President Mohammadu Buhari has sent a congratulatory message to Reverend father Ejike Mbaka as the clergyman celebrated his 20th year as a priest.
The Enugu-based minister, has in dramatic fashion, switched his endorsement from Goodluck Jonathan in the last elections to Buhari in January 2015.
Congratulating Mbaka via a statement issued by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, President Buhari extolled Mbaka’s attributes saying: “Father Mbaka is a great priest who was not afraid to speak truth to power, even at the cost of his own life or being hated by leaders in power. Mbaka was a remarkable example that religious leaders are the conscience and moral compass of the society.
“Mbaka rose to the occasion to add his voice in support of good governance and identify with ordinary Nigerians in the face of despair and uncertain future.”
At the 20th anniversary mass which was held at the Christ the King Parish, Enugu, Mbaka said: “I am not tired after 20 years, 20 years of good health; 20 years of miracles from God; 20 years of hard apostolic work; 20 years in the hand of God.
“There was a time they blackmailed me; they were saying such things like ‘Mbaka why? Mbaka this, Mbaka that’, but I have remained in the hand of God.”
At the mass, which was attended by Monica Ugwuanyi, the wife of the Enugu State Governor, Mbaka prayed for President Buhari’s life so “enemies will not destroy him.”
“I also pray for Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi so that God will not allow occultic men to steal his vision,” he said.
Also speaking, the spokesman of the Adoration Ministry, Maximus Ugwuoke debunked claims that politics should stay out of the religious arena.
He said: “Those who are saying he should stay out of politics are misguided. It is part of the role of priests. So, they are merely trying to cow him down but I can tell you that Fr. Mbaka is not somebody to be intimidated; the more they do this, the more he is strengthened.
“In these past years, you can see how God had vindicated him; you can see his prophetic message before the general elections; at a time, he was repeating that prophecy even in the face of threat to his life. So, today, we are celebrating victory against enemies of truth.”
