Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka.
Popular and charismatic Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has made scathing criticisms of the federal government over its continuing detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra as well as its policy of redesigning the Naira.
In his first major message to the country since he resumed duties at the Adoration Ministry,( AMEN) the outspoken priest, on Sunday, strongly warned the Buhari administration of dire consequences if it continued to detain Kanu against several court judgments, Daily Post reports.
Addressing thousands of the Adoration Ministry congregation, Fr. Mbaka said:
“It is only in Nigeria that the court can set somebody free and the government will say ‘No’, keep that person.
“We pray for the full release of Nnamdi Kanu; Ndigbo is suffering for what they know nothing about; students and workers will not go to work; everywhere is locked up on Mondays.
"Our leaders don’t care; it does not concern them; how can you say it does not concern you? But you are a leader; you must care.
"God set someone free and you say the person won’t be free, what God will do to you, you will regret your decision.
“Why the judiciary? There are three arms of government- the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary, and one arm will say the other is useless.
IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
"I ask in the name of God and by the power of the Holy Ghost, that our leaders should release Nnamdi Kanu.
“We cannot be distracted by new currency and fuel scarcity and there is a problem- the judiciary is dying. If the court can acquit someone and the government will say ‘No’, then the country is finished. It is a coup d’etat against the judiciary and as a man of God, I stand to say, release him.
“If holding that young man will cripple this country, why not release him; Nnamdi Kanu’s case is like a trigger in the gun; you must be careful how you touch the trigger when a gun is loaded.
“Don’t tell anybody he is a nobody; he represents a people and the court has said release him; why not release him, especially for health reasons?
“I have to render my voice so that when tomorrow the leaders begin to suffer calamity, they will not ask ‘what did Fr. Mbaka say’.”
Naira redesign.
The priest also decried the hardships the masses are being subjected to with the redesign of the currency and its implementation, which he called "self-imposed" and "wicked."
He also took a swipe at the quality of the redesigned notes.
“Do the needful; our people are suffering, a lot of suffering in the country, perpetuated by our so-called leaders; I am not a politician, I am a prophet of God. My job is to speak.
Fr Mbaka, President Buhari, Emefiele.
"When God is angry, I will represent the voice of God in anger. When God is happy, I will speak and represent the voice of God in joy. The poor masses are suffering.
Mbaka continued, “People will suffer to make money and still suffer to take their money and there is still a country.
Tomorrow you will say Fr. Mbaka said. Why do you force me to say something?
"I am giving both the President and the CBN governor a mandate from heaven, if they don’t want to react immediately and stop this self-imposed wicked suffering on the people, they will suffer.
“What rubbish; why do you multiply misery; people are sleeping in the bank to get their money; in which country has it ever happened?
"People are now selling money; not dollars; it is easier now to get dollars than to get naira; parents cannot have money to buy foodstuffs for their children.
"I don’t know how many will be alive by the time the so-called new currency will come out.
"The new currency is not even good, the design very poor, the color separation- rubbish.
Fr. Mbaka further accused the government of killing the citizens with its currency swap policy that has made it almost impossible for most families to access health care and forced many parents to spend their nights either in ATMs or filling stations.
He said that about 99 percent of the population was ignorant of the new naira policy which he also described as "evil in the land."
“You are killing people; what kidnappers are not doing; you are doing worse.
"People cannot access healthcare. By the time the doctor gets alert, the person is dead.”
"If you are not ready with the new naira, why not push out the old naira?”
Job losses.
Mbaka also spoke about the worsening loss of jobs in the country, warning that it could affect the conduct of the upcoming general elections in Nigeria.
“Do you think that if this situation continues, Nigerians will do an election?” He asked.
“What is happening now is a coup d’etat on democracy. But who will say it? To buy pure water, will you do a cash transfer? Why mess up Nigeria because you people are going?
"Why didn’t you start it all the while? 8 years was enough for you people to stabilize it, wickedness. No job, no food, no house.
"The present government, I want to ask you.
"Change or you people will cry. What you are inviting, you cannot face it.
“The Hausas are crying; the Fulanis are crying; the Yorubas are crying; the Igbos are crying; the Niger Delta people are crying; the Middle Belt are crying.
"Who are you now leading?”
"And everybody is talking election, election. Will dead men do the election?
"Men of God you better open your mouths. I have come back from monastery to see my people in suffering, in agony; it is time to tell Pharoah, ‘let my people go’,” he warned.
This is not the first time the Catholic priest has criticized government policies.
He has at various times also called for the release of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The latest call may not be unconnected with recent revelations about the failing health condition of the detained Kanu.
Kanu's health condition.
In a statement released on 31, January 2023, and entitled "The Worsening Health Of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu Is Real And Not Politics, " the IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful said:
"The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the Leadership and command of Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu, the Prophet wishes to draw the attention of the public to the press release from Nigeria DSS dismissing the worsening health of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and labeling IPOB's press releases as political statements.
"We want to remind DSS and the public that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's deteriorating health is true and can't be termed a political statement.
"Nigeria government and her secret police DSS are very much aware that Mazi Nnamdi KANU's health is failing him from their poisoning, denial of adequate medication for his known ailment, and torture using starvation as he continues to be held illegally in the DSS in solitary confinement," IPOB stated.
Politics and Opinion. Religion.
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