Opinion

Opinion: Who Will Save the Catholic Church from Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka?

Published

7 years ago

December 4, 2018

Eric

By Nkannebe Raymond

Without a doubt, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka’s Adoration ground has become a campaign tourist-resort where unmitigated politicking is the order of the day. And quite alarmingly, everybody is welcome at this ‘party’, in so far as they can part with donations to help fund Mbaka’s unending church-development-projects. Even the Gandujes of this world are welcome provided they are willing to part with some of their infamous $5 million. It is that bad.

While this writer concedes that the clergy must not shy away or recuse itself from politics, clerical courtesies only demand that caution must not be flung to the winds in their descent into a terrain alien to their natural habitat. And we have seen many of them discharge this duty with so much grace and gusto and with even more impact as with the Apostle Paul, in the early days of the church. Perhaps I should mention the Bishop of Sokoto diocese, the very Rev. Fr. Matthew Hassan Kukah (whose book, Religion, Politics and Power I have just started reading) for being the very ensemble of how the clergy should be involved in mundane politics. Others include the cerebral Rev. Fr. George Ehusani, his eminence, cardinal John Onaiyekan to keep the list short.

But all of these apparently makes no sense to this Enugu born cleric and overrated chief priest of the revenue-generating ‘Adoration Ministry’. For him, politics is the alternative sport and election seasons such as the one we are in, an avenue for him to speak obstreperously from both sides of his mouth as though nursing acute diarrhoea of the mouth.

It is not the first time we are seeing this diminutive ‘man of God’ at his ignoble worst. But certainly, the outburst over the weekend crosses the proverbial red line which makes him in my considered opinion a subject of emergency for the Catholic Church.

It is reported that he literally mounted the rostrum over the weekend and read the riot act to politicians who according to him abandoned the ministry after emerging victorious at the 2015 general elections on account of the wonders of the God of his Adoration Ministry whose avowed high priest he is. This, I am told took place at the 2018 harvest and bazaar celebration at his famous Adoration Ground in Emene. And the man in his typical style was amok as though possessed by some demon.

For President Muhammadu Buhari, he says it was a sin against the Holy spirit for him to abandon the church since after profiting bountifully from the blessings of the ministry without donating a project to it. He however, did not tell his audience whether it was Jubril who would pay the ‘debt’ of Muhammadu, or whether the opprobrium of the Holy Spirit could be visited on Jubril vicariously. He boasted, like the biblical Moses when he struck the rock, how the ministry saved Buhari from the claws of death on account of the prayers they spared for him when he became interminably sick, and advised those who have the man’s ears to warn him that “no one cheats God”.

He berated the running mate of the PDP presidential candidate, His Excellency, Peter Obi for not having done anything for the church. And warned that if he continued on that part, he and his Atiku, would crash out at the polls. He tells Atiku to reach out to Igbo leaders and Hon. Ike Ekweremadu if he must emerge victorious at the forthcoming election, and in the same breadth, invite him to the ministry to “do a project for them”.

That was not all.

Despite publicly disowning Peter Obi, he however, took receipt of a 500,000 donation by the man ostensibly for “breaking of kolanut”, and condescended upon a gospel of financial recklessness before declaring that “stinginess is not a virtue”. After taking receipt of Senator Hope Uzodinma’s donation of twenty million Naira, he wished he were the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmud Yakubu when he declared that “Uzodinma would become the next governor of Imo state by the grace of God”.

He hailed the governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi, not because the man has endowed a scholarship scheme for the entire people of his state, but because he had just donated “1,000 bags of rice and 1,000 tubers of yam to the ministry”. He however demurred that all of that meant nothing to him, until the governor “handed a 10 million Naira cheque to me and promised to build a project for the ministry” and further invited Peter Obi, who it is acknowledged performed creditably well as governor of Anambra state, to learn from the Ebonyi state helmsman. In his own words, “this is the type of gesture we require from Obi”.

The rest of the day was spent in eulogising the incumbent governor of Enugu state who he said was leadership personified and the best thing to have happened to the state that hosts his ministry. Ugwuanyi was decorated as a man of peace, a perfect genius and a humble and ever patient servant all through Mbaka’s apparently jaundiced binoculars.

Watching the video clips of this clerical oddity earlier today, one thing ringed through and through. It is this: that developmental governance for Ejike Mbaka can only be assessed through the prism of his adoration ministry. That is to say, you are only good as much as you continue to be a financial ally of the man’s adoration ministry. And you are condemned to the hades if like, Peter Obi, you prioritize the interest and welfare of the masses whose leadership you hold in trust. This is governance, the Mbaka style.

