Prosperity gospel, unethical practices responsible for ritual killings in Nigeria — Bishop Otuekong

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar 

The Presiding Bishop of the  Methodist Church of Nigeria, Atamunu Diocese in Cross River State,. Alexander Otuekong has identified unethical practices, get-rich quick syndrome as being responsible for increasing the rate of ritual murder in Nigeria.

The cleric made the remarks while speaking with our correspondent Wednesday in Calabar, on his appointment into the World Methodist Council Ecumenical and Inter-religious relationship Committee for 2025–2029 term.

He condemned youths’ involvement in ritual murder simply because they want to get rich at all cost, calling for intervention of clerics, leaders of thoughts in order to secure the youths’ future.

“You see  a 19 or 20 -year old boy,  killing mothers, killing fathers, sometimes  their own friends for ritual murder just -get rich- quick.

“It’s like a trend, we need to reverse it. We need to give them Christ. We have allowed the prosperity gospel and they have become disillusioned  with it. 

“And so they are now going to get rich quickly with it, using rituals. It’s not only in Christendom, the Alfa, imams are also involved, prayer houses  also involved. 

“You see our young men killing women, killing their girlfriends and friends, some killing their mothers and mothers, conniving with their girlfriends to kill their friends with a belief that they will make money.

“It’s a trend that we need to very urgently need to sit as an inter-religious body to tackle otherwise they will not have a tomorrow. 

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He stressed that if these social odds can be discarded by young people and they decide to turn a new leaf, Nigeria will become a better nation to live in.

“That’s the burden that I am putting forward. What are the best practices.Can we do away with some of these practices and then give them to Christ and leave worldly things then there will be salvation and holiness.

“They are now going into unethical practices like ritual murder, because of the get-rich – quick syndrome is so sad. 

He advocates strict and strong observation of family values of the nation and is interested in building an egalitarian society where all can co-exist irrespective of sex, religious beliefs among others.

When asked to explain if he has capacity to play the needed role in the steering committee of World Methodist Church where he was recently appointed as member.

“If there was no capacity, I wouldn’t have  been nominated and appointed. If there weren’t a capacity they wouldn’t have  agreed, approved by the meeting of the executive before the letter was sent to me” he stressed.