The Enugu Diocese of the Catholic Church says Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka was the one who proposed that Rev. Fr. Anthony Amadi should serve as interim administrator for the Adoration Ministry, Emene, Nigeria.

This was made known by the Director of Communications, Enugu Diocese, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, in a statement.

The statement in Enugu on Monday was in reaction to media reports that Mbaka, who was the ministry’s administrator, has been removed by the church.

Achi said Mbaka was not removed from the Adoration Ministry as many reports suggested.

According to him, the Enugu Catholic Diocese only recommended that Fr. Mbaka took time away in solitude in order to listen to what the Spirit of God has to tell him.

He said: “Mbaka was allowed to propose a priest to administer, in the interim, to the faithful at the Adoration Ministry.

“With the approval of his Bishop, on Sunday October 2, 2022, Fr. Mbaka introduced Fr. Anthony Amadi to the worshippers.

“Unfortunately, some people were still not pleased, and would prefer that Fr. Mbaka remains.”

Achi stated that what every true Christian, especially every true Catholic, should do at this moment was to “commit our dear brother and priest, Fr. Mbaka, to God in prayer.

“So that he may, through this moment, encounter God specially, come out stronger and better in recognizing His will for him and gain more graces to channel those rare gifts for His glory.”

This, he said, would help for the sanctification of the people of God and society at large, adding: “Church loves Fr. Mbaka and cherishes him as an illustrious son and may our Mother Mary, the Queen of all Apostles, intercede for him. Amen.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that following the lifting of the ban on worship at the Adoration Ground, Fr. Mbaka held a service at the ministry on Sunday amidst cheers by his followers.

The worshippers were, however, shocked when the cleric announced that he had been removed as the Spiritual Director of the ministry by the Catholic bishop, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga.

He subsequently introduced Amadi, another Catholic priest, as the new Spiritual Director of the ministry.

Mbaka said he had been directed to “proceed to a monastery” as part of the disciplinary measures against him by the church.

He said: “So, while I proceed to the monastery to continue with the remaining disciplinary exercises, as directed, I wouldn’t know how long, but the church has appointed Fr. Anthony Amadi, one of us, to be overseeing all affairs of the ministry, to be assisted by other priests, pending my return, by the grace of God.”

The cleric also announced that the ministry had not fully reopened, explaining that some programmes, including a weekly Friday all-night adoration, remained suspended till further notice.

Adoration Ministry

Anthony Amadi

Enugu Catholic Diocese