It also appears the Awgu-born cleric have since elevated himself to the chief electoral umpire of the federation (forget about Mahmud), and his adoration stables, the national polling unit for the casting of ballot. In simplest terms, a politician’s ambition sinks or swims with the endorsement vel non of this tin god with clay legs. Talk about religious braggadocio and abuse of the privileges of the Holy spirit! All these he does in flagrant breach of the provisions of section 95(3)(b) of the Electoral Act, 2010 which prohibits religious leaders and clerics from using their pulpits to “promote, propagate, or attack political parties, candidates, their programmes or ideologies.”

We do not know what could be responsible for Mbaka’s oversized ego and overweening inflated sense of importance that has coalesced to bring out the weaknesses of the man.

But when a man begins to see himself as a Tin god with clay legs, it is meet that he be cut down to size as soon as possible by the institutions who have the means, in this case, the echelons of the catholic church. When the church decides to do that however is strictly her prerogative. But suffice it to warn that the sooner the church calls him to order, the better for it, lest her silence be mistaken for complicity.

In the mean time, Mbaka must climb down from his high horse to concentrate on his holy ghost ministry that brought him from obscurity into national limelight and leave partisan politics and politicking to the politicians including Atiku, Buhari or Jubril, Ugwuanyi, Uzodinma, Obi and the other names who do not escape mention at his revenue-generating adoration ground. The cynosure of all eyes, should not dab his face with charcoal.

Nkannebe Raymond, a lawyer and public affairs commentator, wrote in from Lagos. Comments and reactions to raymondnkannebe@gmail.com

Opinion

How Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza (PT, mNSP) Became Kano’s Healthcare Star and a Model for African Women in Leadership

Published

4 days ago

December 6, 2025

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

My dear country men and women, over the years, I have been opportune to watch numerous speeches delivered by outstanding women shaping the global health sector especially those within Africa. Back home, I have also listened to towering figures like Dr. Hadiza Galadanci, the renowned O&G consultant whose passion for healthcare reform continues to inspire many. Even more closer home, there is Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza, my classmate and colleague. Anyone who knew her from the beginning would remember a hardworking young woman who left no stone unturned in her pursuit of excellence. Today, she stands tall as one of the most powerful illustrations of what African women in leadership can achieve when brilliance, discipline, and integrity are brought together.

Before I dwell into the main business for this week, let me make this serious confession. If you are a regular traveler within Nigeria like myself, especially in the last two years, you will agree that no state currently matches Kano in healthcare delivery and institutional sophistication. This transformation is not accidental. It is the result of a coordinated, disciplined, and visionary ecosystem of leadership enabled by Kano State Governor, Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf. From the strategic drive of the Hospitals Management Board under the meticulous leadership of Dr. Mansur Nagoda, to the policy direction and oversight provided by the Ministry of Health led by the ever committed Dr. Abubakar Labaran, and the groundbreaking reforms championed by the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board under the highly cerebral Professor Salisu Ahmed Ibrahim, the former Private Health Institution Management Agency (PHIMA) boss, a man who embodies competence, hard work, honesty, and principle, the progress of Kano’s health sector becomes easy to understand. With such a strong leadership backbone, it is no surprise that individuals like Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza is thriving and redefining what effective healthcare leadership looks like in Nigeria.

Across the world, from top medical institutions to global leadership arenas, one truth echoes unmistakably: when women lead with vision, systems transform. Their leadership is rarely about theatrics or force; it is about empathy, innovation, discipline, and a capacity to drive change from the inside out. Kano State has, in recent years, witnessed this truth firsthand through the extraordinary work of Dr. Fatima at Sheikh Muhammad Jidda General Hospital.

In less than 2 years, Dr. Fatima has emerged as a phenomenon within Kano’s healthcare landscape. As the youngest hospital director in the state, she has demonstrated a style of leadership that mirrors the excellence seen in celebrated female leaders worldwide, women who inspire not by occupying space, but by redefining it. Her performance has earned her two high level commendations. First, a recognition by the Head of Service following a rigorous independent assessment of her achievements, and more recently, a formal commendation letter from the Hospitals Management Board acknowledging her professionalism, discipline, and transformative impact.

