Ibadan, 23 January, 2026 / 7:28 PM
The National Association of Directors of Religious Education (NADRE) in Nigeria has resolved to renew Catechetical methods in the West African country to address the resurgence of what they term as neo-pagan practices among the young people in the country.
In a statement following their January 20 to 23 Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was held in Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan, the directors reflected on the growing challenge of paganism, syncretism, and modern idolatry in the light of the First Commandment as witnessed among the youth in the country.
“We express grave concern over the resurgence of neo-pagan practices, ritual syncretism, and recourse to occult powers, particularly among young people,” NADRE members said in the statement shared with ACI Africa on Friday, January 23.
The Catholic Religious Directors noted that the pagan practices among youths in Nigeria reveal weaknesses in catechesis, Eucharistic faith, moral formation, and Christian witnessing, especially among the young people.
They revealed their plan to renew and make “attractive the methodology of catechesis through biblical, doctrinal, and sacramental depth in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Directory for Catechesis.”
“We commit to deepening catechesis on the Eucharist, promoting worthy liturgical celebration and rejecting all syncretic practices,” the members of NADRE said in the statement that their chairman, Fr. Albert Ebosele, and secretary, Fr. Joseph Ogunnupebi, co-signed.
Affirming the necessity of credible and authentic witness of life, they called upon the members of the Clergy, Religious, Catechists, and parents to embrace integrity and fidelity to the faith as a way of being emulated by the youth.
The directors further resolved to strengthen youth formation, “exemplifying faith integration through moral rectitude, vocation, and social responsibility” both in the virtual and physical space.
“We reaffirm that authentic inculturation must be guided by the Gospel, purifying culture and rejecting elements incompatible with Christian faith,” NADRE members said in the statement.
The Catholic Directors of Religious Education also entrusted their resolutions to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.
They said, “We recommit ourselves to the faithful transmission of the faith handed on to us (cf. 1 Cor 11:23), confident that fidelity to the Commandments in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, remains the foundation of authentic Christian life and catechesis.”
Catholic leaders in Nigeria have raised growing alarm over what they describe as a resurgence of neo-pagan and traditional religious practices among the nation’s youth, warning that these trends threaten Christian values and social stability.
In a 27 January 2025 statement, Bishops from the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province noted that many young people are being drawn into money-making rituals and internet fraud schemes tied to pagan beliefs, which offer false promises of wealth and protection, and undermine the purity of the Christian faith.
The Bishops stressed the urgent need for a sound biblical and moral foundation to equip youths to navigate modern challenges.
In 2024, Fr. Vitalis Anaehobi, Secretary-General of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa, told ACI Africa in an interview that young people in the Southeastern region believe traditional religion offers more immediate protection and practical benefit amid rampant poverty, unemployment, and insecurity, and that these trends have led to a sharp decline in youth participation at Sunday Mass.
The concern is has been echoed in other parts of the country. In 2023, Catholic Bishops from Owerri Ecclesiastical Province expressed deep regret over the increasing relapse into neo-pagan practices, including ritualistic activities pursued in the misguided quest for wealth or power.
They lamented that such behaviours not only violate Christian teachings but are often associated with criminal activities and insecurity, and called on the faithful to strengthen their lives with prayer and the word of God to counter “the works of darkness and evil.”
This year, Catholic Bishops in Nigeria’s Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province (IEP) have recommended the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (YOUCAT) as a key pastoral response to the challenges posed by contemporary life and modern ideologies.
The Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have emphasised catechesis as a strategic priority, particularly for young people navigating rapidly shifting cultural and ideological landscapes.
The Local Ordinaries of Ibadan Catholic Archdiocese and the Dioceses of Ekiti, Ilorin, Ondo, Osogbo, and Oyo underscored that the YOUCAT’s clarity, structure, and contemporary presentation make it well-suited to transmit the Church’s doctrinal and moral teachings faithfully, while remaining intelligible to younger generations and adults alike, in continuity with the spirit and teachings of Vatican II.
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