- Decries erosion of Christian values among Nigerian youths
A theologian and human rights activist, Rev. Fr. George Ehusani, Executive Director, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation has expressed strong concern about the state of modern society and the challenges facing religious individuals. His paper entitled “Christian evangelism in our challenging 21st century society; it is not party time. Instead, we may be back to the catacombs”, painted a dire picture of a world increasingly hostile to spirituality and the Christian faith. Speaking at an annual Pastors’ Conference of the Realm of Glory International Churches held recently in Lagos, Fr. Ehusani observed that contemporary culture has been stripped of its sense of transcendence and spirituality, replaced by an “endless entertainment” mindset that has even infiltrated some Churches.
The Priest lamented that the influential forces shaping global culture have become aggressively secular and anti-religious, with some even seeking to exact revenge on the Church. Regrettably, according to him, a cursory examination of Nigeria’s youth culture reveals a disturbing disconnect between professed faith and lived reality. He noted that despite the impressive attendance figures in Churches on Sundays, the dominant trends in popular culture – movies, comedy skits, music, and dance – betray a values system that is antithetical to Christian teachings. The cleric’s lamentation is particularly poignant as he stated that even gospel music, which should be a beacon of hope and inspiration, has been compromised by the prevailing moral decadence.
This phenomenon raises fundamental questions about the state of our collective soul and the future of our society. At the heart of this crisis is the alarming lack of respect for religion among Christian youths. This attitude is often accompanied by a cavalier disregard for the principles and values that underpin the Christian faith. The consequences of this trend are far-reaching, with the potential to undermine the very fabric of our society. He said, “All is not well with us, because our youths are speedily abandoning the path of Christian virtues and values, and they are losing their souls to the social and moral decadence of the age. “Christian youths in this country and elsewhere these days, are often the ones with the least respect for religion and religious persons.
They are often the ones denigrating the Church, blackmailing and insulting religious leaders, desecrating religious symbols, and recklessly engaging in acts that used to be identified as blasphemy and sacrilege. “Most of the young Nigerians who are today addicted to pornography, and those engaged in internet fraud, Yahoo Yahoo and Yahoo+, or those allegedly engaged in ritual killing (of their mothers, their sisters and girlfriends, for quick money), are often youths brought up in Christian homes, but who seem to have lost their way, and are now in the den of the devil.” Continuing, he added, “Traditional African religious rituals have suddenly become very attractive for many Nigerian youths, who are today not only enlisting as devotees of traditional deities and ancestral cults in their villages, but many are actually becoming priests and priestesses of some of these traditional African religious cults; the kind of cults that their parents were never exposed to, because their grandparents had abandoned them to embrace Christianity!”
Fr. Ehusani enjoined that as the society grapples with the implications of this trend, it is essential to acknowledge that the erosion of Christian values among Nigerian youths is a complex issue, requiring a multifaceted response. He further counselled that the society must begin by recognising the critical role that family, Church, and community play in shaping the values and worldview of our young people.
