Money Rituals: Ogun Monarch Urges Religious Leaders To Shun Prosperity Preaching

Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji

ABEOKUTA – The Olu Lisa of Lisa kingdom in Ifo local government area of Ogun State, Oba Najeemdeen Oladele Odugbemi has urged religious leaders in Nigeria to shun prosperity and commercial preaching in churches and mosques.

Oba Odugbemi said the flamboyant lifestyles of religious leaders are encouraging the rush for ill-gotten wealth through money rituals.

The monarch stated this at the weekend in his palace while addressing a press conference on the activities marking the 2022 Lisa Igunnuko cultural festival.

The ex-banker turned monarch explained that religious leaders in the country have become complaisant and conspirators in the corrupt activities of members of their congregation.

He said religious leaders know the truth and the rot going on in the society but choose to turn a blind eye because of what they tend to gain or what comes to them from the proceeds of corruption.

He said religious leaders, as custodians of ethics and moralities, have dropped the ball and are now dining and giving coverage to people with questionable characters.

He said situations where religious leaders are driving in convoy, owning private jets and wearing expensive clothes, and living a flamboyant lifestyle encourage a get rich quick mentality, which is part of the reason for increasing money ritual killings among the youths.

“It is not only the youths, what about the senior citizens? This problem you are talking about has become religious among us. We are only religious but not Godly.

“We have so many churches but the decadence in morals is too much. Why do we have many churches and mosques and the preaching are not reflecting in the lives of our people.

“With this issue of kidnapping and rituals, it is unfortunate that these youths believe there are money rituals. There are no money rituals, they are just killing for nothing. It is a pity we are celebrating crimes and immorality n our society today. We celebrate small boys riding Porsche cars without any legitimate source of income. And I can bet you, they can’t live longer in life because money is evil.

“If you do money rituals that ritual will kill you. More importantly, our religious leaders have to come in. They preach prosperity too much in the churches and mosques. In the old days, it is not like this. I attended religious school, where we were taught Catechism which is the basis for moral life.

“Every pastor write his own scriptures, every pastor writes his book and whatever he writes becomes his Bible. This has changed how people think. And the young ones are the majority of the church goers and they listen to this Bible. And they boast of flying Jets as pastors. The issue of money rituals, the elders are the cause because we flaunt wealth too much.”