By Olivia Obijiaku
The Catholic Bishop of Zaria Diocese, Most Rev. Habila Tyiakonaboi Daboh, has lamented the alarming rate of religious syncretism and condemned the practice of merging rituals among Christians.
During his first Pastoral Visit to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, on Sunday, May 4, 2025, the Local Ordinary administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 84 candidates. He charged them to emulate the apostles, who were determined to obey God rather than man, as seen in the day’s first reading of Acts 5:27-32, 40-41.
Bishop Daboh stated that many places masquerading as prayer houses are actually business centers operated by coded native doctors who deceive their prey with sacramentals. “We believe in God, yet we still go to prayer houses,” he pointed out.
“Prayer house is the digital name for bouka houses,” he explained. “In those days, when people went to bouka houses, they were told to bring live cocks, lizards, and the rest. Then, they knew where they were. But these days, when they go there, they see a large Bible and a huge Rosary, so that they won’t suspect anything immediately.”
The Prelate expressed concern about the prevalence of syncretism, saying, “We see a lot of people involved in syncretism – coming to Church and still going back to worship other things. And now that we’re bringing the two together, where is God in this? Some of us are here as Christians, but when we leave this place, our attitude, our character, and behavior don’t show that we’re Christians.”
Bishop Daboh queried, “What we see in our society today is that people tend to keep the rules and regulations of institutions so that they’re not sent away or excommunicated. The apostles said that, as long as they remain in the service of Jesus Christ, they’ll listen to God and obey God rather than men. How often do we choose to obey God and disobey humans? How often do we choose to disobey God and obey humans?”
Leave feedback about this