Father Vitalis Anaehobi, who serves in the southesast region of Nigeria, says that most of the young people he has spoken to are grieved by “difficulties in life” such as poverty, unemployment, and “the failure by the Church to protect them” as attacks against Christians continue in the country where religious-based persecution is one of the highest in the world. Many young people in the villages are now turning to paganism. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Vitalis Anaehobi/ACI Africa

ACI Africa, Sep 14, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

While many Catholic leaders in Nigeria are concerned about the influence of Pentecostalism, Catholics in the southeastern parts of the country are concerned about another trend.

In rural parts of the West African country, the number of young people participating in Sunday Mass has plummeted and continues to fall as many of them turn to paganism.

Father Vitalis Anaehobi serves in the region and said that most of the young people he has spoken to are grieved by “difficulties in life” such as poverty, unemployment, and “the failure by the Church to protect them” as attacks against Christians continue in the country where religious-based persecution is one of the highest in the world.

In an interview with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, regarding concerns about the growth of private ministries linking themselves to the Catholic Church in Nigeria, Anaehobi said: “We are not upset by the influence of these ministries. The greatest fear we have, especially in southeast Nigeria where I am based, is the fact that young people are going back to traditional religion.”

He said that the youth in rural villages in Nigeria are not going to Pentecostal churches but to religions that their forefathers abandoned when they embraced Christianity.

“Our youths are going back to paganism,” Anaehobi told ACI Africa. “This emerging trend is nowhere on social media but for us here, this is our greatest worry. Very young boys and girls are going back to these practices.”

Anaehobi, who is the secretary-general of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA), said that at the heart of the worrying trend is the increasing insecurity in the region.

“There is the false belief that in the face of the current insecurity in the region, Christianity cannot protect anyone. [The youth] believe that with traditional religion, they can obtain some way to protect themselves,” he said.

“According to our young people, Christianity is not as practical as traditional religion. When you go to the churches in our villages, you will not find young people there. They are out there practicing traditional religion.”

The priest said that because of poverty and lack of employment, young people there, especially in the rural parts of the country, are avoiding the Church where they are told “to go ahead and give the little they have to get blessings.”

They say that with traditional religion, no one is allowed to give much, Anaehobi shared with ACI Africa, adding that young people embracing African religious practices instead “meet, slaughter animals, perform rituals, dance, and go home with full stomachs.”

At the moment, this trend can only be observed in rural villages.

“We are not worried about the cities because there, the Church is full of young people,” Anaehobi said. “What we worry about the most is our villages.”

To encourage young rural people to stay in the Church, the priest has suggested that the Church in Nigeria rethink its role and look for practical ways to empower youths in the country.

“As we teach and give hope, we must go out and meet these young people where they are. They are out there looking for solutions to their poverty and unemployment,” he said. “The Church may not have the means to get our young people employed, but we can organize mentorship programs for them and facilitate their link to potential recruiters.”

In an interview with ACI Africa on Sept. 4, Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of Nigeria’s Diocese of Oyo said he had observed the increasing presence of paganism in the country.

“At the moment, we are talking about the revival of superstition and old traditional religions and beliefs in Nigeria,” the bishop said.

Badejo’s comments were echoed by Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of the Archdiocese of Abuja in Nigeria, who raised an alarm about the emergence of a group in the country calling itself “Old Catholics.” 

“We have a new group coming in, calling themselves ‘Old Catholics,’ and they are setting up churches all over the place and causing confusion among the people,” the archbishop said, adding that some members are dressed as Catholic priests and hold liturgies similar to the Mass.

“Very many people are following this group,” he lamented. “We are very careful as bishops to watch out and to enlighten our people to be very careful not to fall into their traps. This isn’t healthy for us at all.”

This article was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.