The Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese in Enugu State, Most Reverend Godfrey Onah, has blamed rising money ritual charm also known as “Okeite” among Igbo youths to religious leaders’ failure and bad governance.

Mr Onah stated this during the 2025 South-East Colloquium on “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” on Friday in Enugu.

The event was organised by the Enugu Archdiocese of the Methodist Church Nigeria.

The bishop noted that poverty created by bad governance and bad religion that preached prosperity gospel and manipulated followers forced neo-religious practices among Igbo youths.

Mr Onah added that the get rich quick syndrome among youths was also a driving force to resurgence of the new religious practices.

He stated, “These guys kidnapping us along the road are victims of manipulation by their own religion. Bad governance creates the misery upon which manipulative religion thrives, and manipulative religion provides false assurances to the miserable people, and of course, flatters the leaders of bad governance. These religious leaders have changed religion from worship of God to casting and binding evil spirits until members are tired of it and discovered it was a cheat and deception. These Pentecostal prosperity gospel preachers, before they knew it, their members have left them disappointed and disillusioned. These exploited and frustrated people go back and invent their own idols.’’

The clergyman stressed that religious leaders had the responsibility to present their experiences and knowledge of God to the world while the government should manage the common resources judiciously as poverty bred the ground of deception.

He, however, said that the new religion was not part of African or Igbo religion because it was not handed over to them but made by themselves.

Also speaking, the Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr Oliver Aba, noted that many religious and traditional leaders blessed and offered titles to the wealthy without asking for their source of money.

He said, “Religious leaders must rise to responsibility and know when to say yes or no. We must have courage to say no to evil but bring sanity to churches because if we fail, tomorrow is in trouble.”

A policy strategist and governance expert, Prof Sam Amadi, said the phenomena of “Okeite” was not the real problem but a disruption and destruction of how Igbo people relate and govern themselves mostly in informal ways.

He emphasised that Igbo culture must be protected and nurtured to discourage people from respecting ill-gotten wealth but stigmatised it.

“The new neo-paganism is universal but more peculiar with us here because the church has lost its central role in human education and socialisation,” he said.

On his part, Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State, said his administration had a culture that ensured meritocracy and pushed value across all their systems

Mr Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said one of the key things his government did was to set out core values to guide his governance model.

According to him, anybody involved in things that undermine the values of the state and government and also fall within the ambience of breaking the law, will be held accountable.

“The young man that was involved in the process of money ritual is going through the legal framework and the state is very determined to make sure that we do not allow things like this to fester,” Mr Mbah said.

Earlier, the Host and Methodist Archbishop of Enugu Archdiocese, Most Reverend Christopher Edeh, explained that the newfound religion threatened the fabrics of the customs, traditions, and the spiritual heritage of the people.

According to him, the practices undermine the cultural values and Christian principles that had long guarded communities and led to religious confusion, enthroned insecurity, kidnappings, ritual murders, and all sorts of evil in society.

He said the programme was organised as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the Archdiocese and Diocese in Enugu Methodist Church Nigeria.

(NAN)