Controversial Roman Catholic Priest, Ekije Mbaka, has reacted to backlash that followed his interactions with Peter, a former Anambra governor and the vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP on Sunday.
In a video which went viral, Reverend Father Mbaka, known for his political predictions, told Mr. Obi that “good does not like stinginess” when the latter refused to announce his donation publicly at the fund raising event of the Adoration Ministry of Enugu.
“The way you are going, you and Atiku will end in disgrace,” Mbaka threatened as Obi gestured to him to him insisting that he was going to make a donation privately.
Mbaka, who is the spiritual director of the popular Adoration Ministry, was slammed by politicians and Catholics after the video emerged. He was accused of “selling political prophesies” and he was also accused of immoralities in the house of God by a human rights group, Intersociety.
In a new 17.03-minute video which was posted on Youtube, Father Mbaka, who spoke in English and Igbo intermittently, said God deserves money and there was nothing wrong with him asking for donations.
The preacher also declared that all those are criticising him are fighting God.
“Anybody who is fighting me over the bazaar day is fighting God and God will do the battle,” he said.
He said that he was responding to the backlash to encourage his followers.
“You need the confidence you need. I don’t want you to be cowed down or to be unnecessary intimidated physically, emotionally or spiritually,” he said.
“If Father is asking you to support God’s own project here. God’s own project.
“Anytime they want to attack this ministry, they will start somewhere. I am silent, they will attack it. I say something, they will attack it,” he said.
The cleric explained that bazaar day is strictly for raising of funds and that is the only time his church asks for donations.
“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,” he also declared.
“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.
“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.”
The cleric said all those fighting him were fighting God. He subsequently asked God to punish his detractors and those “firing arrows at him”.
Although he did not mention Obi’s name, Mbaka said any politician who had donated money to his ministry was free to send his or her bank account number and he would gladly return the donation.
He added, “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.”
On why he demanded money from Obi publicly, the cleric said he wanted the process of donation to be open and transparent so that no one would accuse him of diverting funds.
Mbaka said every person who made a donation on the day the bazaar held did so publicly.
The cleric added, “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.
“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.”
The cleric insisted that he was not partisan, adding that every person, regardless of political leaning, was free to come to him for blessings.
The fiery cleric has defended his actions. He claims he was ‘scripturally right’ and ‘not afraid’ and he has the right to tell Obi about his generosity.
