Methodist Church Discusses Non-Religious Practices In Igboland At Colloquium
Concerned by the rising practice of rituals amongst youths in the South East, the Methodist Church Nigeria, Archdiocese of Enugu, recently organised a Colloquium to examine the menace.
Money ritual popularly called Okeite is an emerging phenomenon in Igbo land. It is a fetish practice of quick-money-making through rituals, mainly using human parts.
Governments of Anambra and Enugu states have enacted laws checking the practice. The characters overseeing these practices are regarded as Eze Nwoke (males) and Eze Nwanyi (females).
They are mostly young and mystically dressed.
On May 26th, 2025, the ritual activities of a billionaire native doctor, Onyeka Nwaobu, of Umumba Ndiagu, Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State, made news headlines when a kidnapped girl, 13, was traced to his mansion.
The young girl was at the point of being murdered when her cries attracted local vigilantes who forced their way into the acclaimed doctor’s fence and rescued the girl.
A further search led to the uncovering of decaying human corpses, including that of a pregnant woman, in a soak away within his compound. The native doctor ran away but was caught at Badagry, Lagos State, en route to Benin Republic.
A similar one happened in Igboeze South LGA of Enugu State in May this year where four children, aged between two and seven, were allegedly murdered with a pestle by one Chinedu Ezedike, a pastor of a white garment church in the area. A further search at his synagogue revealed concealed human skulls and a ritual staff.
Finding Solutions The Church Way
On Friday, 5th September 2025, the Methodist Church Nigeria, Archdiocese of Enugu, organised a South-East Colloquium with the theme, “The Rise of Neo-Religious Practices, Self-Acclaimed Prophets, Ndi Eze-Nwoke and Ndi Eze-Nwanyi, their Effects on Ndi Igbo, Their Faith and Traditional Ethos.”
Speaking on the topic, “Remote and near basic factors responsible for the emergence of this phenomenon”, Professor Godfrey Onah, the Bishop of Nsukka Catholic Diocese, attributed the phenomenon to dwindling cultural values among Igbo youth as well as the failure of religious leaders to truly preach God.
Bishop Onah said, “People say it is a return to the African traditional religion, but this practice was not handed over to this generation. It is a newly created religion by those who have left Christianity due to one reason or the other.
“They have decided to invent their own version.
“Christian leaders have responsibilities. Human nature is spiritual and religious. There is no version of idolatry that satisfies. Until human beings discard it, they will remain dissatisfied.
“God created us to know Him, worship Him, and then be with Him in eternity. Bishops have not taught our people the true God. Bishops may not be able to influence politicians, but we can influence Christians. Nobody should blame poverty.
“We should eschew Prosperity Pentecostal Gospels. It is the travesty of religion.
“Men of God milk the poor. Religious manipulators have emerged. Rather than teaching morality, they encourage our boys to cheat. Nobody wants to pass through the narrow gate again.
“Disillusionment led many back to idols, and they began to invent their own and worship what they created. Those whose businesses collapsed became pastors.”
He called for the return of moral values to the curriculum of Nigeria’s educational system. Quoting him, “The early Igbo men attended missionary schools. Christianity shaped our values and cultures.
“Remember that Romans were cannibals, but when they accepted Jesus Christ, things changed for the better. The ongoing Smart Green Schools in Enugu State will produce smart criminals unless we have values in them.
“We have failed to educate our children properly. When your child walks away, find out the cause. Christianity is not a political movement of large members. Let’s return to our basic culture and not idol worshipping.”
Prof Sam Amadi, the Director, Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, who spoke on “The effects of religious, political and economic life of Ndi Igbo”, said the Okeite practice was capable of ruining the enterprise spirit of the Igbo race.
He said, “Okeite is destroying our cultural values and capital. Ndi Igbo has respect for the elders as a value. Ndi Igbo basically respect wealth, but they do not worship it.
“Okeite has destroyed the Igbo culture of wealth and work. It is true that one must love wealth to be able to create wealth. But Okeite has disconnected wealth creation and being wealthy.
“It is now neo-paganism. The Church has lost its central role. It is a crisis of value in our society today.”
He also called for sanity in the Igbo traditional institution and the church. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo must rise to this occasion. Under MI Okpara, Igbo town unions were the vehicle for development.
“Today we have returned to occultism and pseudo-religion. Many traditional rulers and town union presidents are of questionable character. We now don’t have modelling of good behaviour.
“If the church is corrupt and identifies with the corrupt people, a wrong signal is being passed to the youth. The church should reform itself and help in recreating Ala Igbo in terms of moral values. Town unions should be revived.
“They used to be the best mode of governance under MI Okpara. They should be accountable and democratic. We need new national ethics in Nigeria.”
A former Nigerian envoy and immediate past Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Amb Lawrence Agubuzu, in his paper entitled “The roles of Christianity, traditional institutions and politics in stemming the tide”, advised Igbo youth to follow natural development, rather than “being in a hurry”.
He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, and government officials to be worthy of emulation.
According to him, “Youths grow through imitation. If we don’t make them see anything good in us, they will have no virtues to learn.
“Hard work pays in the long run. It is unethical to seek rewards without first working hard. The system would be made favourable when various leaders lead by examples. It is a duty on our part.”
The prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr Oliver Aba, said the matter had become a national challenge. He also advised traditional rulers not to celebrate people whose sources of wealth are questionable.
He said, “People are using human beings as rituals. This will affect the future of Nigeria. You see children of twenty and below displaying their ill-gotten wealth anyhow because they never suffered for it.
“Children will return home rich without explanations, and the parents will simply embrace them without asking them how they made such wealth.
“Such individuals will come to the church and offer tithes and thanksgiving for what God has done to them, and the spiritual leaders will welcome them without asking how they came by such wealth.
“Some of our traditional rulers are the ones encouraging these young ones. Once they see them display such ill-gotten wealth, the rulers will confer chieftaincy titles on them. Nobody bothers whether they are thieves.
“We should say no to these. That is how we can save our society. The way ill-gotten wealth is displayed today, our children will see no need to go to school or learn trade any longer. This is where we fail God.
“To be on the Lord’s side means we must do the will of the Lord, and not the will of the world. Why must we join the evil forces to grow evil in our society? We must bring sanity to our community. By keeping quiet, we are aiding and abetting evil. We are guilty of evil.”
We’re Restoring Moral Values, Gov Mbah
Gov Peter Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, said the state was tackling the phenomenon by encouraging hard work, meritocracy and good education through its Smart Green Schools. He admitted that bad government and dwindling religious values were promoting vices, but assured that the state had adopted measures to restore moral values among her youth.
Onyia stated that, “Many want to get to the end without a process. Gov Mbah set out core values and meritocracy. Enugu government brings lawbreakers to book. Those already arrested are being prosecuted. Our Smart Schools are not just fine structures; they are a combination of knowledge and values. Technology is being driven by these values in these schools. These schools do not ignore the principles of missionary schools. They are complementary. We target Enugu children who will be socially balanced. We believe that merit should drive the system.
“Our contracts are monitored and contractors found cheating are eliminated. Mbah is not keen on popularity. There is a similarity between Mbah and the government of former Premier MI Okpara.”
Methodist Church Discusses Non-Religious Practices In Igboland At Colloquium is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
