Fresh facts have emerged on reason why the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri has distanced herself from the report credited to Rev. Fr Mbaka on the alleged issuance of a dud cheque to the Archdiocese by the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Mbaka had a fortnight ago during a church service attended by Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Imo state, claimed that Okorocha allegedly gave dud cheque to the Owerri Catholic diocese.
Coming at the heels of a reaction by the Archdiocese that Rev Fr Mbaka has no mandate and right to speak for the diocese on such a contentious issue, there are indications the position of the Diocese is hinged on premeditated action as the priest of the Diocese have been looking forward to an opportunity to demystify the enormous influence the Enugu based priest wields beyond his frontiers from the diocese (names withheld) traced the action of the archdiocese to the consecration of Government House by Fr. Mbaka on assumption of office by Governor Okorocha.
The clerics who expressed worry over the controversy were of the opinion that they felt insulted and degraded by that singular action of Fr. Mbaka who allowed himself to be used by Governor Okorocha to humiliate the priests from the Archdiocese.
The Catholic Priests were of the view that it was an affront for Governor Okorocha to have imported Rev Fr Mbaka from Enugu to come and consecrate the Government House, Owerri before the Governor moved in, whereas their are thousands of Priests in the Archdiocese. What that simply means is that priests in Imo are not qualified to perform that function”
Trumpeta further gathered that as a priest who is not from Owerri Diocese and not mandated to speak for the church, Mbaka has no reason to meddle into the affairs of the Diocese of Owerri
In the leader newspaper, a Catholic tabloid, tthe Catholic Archdiocese of reacted to the raging controversy between Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka, spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) and Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo state over N50m donation to Owerri Archdiocese by the state Government.
Worried by the controversy, the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, which was severally mentioned in the media war, decided to clear the air on the issue.
The leader confirmed that the cheque donated to the Archdiocese for the rehabilitation of Maria Assumpta Cathedral Owerri did not bounce as alleged by Fr Mbaka.
“The Vicar general of Owerri Archdiocese, Fr Patrick Ibole regretted the controversy and said Fr. Ejike Mbaka is not a priest of the Archdiocese and should have no business on such matters. He said he should restrict his operations to Enugu and not instigate bad feelings in Owerri. “Fr Mbaka doesn’t have the facts and should not talk about what he doesn’t know.”
Earlier in a press release, the Director of communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Rev Fr George Nwachukwu had said that the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri would like to believe that Fr Mbaka might not have made “this care-free statement “
