Dr. Echezona Obiagbaosogu, a former Catholic priest of 17 years, has resigned to embrace African traditional religion.
He teaches African Traditional Religion at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State, and is fascinated by traditional African spirituality and the art of rainmaking.
He defended his PhD Dissertation titled “Rainmaking and Control in Igbo African Medicine” on Wednesday.
He said, “I have come to realise that my true calling is to serve my people through the ancient traditions of our ancestors. I was a Catholic priest for 17 years before resigning to embrace the traditional African religion. The topic of my research is ‘Rainmaking and control in Igbo African medicine: A case study of Isieke in Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State’.
“I partly lived with my maternal grandfather, who was a traditionalist, while my father was a Christian before he passed away. Though he was a Christian, he still believed in traditional materials. He was an agriculturist with trees around the compound and always brought in new ones, some of which he said were medicinal.
“So, I learned from him to appreciate nature. My background is also significant. I was once a Catholic priest—Rev. Father. I began this research as a priest five years ago and then left the priesthood, so now I am married.
“Everything about this research stems from my curiosity about nature and God. The research reflects my curiosity about spirituality and the nature of God. As a priest, I had the opportunity to work in health sectors, and I understand what health is all about.”
He explained further, “I conducted this research with the intention of recovering our lost African values. There was one of my father’s friends, and when I was in the seminary, I founded a school called the Society for African Culture.
“During that period, we invited my father’s friend to demonstrate that rainmaking was possible. He came and made it rain. This experience led me to investigate it in an academic way.
“My research in rainmaking and control is rooted in finding the truth and understanding how native doctors contribute to preserving African values. I discovered that it is indeed a reality and done by dibia (native doctors). I am not turning my back on God, but rather, I am embracing the divine in a more meaningful and authentic way.”
Obiagbaosogu also shared his thoughts on the relationship between magic, religion, and science, saying that, “Civilization began with magic, moved to religion, and today we are talking about nanoscience and other fields.
“The white man was able to explore these magical laws, codify them, and call them science. So, science is essentially what was once magic.
“We can also access these magical laws, which we call African magic or religion. It is not the African magic of Nollywood. The African magic of Nollywood is one of the tools used to destroy our culture and values.
“African magic is actually African science, which remains unexplored. We must begin to modify, codify, and document it for posterity.”
Speaking on his decision to leave the priesthood, Obiagbaosogu said, “Life is a process. Things happen, and people begin to look left and right.
“One important thing is for the person to know themselves. If you understand yourself and remain open to reality, you will begin to make decisions for your life.”
However, he refused to discuss the details of his resignation, saying it was a matter of personal conviction.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")