The Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has disassociated himself from the protests, on Sunday, against the ban imposed by the Enugu Catholic Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga.

Bishop Onaga had, in a pastoral injunction read in all Catholic parishes, chaplaincies and religious formations, imposed a ban on the ministry. He directed that no Catholic faithful should henceforth go there for any activity.

But less than 24 hours after the ban, some acclaimed Mbaka’s followers thronged the adoration ground on Sunday in disobedience to the Bishop’s ban and protested against him, calling the Bishop unprintable names.

Consequently, Mbaka, in a statement he signed, disowned the protesters and warned them to desist forthwith. He said that he received, with obedience, the directive of the Bishop and warned his followers against any measure of violence either in action or by abusive utterances.

The statement partly reads: “My attention has been drawn to activities that took place at adoration ground on Sunday. I am not in any way involved in such activity. We received, with obedience, the directive issued by my Bishop, on June 17, 2022.

“May I, therefore, appeal to the faithful, particularly, members of Adoration Ministry Enugu, to remain calm and united with the body of Christ in the Diocese and also refrain from any measure of violence either in action or by abusive utterances.

“Those who take to attacking or insulting my Bishop should desist from such. The Bishop is the shepherd of the church in the Diocese and we remain his flock who are expected to be respectful, obedient and willing to respond favourably to his apostolic directives.

“May I also remind you that all adoration activities have been suspended till further notice.

“The Adoration Ministry is ever submissive to the mother church. I enjoin all adorers to know this and remain constantly in prayers for the manifestation of the will of God in the life of the ministry.”