Respected Catholic priest, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka who was transferred from Christ the King parish, GRA, Enugu to Our Lady Parish, Umuchigbo, Njinike, also in Enugu, on Saturday relocated to his new duty post.
The cleric was transferred few weeks after a well-publicised courtesy visit to President Muhammadu Buhari and the release of a prophecy that some persons were after the president’s life, fuelling rumours that the transfer was politically motivated.
However, the rumour that the transfer was politically-motivated was quelled by the Enugu Diocese through a spokesman who described the transfer as a routine exercise that occurs every six years.
Aside his duties as a Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Mbaka founded and is the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministries, Umuchigbo Nike, Enugu.
Rev. Fr. Mbaka said: “I’m going to suffer because I have no place to put my head. I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the Adoration Ministry’s assets,” Nigerian Eye reported.
He added that he was taking the transfer in good faith, which is in tandem with the priestly oath he took.
“I am giving God the glory and I welcome the church’s choice and action with absolute acceptance and obedience.
“So there is no negation to what God has approved and what the church suggested. Nobody should see me as a recalcitrant priest. I am not.
“I have taken an oath of obedience and I stand on it. I pray God to bless all of you who in one way or the other have supported the work of God here and those who have sincerely allowed God to use him or her for the work we did here all these years.
“God will bless the people of God here and reward you according to your labour. The parish is not going to collapse; the church will continue to grow,” Fr Mbaka said.
While likening the journey to his new parish to the Israelites’ journey out of Egypt, Fr Mbaka said he would place his trust in God to see him through.
“God has planned a future and hope out of disaster and where I am going. He will go before me to level mountains.
“The Bible says that He will deliver me from all evil; He will keep my going out and coming in both now and forever… I am praying that God will keep his church and my fellow adorers so that our journey to Umuchigbo will be a journey of Israelites out of Egypt.
“Some of them were grumbling leaving Egyptian soil because they were having the phobia for the unknown but I am telling you people as a courageous leader, do not be afraid.
“We are moving and in not distant time, you people are going to smile.”