YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – Father Anthony Akinwale, a leading Nigerian priest and scholar, delivered a powerful message to the country’s bishops conference, expressing concern over the erosion of the Catholic Church’s credibility in Nigeria. He emphasized the negative impact of the proliferation of ministries within the Church, particularly those lacking in spirituality and charism of consecrated life.
Speaking at the 2024 Plenary Assembly at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) Resource Center in Durumi, Akinwale criticized the rise of new religious communities and ministries patronized by some priests, consecrated persons, and lay faithful. These ministries often pretend to be Catholic, with some engaging in fake prophecies and arranged miracles, exploiting a traumatized and gullible populace while failing to rescue the flock from manipulative wolves.
Akinwale warned that the unchecked growth of these ministries and the opium they administer risk eroding the credibility of Christianity, particularly Catholicism, in Nigeria. He also raised concerns about the invasion of the Catholic space by Pentecostalism, describing it as a contemporary expression of Nigerian religiosity both within and outside the Catholic Church.
While Akinwale expressed his own concerns and proposed solutions for the challenges facing the Catholic Church, Father Stan Chu Ilo of DePaul University in Chicago offered a different perspective. He suggested that the spread of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, like the charismatic renewal movements within the Catholic Church, could provide valuable lessons and opportunities for cooperation and understanding.
Akinwale further emphasized the need for Church leaders to recognize that formation is an ongoing process, extending beyond priestly or episcopal ordination. He underscored the importance of respecting and leading the lay faithful and consecrated persons, suggesting that the Church in Nigeria must have the courage to address issues concerning apostolic tradition, synodal processes, and social and ecclesial realities.
Akinwale’s thought-provoking proposals call for a reevaluation of seminary formation and a deeper commitment to preserving and transmitting the Gospel. In doing so, he challenges the Church to exercise the courage of martyrs of old and confront the issues that confront her, ultimately striving to enhance the authentic Christian witness in Nigeria.