Father Mbaka: Why we transferred the Reverend - Catholic Church reveal

“The Bishop has the right to post any priest wherever he feels his service would be more useful to the church.”

The Catholic church has revealed that the priest and founder of the Enugu Adoration Ministry, Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka was reportedly transferred to a place where he would be more useful to the church, PremiumTimes has gathered.

Fr. Mbaka was transferred from the Christ the King Parish (CKP), GRA, Enugu  to a parish at Emene. The reverend has since decried this move, saying it is a place of 'mega suffering.'

In an interview with PremiumTimes on  Monday, February 1, Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretar‎iat of Nigeria, Reverend Father Ralph Madu said transfer of priests within the catholic church is a “normal church procedure.”

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“Mbaka’s own is not an exception,” Mr. Madu said. “The Bishop has the right to post any priest wherever he feels his service would be more useful to the church.”

Mr. Mbaka is to resume immediately at his new post at the Our Lady Parish, Emene.

Following this transfer, there has been speculations that the move was made by the church because Mbaka is highly supportive of a Muslim president, Mohammadu Buhari.

Mr Madu, has however said, this was not the case and "such frivolities ‎have nothing to do with the posting.”

“His posting should have been a privilege, not a punishment – which the Bishop can do because he has the power.

“If he (Mbaka) says it’s a punishment, then it’s open for further investigation. Posting is a regular thing, a priest can be transferred after two, three, four, or more years, it depends on the discretion of the Bishop.

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“That ministry (Adoration Ministry) is his private ministry, it does not belong to the church. Overseeing a parish is a full time job. Overseeing a ministry is a bigger task. If the church decides to take him somewhere where he’ll have more time to carry out his ministry, how is it punitive? That should not be the language.”

Mr. Madu said Mr. Mbaka had done things that were unacceptable to the church in the past but received no punishments for them.

“He is supposed to be a missionary,” Mr. Madu said. “What if the Bishop had closed down the ministry‎, which is within his power to do? Sometimes, transfers can be for the good of the priest as something can be going wrong which he might not be aware of. The Bishop is free to move any priest at any time, it is his prerogative.”