A former Catholic priest of 17 years, Dr. Echezona Obiagbaosogu, has announced his resignation from the priesthood to embrace African traditional religion.
Obiagbaosogu, a lecturer in African Traditional Religion at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, revealed this following the recent defense of his PhD dissertation titled ‘Rainmaking and Control in Igbo African Medicine: A Case Study of Isieke in Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State.’
He stated that his choice to shift from Catholicism to African traditional spirituality was motivated by his profound interest in the ancestral spiritual practices, especially the craft of rainmaking.
He emphasized that Africa is rich in resources and cultural values, many of which were eroded during the colonial period.
After spending several months apprenticing under a renowned native doctor, Obiagbaosogu explained that his research was focused on rediscovering and preserving these lost African traditions.
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 continued, “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.
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.”
Reflecting on his decision to leave the priesthood, Obiagbaosogu described it as a natural evolution, saying, “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. When you understand who you are and stay open to reality, you will start making decisions that align with your life.”
