Catholic Church explains reason for transferring Mbaka

The Leadership of the Catholic Church Nigeria has explained the reason why Revd. Father Ejike Mbaka was transfered from Enugu to Emene.

Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Reverend Father Ralph Madu‎, said Mbaka was transferred  to make him more useful in the parish and not to make him suffer as some people have alleged. He said the Church can transfer any priest to a place where his service will be more useful.

"‎Mbaka’s transfer is not an exception; the Bishop has the right to post any priest wherever he feels his service would be more useful to the church. His posting should have been a privilege, not a punishment," he said.

He added that posting is a regular thing and a priest can be transferred after two, three, four, or more years, depends on the discretion of the Bishop. He said that the transfer is open for further investigation if Revd. Mbaka believes it is a punishment.


"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.”he said

Madu said 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. 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.