Dr. Echezona Obiagbaosogu, a former Catholic priest of 17 years, has announced his resignation from the priesthood to fully embrace African traditional spirituality.
Obiagbaosogu, a lecturer in African Traditional Religion at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, made the revelation after defending his PhD dissertation titled “Rainmaking and Control in Igbo African Medicine: A Case Study of Isieke in Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State.”
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Obiagbaosogu’s decision to shift from Catholicism to African traditional spirituality is rooted in his deep interest in the ancestral spiritual practices, particularly the art of rainmaking. He believes that Africa’s rich cultural values and resources were severely impacted by the colonial era.
After months of apprenticing under a renowned native doctor, Obiagbaosogu focused his research on rediscovering and preserving lost African traditions. “I have come to realise that my true calling is to serve my people through the ancient traditions of our ancestors,” he said. “I was a Catholic priest for 17 years before resigning to embrace the traditional African religion.”
Obiagbaosogu shared that his upbringing played a significant role in his journey. “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 recalled. “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.”
His spiritual curiosity and connection to nature were key motivations for his research. “The research reflects my curiosity about spirituality and the nature of God,” Obiagbaosogu noted. “As a priest, I had the opportunity to work in health sectors, and I understand what health is all about.”
Through his research, Obiagbaosogu aimed to reclaim and preserve African cultural practices. “I conducted this research with the intention of recovering our lost African values,” he explained. “One of my father’s friends came to demonstrate rainmaking, and it actually rained. This led me to investigate it academically.”
His academic pursuit uncovered the reality of rainmaking, which he attributes to native doctors, or dibia, who help preserve African traditions. “I discovered that it is indeed a reality and done by dibia. I am not turning my back on God, but rather, I am embracing the divine in a more meaningful and authentic way.”
Obiagbaosogu also discussed how the colonial period redefined African practices. “The white man was able to explore these magical laws, codify them, and call them science. So, science is essentially what was once magic,” he said. “We can also access these magical laws, which we call African magic or religion. It is not the African magic of Nollywood, which is used to destroy our culture and values.”
Reflecting on his departure from the priesthood, Obiagbaosogu described it as a natural evolution. “Life is a process. Things happen, and people begin to look in different directions. One important thing is for a person to truly know themselves,” he said. “When you understand who you are and stay open to reality, you will start making decisions that align with your life.”
