2024: Religious events that made wave in Nigeria

As 2024 comes to a close in about two days’ time, it is clear that Nigeria’s religious landscape has been shaped by a number of events and trends.

While challenges and controversies persist, the many positive developments in the religious sphere offer hope for a more peaceful and harmonious future.

There is no doubt that the year 2024 has been significant for Nigerians and many of its religious worship centres, with several events making headlines and shaping the country’s spiritual discourse.

From notable gatherings and celebrations to controversies and challenges, here are some of the major religious events that made waves in Nigeria in 2024.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference

In January 2024, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held its annual plenary meeting in Abuja. The conference, which brought together Catholic bishops from across the country, focused on issues such as national security, economic development, and social justice.

The first Plenary afforded the bishops an opportunity to build and grow a united and indivisible church that walks together, evangelises and grows together. The bishops also used the occasion to reiterate their commitment to promoting peace, unity, and development in Nigeria.

In August, the CBCN held its second plenary session in Auchi to discuss the state of the nation, among other issues. The 2024 Second Plenary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria hosted over 80 Catholic Bishops to Auchi Diocese in Edo State.

Pentecostal/Evangelical Church Growth

The evangelical church movement in Nigeria continued to experience significant growth in 2024. With the rise of new-generation churches and pastors, the Pentecostal movement has become increasingly diverse and dynamic. Notable events, such as the annual Shiloh gathering of the Living Faith Church Worldwide; the national convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of Christ (RCCG) drew massive crowds and showcased the growing influence of Pentecostal Christianity in Nigeria.

Similarly, Jerry Eze, a young pastor in the Pentecostal movement hosted a prayer gathering at London’s Twickenham Stadium in August, attracting over 82,000 attendees. Prior to that prayer gathering, Eze was celebrated on social media for emerging Nigeria’s highest-paid YouTuber. According to Playboard report, Eze, the convener of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations (NSPPD), a popular online prayer meeting platform with over 2.12 million subscribers and over one million views daily, earns more than N7million daily.

Read also: Catholic Bishops knock Tinubu, say Nigeria experiencing worst times

T. B. Joshua’s posthumous allegations

The BBC’s investigative report in January 2024 alleged that Temitope Balogun (T.B) Joshua, the late Prophet and founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), a Christian megachurch that runs the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos, had abused followers for over 15 years, including claims of rape and forced abortions. However, SCOAN denied the allegations in its entirety; but the Emmanuel TV has been pulled down by the paid TV network from its list of TV channels.

Retirement of two top Winners’ bishops

Two top and founding members of the Winners’ Chapel, David Abioye and Thomas Aremu, both bishops of the ministry and longtime deputies of David Oyedepo, founder of the Living Faith Church, announced their retirement from the ministry, following a new church policy lowering the retirement age from 60 to 55. Their retirements marked a significant shift in the church’s leadership, sparking discussions on the operational dynamics of one of Nigeria’s largest churches.

Oyedepo, Bakare clocked 70

“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away,” says the scriptures in Psalm 90:10. On the back of this scriptural verse, two of Nigeria’s leading generals in the Pentecostal movement who crossed the biblical threescore and ten (70) years mark were celebrated with pomp across the country in the course of the year. David Oyedepo, founder, Living Faith Church (Winners) and Tunde Bakare, founder, Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), formerly known as Latter Rain Assembly.

Global Crusade with Kumuyi (GCK)

For 12 months, William F. Kumuyi, the 84-year-old preacher cum global evangelist, held the evangelical spectrum tightly together with his monthly Global Crusade with Kumuyi (GCK). A ministers’ development seminar and a global youth convocation tagged ‘IMPACT’ are embedded into the monthly crusade.

In January, the GCK was held in Cameroon from January 25–30, with the theme, ‘Healing and Health for the Whole Man through Christ’ and was described as an electrifying gathering of people with ailing hearts and eager spirits.

From Cameron in January, the train has travelled to Enugu, Aba, Ahoada in Rivers State, Nigeria, Monrovia, Liberia, and back to the December edition that was a two-in-one event. In December, the church held its annual retreat alongside the GCK themed: ‘Power for Present Possession’ at the Deeper Life International Conference Centre (DLICC), KM 42, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, from 20-25 December, 2024.

Like previous editions, the 84-year-old preacher made true his resolve to focus more on the youth segment of the church by curating programmes specially targeted at that demographic of the church. With the monthly IMPACT, Kumuyi sustained his engagement with the youth population, which also points to the branding prowess of the church in furthering the gospel of Christ to all nations.

Doctrinal controversy

Despite the many positive developments, Nigeria’s religious space has not been without its challenges and controversies. Issues such as religious extremism, sectarian violence, and clerical abuse have continued to pose significant concerns.

For most of 2024, Abel Damina, founder of Power City International Ministry, was in the news either criticising or creating new doctrine. He publicly criticised miracles and tithing practices among Nigerian pastors and labelled the popular slogans like “What God cannot do does not exist” as misleading and accused some pastors of staging miracles for public appeal. Damina also called for a return to vocational jobs, insisting that pastors should not rely on congregants for financial sustenance. Yinka Yussuf, the pastor of Household of Love Church, in a recent interview warned the Uyo-based preacher of the consequences of using the Church as a platform for social media content creation.

Away from the Damina criticism was the public apology by Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the RCCG on his earlier claim that Christians who failed to pay tithes would not make heaven. The backlash reignited debates about tithing practices and pastoral teachings resulting in a rare apology, with Adeboye admitting he was wrong to have said those who failed to pay tithe would not make heaven.

As Nigerians look to the future, it is important that they continue to promote interfaith understanding, tolerance, and cooperation for a better future and a stronger nation come 2025.