Abuja - In southeastern Nigeria, Catholic leaders are expressing growing concern over a troubling trend: a significant number of young people are abandoning their Christian faith and turning to traditional African religions, particularly in rural areas.

Father Vitalis Anaehobi, who serves in the region, has witnessed firsthand this shift among the youth. He attributes it largely to the challenges many young Nigerians face, including poverty, unemployment, and the perception that the Church has failed to protect them amid escalating violence against Christians in the country, which has one of the highest rates of religious persecution in the world.

In an interview with ACI Africa, Father Anaehobi highlighted the distress felt by many young Nigerians. "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. While Pentecostalism may be influencing some parts of Nigeria, Anaehobi stressed that in rural areas, youth are not joining Pentecostal churches but instead returning to the ancient religions their forefathers practiced before converting to 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 serves as the secretary-general of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA), cited the increasing insecurity in the region as a key factor behind this growing disillusionment with Christianity. "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 explained.

According to Anaehobi, many young people see traditional religion as more "practical" than Christianity. "When you go to the churches in our villages, you will not find young people there. They are out there practicing traditional religion," he noted.

The trend has been particularly pronounced in rural areas, where economic hardship is driving many to turn away from the Church. "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,’" Anaehobi said.

He added that young people find traditional religion more appealing because it allows them to perform rituals and participate in communal activities that provide both spiritual and material satisfaction. "With traditional religion, no one is allowed to give much," Anaehobi said. "They meet, slaughter animals, perform rituals, dance, and go home with full stomachs."

So far, the resurgence of traditional religious practices is largely confined to rural areas. "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."

In response to this growing crisis, Anaehobi has called on the Church to reconsider its role and find practical ways to engage young people. "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. While the Church may not have the resources to provide employment for all, Anaehobi suggested organizing mentorship programs and helping young people connect with potential recruiters as one way to help.

Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of the Diocese of Oyo also expressed concern about the revival of traditional religious practices in Nigeria. "At the moment, we are talking about the revival of superstition and old traditional religions and beliefs in Nigeria," he said in a recent interview.

This sentiment was echoed by Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of the Archdiocese of Abuja, who pointed out an additional challenge facing the Church in Nigeria. He warned about the emergence of a group calling themselves "Old Catholics," which has been setting up churches across the country and causing confusion among the faithful. According to Kaigama, members of this group dress like Catholic priests and conduct liturgies similar to the Mass, attracting many followers.

"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," Kaigama said, urging caution among the Catholic faithful.

As the Church in Nigeria grapples with these twin challenges—young people turning to traditional religions and the rise of groups like the "Old Catholics"—leaders like Anaehobi, Badejo, and Kaigama are calling for renewed efforts to strengthen the faith of their communities and address the pressing social and economic issues driving many away from the Church.