By Adadareporters
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State wing, Thursday, distanced itself from the news that it warned about the dangers of sending Fr Ejike Mbaka on a study outside the country by the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.
Mbaka is the spiritual director of the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria. He is currently suspended by the church for making political statements.
A faction called Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide had issued a statement on the subject.
Ohanaeze, in a statement by its state president, Prof Fred O. Eze, and secretary, Dcn Malachy Chuma Ochie, described the report as misleading.
The statement read in part, “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State, has been drawn to a statement currently making the rounds on social media, and purportedly issued by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC), regarding the volte-face between Rev. Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.
“The statement, which was signed by the duo of Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and
Obinna Achionye as president and recretary respectively, is not only misleading but also scandalous; and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Enugu State strongly condemns it and hereby dissociates itself from the statement.
“For the avoidance of doubt, OYC is not known to Ohanaeze Ndigbo and to that extent is an impostor and does not have the authority to speak in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo at any level.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not a religious organization; and to that extent does not involve itself in matters bordering on religious denominational disagreements.
“It is, therefore, embarrassing and mischievous for any group of people to hide under the banner of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to meddle in matters that have no bearing to the mandate of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.”
Ohanaeze described the Catholic Church as ‘a respected global institution with well-established internal mechanisms for resolving its own problems’.
It added, “We, therefore, urge our people to disregard the statement by the nondescript OYC. Ohanaeze Ndigbo will not hesitate to seriously sanction any group that would henceforth bring the organization to public ridicule.”
