THE RISE OF JESUS WITCHCRAFT IN NIGERIA AND AFRICA
I am 59 years old, and I have walked with Jesus for most of those years. As someone who has lived through and witnessed the evolution of Christianity in Nigeria, I feel an urgent burden to speak up.
History must be told, and this generation deserves to know the truth about how the “enemy and fire” gospel infiltrated the church.
Every time I decide to remain silent about the witchcraft masquerading as Christianity in Nigeria, my conscience rebels.
This is not an issue to ignore. Someone must document the reality. Let it be said that this generation rejected the truth—not that they were never told.
=The Nigerian Jesus vs. The Jesus of the Bible=
Let me begin by stating this clearly: the Nigerian Jesus of today is NOT the Jesus of the Bible. They are not the same.
The Jesus of the Bible calls us to love others, to obey Him as King and Lord, to do His will, to follow in His footsteps. The Nigerian Jesus, on the other hand, has become a tool of convenience—a magic wand to cast spells, kill enemies, provide wealth, and ensure comfort. Not the King to be obeyed.
The Biblical Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”
The Nigerian Jesus says, “Suffering is not your portion. You are the Boss, and I will serve you anyway you want.”
The name of Jesus, which should be hallowed, has been reduced to a tool for incantations. It is now used to manipulate, curse, and cast spells on those we disagree with.
= How Did We Get Here?=
The root of today’s Nigerian Jesus is not the Bible. The Jesus of the Bible is the Living Word—unchanging, holy, and true.
Any Jesus that does not align with the character, teachings, and behavior of the Word is a counterfeit.
Make no mistake: there are fake Jesuses everywhere. The real Jesus warned us that in the last days, these false Christs would become more popular than the true Him.
= The Glorious Beginnings: Christianity in the 1970s=
I’m only tracing from the 1970s because I was born in 1965. I’m just giving some kind of eyewitness account. Some other time, I could trace from the days of Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.
In the 1970s, committing to Jesus meant choosing a life of persecution. When I attended Follow-Up Classes with the Scripture Union, I was taught to expect hatred and trials as part of my faith journey.
Jesus was hated, and so would I. In fact, I was suspended in Secondary School (FGC Okigwe) for sharing the gospel with another student!
Back then, Christianity was marked by a profound reverence for God. Holiness, sanctification, and godly character were paramount.
Sin was deeply grieved, worship was genuine, and gospel music glorified God. Marriages endured, and divorce was scarcely mentioned.
Evangelism was motivated by love for sinners—not by monetary gain. Miracles were real. I personally prayed for a 7-year-old blind girl and an elderly man in the late 1980s; both received their sight instantly.
Those were the days that Gbile Akanni would be given a few minutes to make a remark but the Word convicted so many that nine hours later people were still on the floor praying and weeping!
Those were the days of real prayer and intercession!
ALLLLLL the prayer meetings I ever attended, or those led by Moses Aransiola, or my friend, Seye Osunpidan, or in NIFES Uniport, were for the salvation of the nations, and for the manifestation of God’s glory!
Nobody prayed for anybody to die!!!
But something began to shift.
= The Infiltration of African Traditional Religion (ATR)=
The earliest signs of what we now see in Nigerian Christianity can be traced to African Traditional Religion (ATR). This ancestral faith was characterized by:
- Fear of deities and spirits
- Sacrifices and appeasements
- Loud percussion music and spirit dancing
- Amulets, charms, and incantations for protection
- Revenge-driven rituals and beliefs in enemies causing harm
When Christianity was introduced in Africa, it brought a radically different message—a loving Heavenly Father offering forgiveness, healing, and grace.
However, many African converts approached this new faith with hesitation, keeping one foot in ATR and the other in the church.
= The Rise of Syncretism: The White Garment Churches=
In the mid-20th century, White Garment Churches emerged, blending Christian teachings with ATR practices. They walked barefooted, used objects like candles, incense and holy water and incorporated chants and repetitive phrases into their prayers.
By the 1980s, Pentecostals criticized the White Garment Churches for their “heathen” practices, championing a purer gospel.
At this time, the fear of God was still present, and the church maintained its focus on Christ.
But this glorious season was short-lived.
= The Turning Point: The Deliverance Ministries=
Around the mid-1980s, “Deliverance Ministries” began to mushroom. These ministries shifted the church’s focus from Christ to demons. I remember particularly Dr. Ibeneme and Charles Chuks, among others I couldn’t have known since there was no social media or Internet.
That was the earliest origin of falling on the floor and being “slain in the Holy Ghost.”
People became obsessed with deliverance, exorcisms, and identifying enemies.
This opened the door for ATR to re-enter Christianity, disguised in a new form. Fear of enemies became the centerpiece of faith once again. Prayers shifted from seeking God’s will to destroying perceived enemies.
This culminated in the rise of cult like groups like RCCG, Mountain of Fire and Miracles and The Synagogue, Chosen, etc where every problem was attributed to an enemy who needed to be “eliminated.”
= The Decline: One-Man Empires and Superstar Pastors=
As the focus shifted from Jesus to demons, other distortions began to emerge:
- the rise of money and mammon gospel and motivational preaching that didn’t cleanse the sinful heart
- One-man business empire-like churches replaced true communal worship.
- Superstar pastors took center stage, becoming objects of subtle worship.
- Biblical literacy declined as people stopped reading the Bible for themselves.
What we see today is the fruit of these seeds. Churches are now dominated by witchcraft disguised as Christianity.
The Jesus being worshipped in many Nigerian churches is not the Jesus of the Bible.
© 2025 By Ogbo Awoke Ogbo
TO BE CONTINUED…
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