one Dave Partner, the priest in responding to criticisms over the viral video said there was nothing wrong with him asking for donations, stressed that bazaar day is strictly for raising of funds and that is the only time his church asks for donations.

Lambasting his critics, Fr. Mbaka who insisted that God deserves money, said their actions were driven by jealousy and envy, noting that all those fighting him were fighting God, as he asked God to punish his detractors and those “firing arrows at him.”

“There are some people who are ingrates. These are people from the kingdom of succubus and Incubus. I want to tell you that all these things are caused by jealousy and envy. They are not fighting Mbaka for anything wrong.

“Everyone who came was blessed but they turned it against me, saying I am after money. God deserves money. If you don’t want to bring your own in your stinginess, hold it. I will give God all that I have and even if anybody wants to join them, you’re free to join them,” he said.

“Where God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are, there Fr. Mbaka will be. I will build this place for the church. Whoever felt insulted, I apologise. But I didn’t come to your house. It was you who came for the bazaar,” he added.

The cleric said also explained that he demanded money from Obi publicly, because he wanted the process of donation to be open and transparent so that no one would accuse him of diverting funds, adding that every person who made a donation at the bazaar held did so publicly.

“We do it outside, publicly because if I am silent, rumours will begin to spread that someone gave me $10m and why did Mbaka keep quiet? They will abuse me even if I am silent because anytime they want to attack this ministry, they will start somewhere,” he said.

On the statement by the Catholic Bishops Conference warning priests to stay clear of partisan politics, Mbaka insisted that he was not partisan as every person, regardless of political leaning, was free to come to him for blessings, adding that the liturgy was not tampered with.

“If I am silent they will attack, if I talk, they will attack it. And don’t forget that the liturgy was not tampered with. I finished the mass and even removed my priestly attire. No one can fault me on that.”

“As for me, I am in high spirits. I want to assure you, those who are thinking that it is their money we will use to build this ministry, before the end of tomorrow, I will send all their monies into their accounts,” he said.

Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq

Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq is a Journalist, Political Analyst and Satirist with major interest in Nigerian Politics, Governance and Sports.