Former Enugu State Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani has explained how the Catholic Church threw him under the bus over the February 2002 incident which led to the death of 14 worshippers at the Adoration Ground in Enugu.
The current Senator representing Enugu East at the National Assembly who was addressing the incident for the first time said that contrary to claims by the spiritual director of the Adoration Ministry, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, that the victims died from poisoning, they actually died from a stampede.
Nnamani was governor of the state from 1999 to 2007 and had a very tough relationship with Mbaka who also accused the former governor of sending assassins after him.
The former governor in a post on his verified Facebook page titled “Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka: why now??? Let him be. AKA ADA EKPUCHI ONWA” wrote “Attendees to a night vigil went through a stampede that resulted in deaths of worshippers. As governor, I convened a meeting of state executive, leaders of Catholic Church, and other religious faiths. It was generally agreed that it was a stampede and we needed to pay respects to the spirit of the dead. And apply adequate measures to prevent subsequent repeats of such mishaps and move on.
“I paid immediate visit together with clergy and media to the wounded in the catholic hospital in Trans-Ekulu, Enugu where victims testified on camera about all happenings at the event. The Catholic Church vehemently opposed a coroner’s inquest/investigation. The police invited the said Rev. Father and organiser of the adoration for questioning, and that set up a firestorm as to why the police will invite him.
“Once the govt enquiry took off, it marked a departure of my government with the Catholic Church and that was the beginning of an anti Catholic smear on me. A Methodist, however a lucky beneficiary of Catholic education where I attended mass every morning and still carry my chaplet till date.
“The young Reverend father teamed up with the vibrant Enugu opposition to claim that worshippers were killed with poison gas. As the fire storm raged, a cardinal of Igbo origin arrived from Rome and conferred with the then President. Advices were proffered from many including a Late female drug czar of Igbo origin that I do not seek a second term which I shrugged off.
“Stampedes associated with fatal injuries and death have been known to occur historically at many religious vigils, sports stadia and concerts. A joint panel constituted mainly by the Catholic Church with a chief forensic expert nominated by the Catholic Church actually a
young forensic pathologist of Yoruba origin practicing in Enugu confirmed that all deaths were of women and children ie the weaker ones. They died of asphyxiation-associated medical sequelae. Specifically the alveolar sacs were devoid of air, and had other lung pathology with
similar features of asphyxiation basically a state of absolute oxygen deprivation. In other words, bodies compressed upon bodies upon bodies with zero regresses.
“The panel was headed by a well-known retired Supreme Court jurist and devout Catholic. The adoration panel report is a document somewhere in the archives. As governor, I undertook personal visits to the then heads of the Catholic Church at all the diocese in Enugu, Anambra and Imo states. Accompanied by an elder friend/ father figure and counsellor Late J.S.P.C Nwokolo. Those efforts were either late or failed as the Mbaka saga took off. The good, the bad and the ugly joined the fray and the rest is history. As the Igbo will say “Aka Ada Ekpuchi Onwa”.
“A Methodist though a Catholic school boy was thrown under the bus by the Catholic Church and even my old boys’ association. None coming to my defence. For the dysfunctional Enugu elite who I grew up loathing from a childhood experience where my friends and school mates were
denied entry into swimming clubs and the up class presidential hotel, symbols of the bourgeoisie and the oppressor class turning back on me was not surprising. But for the Catholic Church and the CIC old boys were devastating. A Methodist, though Catholic school boy who attended mass daily, still held onto his chaplet, despite the anti-Catholic smear and denigration handed over to a Catholic and yet another CIC old boy.
“However, I cannot overstate the importance and contribution of Father Ejike Mbaka in the sectors of religion, health, education, economy and provision of social services. His succour to women, children, the less privileged, the abandoned and the lumpenproletariat is exemplary. He is a great man.
“This revered compassionate Nigerian with high level of empathy and sympathy must be commended for his goodness which dwarfs whatever weaknesses he may have. Let father Ejike Mbaka be. Let him In Jesus’s Name”.
