The Travails Of Father Mbaka: Was The Church Wrong, Or Right?

By Nkem Okoro, Esq.

Just recently, the Catholic Church in Enugu, allegedly announced the suspension of Rev Father Mbaka, as a Priest in the Church, on account of his utterances against the Buhari led government. The action of the Catholic Church has elicited varying comments from all sections of our nation. This piece is aimed at, analysing the conducts of Father Mabaka, the Catholic Church, as it relates to the Bible and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.

Before delving into the biblical analysis of the conducts of the parties in issue herein, we must look at the constitutional provisions as it relates to the fundamental rights of every Nigerian and the facts in issue herein.

Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides thus:

Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.

By these constitutional provisions, Father Mbaka has the fundamental rights to express himself, within the limits as permitted by law. The big question now would be, has Father Mbaka by his utterances exceeded the limits permitted by law to justify the alleged punishment meted on him by the Church? The answer is a definite NO. He acted within his constitutional rights of freedom of expression and therefore justified in accordance with the grundnorm of the country.

We shall be chronicling the actions of the Prophets of the old, as recorded in the Holy Bible as it affects the States wherein they lived, in considering the biblical provisions as relates to the actions of the parties in issue in this piece.

Nathan in 2nd Samuel Chapter 12 spoke the truth to David! He told David thus:

“Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thine neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of the sun”

Probably if it were today, people will condemn Nathan. The Church will suspend him! The King will plot for his dethronement. But Nathan, spoke God’s mind to the authority, then.

In 1st King, chapter 21, the Lord sent Elijah to speak the truth to Ahab in the following words;
”Thus says the Lord: in the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood”

If it were today, someone will say, how dare you speak to the King that way. Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah condemned the evil in the land at a time.Amos cried for Justice in the Land. Amos 5: 1-end. All the minor prophets: Hosea, Joel, Zephaniah, Nahum etc were insistent that justice and righteousness prevail in their time. Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land, Joshua 1:3,5

So, the Bible is replete with stories of Men of God, speaking daringly to authorities as directed by God. Why would the case of Father Mbaka be different?

After all the bible tells us in Mathew 18:21,22, then Peter came up and said to him,” Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said unto him,” I do not say unto you seven times, but seventy times seven”

In view of these biblical passages, was the Catholic church right in suspending Father Mbaka? Should they have forgiven him, for whatever transgression he may have committed?

Furthermore, did the Bible in Mathew 7: 1, not enjoin us, not to judge so that we may not be judge?

I personally think with the greatest respect to Father Mbaka, that if everything he said was as directed by God, then, the church ought not to interfere, especially given the biblical passages stated above.

Beside the biblical passages, Father Mbaka is further protected by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees his freedom of expression.

I shall allow the readers to write the conclusion to this piece on the basis of their varying understanding of this short exposition. I rest my case.

Written by Nkem Okoro, Esq.