These acknowledgements are far more than administrative gestures, they place her in the company of women leaders whose influence reshaped nations: New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern with her empathy driven governance, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf with her courageous reforms, and Germany’s Angela Merkel with her disciplined, steady leadership. Dr. Fatima belongs to this esteemed lineage of women who do not wait for change, they create it.

What sets her apart is her ability to merge vision with structure, compassion with competence, and humility with bold ambition. Staff members describe her as firm yet accessible, warm yet uncompromising on standards, traits that embody the modern leadership model the world is steadily embracing. Under her stewardship, Sheikh Jidda General Hospital has transformed from a routine public facility into an institution of possibility, demonstrating what happens when a capable woman is given the opportunity to lead without constraint.

The recent commendation letter from the Hospitals Management Board captures this evolution clearly: “Dr. Fatima has strengthened administrative coordination, improved patient care, elevated professional standards, and fostered a hospital environment where excellence has become the norm rather than the exception”. These outcomes are remarkable in a system that often battles bureaucratic bottlenecks and infrastructural limitations. Her work is proof that effective leadership especially in health must be visionary, intentional, and rooted in integrity.

In a period when global discourse places increasing emphasis on the importance of women in leadership particularly in healthcare, Dr. Fatima stands as a living testament to what is possible. She has demonstrated that leadership is never about gender, but capacity, clarity of purpose, and the willingness to serve with unwavering commitment.

Her rise sends a powerful message to young girls across Nigeria and Africa: that excellence has no gender boundaries. It is a call to institutions to trust and empower competent women. And it is a reminder to society that progress accelerates when leadership is guided by competence rather than stereotypes.

As Kano continues its journey toward comprehensive healthcare reform, Dr. Fatima represents a new chapter, one where leadership is defined not by age or gender, but by impact, innovation, and measurable progress. She is, without question, one of the most compelling examples of modern African women in leadership today.

May her story continue to enlighten, inspire, and redefine what African women can, and will achieve when given the opportunity to lead.

Dr. Baba writes from Kano, and can be reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com

Opinion

Book Review: Against the Odds by Dozy Mmobuosi

Published

6 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

By Sola Ojewusi

Against the Odds is an ambitious, deeply personal, and unflinchingly honest memoir that traces the remarkable rise of Dozy Mmobuosi, one of Nigeria’s most dynamic and controversial entrepreneurs. In this sweeping narrative, Mmobuosi reveals not just the public milestones of his career, but the intimate struggles, internal battles, and defining moments that shaped his identity and worldview.

The book is both a personal testimony and a broader commentary on leadership, innovation, and Africa’s future—and it succeeds in balancing these worlds with surprising emotional clarity.

A Candid Portrait of Beginnings

Mmobuosi’s story begins in the bustling, unpredictable ecosystem of Lagos, where early challenges served as the furnace that forged his ambitions. The memoir details the circumstances of his upbringing, the value systems passed down from family, and the early encounters that sparked his desire to build solutions at scale.

These foundational chapters do important work: they humanize the protagonist. Readers meet a young Dozy not as a business figurehead, but as a Nigerian navigating complex social, financial, and personal realities—realities that millions of Africans will find familiar.

The Making of an Entrepreneur

As the narrative progresses, the memoir transitions into the defining phase of Mmobuosi’s business evolution. Here, he walks readers through the origins of his earliest ventures and the relentless curiosity that led him to operate across multiple industries—fintech, agri-tech, telecoms, AI, healthcare, consumer goods, and beyond.

What is striking is the pattern of calculated risk-taking. Mmobuosi positions himself as someone unafraid to venture into uncharted territory, even when the cost of failure is steep. His explanations offer readers valuable insights into:
• market intuition
• the psychology of entrepreneurship
• the sacrifices required to build at scale
• the emotional and operational toll of high-growth ventures

These passages make the book not only readable but instructive—especially for emerging

African entrepreneurs.

Triumphs, Crises, and Public Scrutiny
One of the book’s most compelling strengths is its willingness to confront controversy head-on.

Mmobuosi addresses periods of intense scrutiny, institutional pressure, and personal trials.

Instead of glossing over these chapters, he uses them to illustrate the complexities of building businesses in emerging markets and navigating public perception.

The tone is reflective rather than defensive, inviting readers to consider the thin line between innovation and misunderstanding in environments where the rules are still being written.

This vulnerability is where the memoir finds its emotional resonance.

