A critical view on the rising spate of Pentecostal churches in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Abstract

Background: This study scrutinises the cult of personality cultivated by Pentecostal leaders, creating an atmosphere of unquestioning devotion conducive to financial exploitation. Promising miracles for money to create dependency and financial strain among vulnerable followers.Objectives: The aim of the study is to investigate the exploitation and commercialisation of the gospel as a contributing factor to the rising spate of Pentecostal churches in Nigeria, and propose remedial strategies.Method: The article employs the phenomenological methodology. Purposive sampling technique was used to interview five selected participants from Port Harcourt city in Rivers State. Information extracted from participants’ interviews, newspaper, documentaries, books and journal articles were reviewed and analysed using discourse analysis.Results: Findings show that the insidious methods employed by some Pentecostal leaders to amass wealth at the expense of their followers such as elaborate seed-sowing schemes to prophetic extortion, and commercialization of spirituality through the sale of anointing oils, miracle stickers, and exorbitant fees for ‘prayer sessions’ further underscores the exploitation rampant within certain Pentecostal circles.Conclusion: Ultimately, addressing the challenges require a collaborative effort from all stakeholders. Thus, the need for all stakeholders to join forces in fighting the phenomenon and working towards solutions that can uphold the integrity of religious practice, protect the welfare of believers, and ensure that Pentecostalism continues to be a force for positive change in Nigeria.Contribution: This study introduces novel insights by unravelling the manipulating and exploiting practices of some Pentecostal churches in Nigeria.