CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA’S IMPERATIVE TO REGULATE CHURCH PROLIFERATION AND TITLES IN NIGERIA
Fr Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Ãmos|August 15, 2025
Organizational theory teaches us that every institution functions within intentional open and closed systems. These systems ensure regulated entry and exit, safeguard institutional stability, and preserve mission integrity. Religious bodies are no different. Globally, Christian denominations often align with platforms like the World Council of Churches (WCC)—a body designed to foster unity, accountability, and shared moral authority.
In Nigeria’s context, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was birthed as a unified voice against external oppression. Over time, it has evolved into the de facto umbrella for Christian bodies, not only representing them but implicitly serving as a moral and organizational regulator.
Despite its successes, CAN has long overlooked a festering crisis: the uncontrolled proliferation of churches and the careless and wreckless conferment of ecclesiastical titles. This loophole has become a glaring vulnerability in our communal faith structure.
Statistics reveal this is no minor issue. As of May 2025, there are 16,146 churches in Nigeria, with approximately 97.5% being single-owner operations—many of them barely three years old on average. In key urban centres like Port Harcourt, and Ibadan, hundreds of loosely structured Christian entities have emerged.
Such unchecked expansion brings notable consequences: poor doctrinal quality, noise pollution, moral laxity, unhealthy competition, avoidable scandals and even family disintegration—concerns confirmed in academic studies.
Freedom in ministry is sacred, and scripture acknowledges God’s unpredictable calling: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise” (1 Cor. 1:27). Yet, divine freedom does not justify organizational anarchy. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40) is a biblical mandate we cannot ignore.
When someone claims divine calling to lead a church, it is both reasonable and necessary that their ministry aligns with a measured, reputable body like CAN. No entity should freely label itself “church” or grant itself titles without external accountability.
The Tinubu political spectacle of fake bishops and pastors” illuminated the crisis at hand. Several men were paraded as pastors or/and bishops during a campaign event—a blatant act of religious impersonation. One participant, later admitted being paid (though shortchanged) for the act, confirming the calculated nature of the deception.
This episode triggered sharp public condemnation. CAN disowned the pretenders, labeling them impostors, prominent church leaders, denounced them as criminals who should be prosecuted Human Rights stakeholders characterized the stunt as blasphemous and a perilous insult to the Christian faith.
Yet, moral outrage, while justified, is insufficient without institutional reform. The reality remains: there is no recognized body in Nigeria, except in two blocks of CAN, that formally confers pastoral or episcopal titles, and thus no legal mechanism to stop such charades for the other blocks.
CAN already comprises structured blocks—Catholic Secretariat, Christian Council of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship, African Instituted Churches, TEKAN/ECWA Fellowship. What’s lacking is a common standard for title conferment.
A proposed solution:
- Each block agrees on minimum qualifications and vetting criteria for titles like “Reverend,” “Prophet”, “Apostle”, “Evangelist”, “General Overseer,” and “Bishop.”
- CAN oversees compliance, ensuring titles are not self-bestowed for personal gain.
- Regular audits and public registries enhance transparency.
This framework would:
- Safeguard the dignity of Christian titles.
- Curb religious scandal and disillusionment.
- Counter the drive to monetize religion and commercialize miracles.
- Restore doctrinal credibility and public trust.
If this vacuum in ecclesiastical regulation persists, the government may attempt, one day, try to fix it, as it is already happening in some African countries. Yet, state regulation of spiritual orders risks authoritarian overreach, censorship, and erosion of religious autonomy. Ecclesiastical regulation should remain self-governed, spiritually anchored, and peer-reviewed.
Nigeria’s Christian landscape stands at a crossroads. With tens of thousands of churches—each unchecked, “many dubious”—a moral and structural collapse may be imminent. CAN’s mandate cannot be confined to public advocacy; it must extend to ecclesiastical oversight. Failure to act now may preserve the appearance of religious freedom, but it risks eroding the spiritual foundation of the Church—costs too high for the body of Christ to bear.
Thanks for Reading
Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Ãmos is Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Uromi and a Lecturer at CIWA, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
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