A Vision for Africa

Beyond personal history, Against the Odds expands into a passionate manifesto for African transformation. Mmobuosi articulates a vision of a continent whose young population, natural resources, and intellectual capital position it not as a follower, but a potential leader in global innovation.

He challenges outdated narratives about Africa’s dependency, instead advocating for
homegrown technology, supply chain sovereignty, inclusive economic systems, and investment in human capital.

For development strategists, policymakers, and visionaries, these sections elevate the work from memoir to thought leadership.

The Writing: Accessible, Engaging, and Purposeful

Stylistically, the memoir is direct and approachable. Mmobuosi writes with clarity and intention, blending storytelling with reflection in a way that keeps the momentum steady. The pacing is effective: the book moves seamlessly from personal anecdotes to business lessons, from introspection to bold declarations.

Despite its business-heavy subject matter, the prose remains accessible to everyday readers.

The emotional honesty, in particular, will appeal to those who appreciate memoirs that feel lived rather than curated.

Why This Book Matters

Against the Odds arrives at a critical moment for Africa’s socioeconomic trajectory. As global attention shifts toward African innovation, the need for authentic narratives from those building within the system becomes essential.

Mmobuosi’s memoir offers:
• a case study in resilience
• an insider’s perspective on entrepreneurship in frontier markets
• a meditation on reputation, legacy, and leadership
• a rallying cry for African ambition

For readers like Sola Ojewusi, whose work intersects with media, policy, leadership, and social development, this book offers profound insight into the human stories driving Africa’s new generation of builders.

Final Verdict

Against the Odds is more than a success story—it is a layered, introspective, and timely work that captures the pressures and possibilities of modern African enterprise. It challenges stereotypes, raises important questions about leadership and impact, and ultimately delivers a narrative of persistence that audiences across the world will find relatable.

It is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of African innovation, the personal realities behind public leadership, and the enduring power of vision and resilience

Opinion

Redefining Self-leadership: Henry Ukazu As a Model

Published

7 days ago

December 3, 2025

Eric

By Abdulakeem Sodeeq SULYMAN

In a world filled with talents and unique gifts, nurturing oneself for an impact-filled living becomes one of the potent metrics for assuming how one’s life would unfold – either in the nearest or far future. I am sure the question you may be curious to ask is ‘what is the important quality that has shaped the life of every individual who has unleashed their ingenuity?’ Apparently, our society is filled with numerous people, who missed the track of their life. Their iniquity is boiled down to one thing – failure to lead oneself.

Realising how important it is to be your own leader has been the springboard for every transformative life. Notably, this also becomes the premise for appreciating and celebrating Henry Ukazu for setting the pace and modeling self-leadership in this era, where self-leadership is under-appreciated by our people. Self-leadership itself engineers purposeful and impactful living, turning individuals to sources of hope to others.

This is exactly what Henry Ukazu symbolises. The name Henry Ukazu is akin to many great things such as ‘Unleashing One’s Destiny,’ ‘Finding One’s Purpose’ and ‘Triumphant Living.’ Regardless of the impression one have formed about Henry Ukazu, one thing you cannot deny is his ability to be pure to nature and committed to his cause. Henry Ukazu is one of the rare people who still believed in the values of the human worth and has committed every penny of his to ensure that every human deserves to live the best life.

The trajectory of Henry Ukazu’s life is convincing enough to be choosing as an icon by anyone who chooses to climb the ladder of self-leadership. Oftentimes, Henry Ukazu always narrate how he faced the storms of life when birthing his purpose. He takes honour in his struggles, knowing full well that every stumbling blocks life throws at him helped in building himself. If not for self-leadership, he will not found honours in his struggles, let alone challenging himself to be an example of purposeful living to others.

Without mincing words, Henry Ukazu’s life has been blessed with the presence of many people, with some filling his life with disappointments, while some blessing him with immeasurable transformations. Surprisingly, Henry Ukazu has never chosen to be treating people negatively; rather he would only choose the path of honour by avoiding drama and let common sense prevail. That’s one of the height of simplicity!

Dear readers, do you know why today is important for celebrating Henry Ukazu? Today, 3rd December, is his birthday and with all sincerity, Henry Ukazu deserves to be celebrated because he has chosen the noble path, one filled with honours and recognitions for being an icon of inspiration and transformation to the mankind. As Henry Ukazu marks another year today, may the good Lord continue shielding him from all evils and guiding him in right directions, where posterity will feel his role and impacts!

Many happy returns, Sir!