The Designation Of Anambra State As Christian State By Governor Soludo: A Dictator’s Plot To Suppress Odinala Or The Lucid Imaginations Of Power Drunk Politicians?

Throughout human history, there have been numerous attempts by political and religious leaders to use state powers and assets to attack, suppress, and persecute indigenous cultures that are foreign to them. This dangerous phenomenal persecution is now unfolding in Anambra State, Nigeria, and we must discuss a way forward, or we all perish in a “religious war between brothers.”

In the history of Nigeria, such notable persecutions are recorded in the Jihad of Uthman Danfodio to conquer and forcefully convert the Hausa ethnic nationalists and the Yoruba, of today’s Nigeria; and in the religio-politico-economic ‘crusade’ of the British Mission (Royal Niger Company, Colonial Government and Christian Missionaries) to forcefully convert the Ìgbò into Christians, and bring Ndị Ìgbò under British rule.

The Forceful Islamization Of Nigeria – The Blueprint Which Charles Chukwuma Soludo Is Following

Throughout Nigeria’s history, mainly from Self-Rule (Independence) till date, we have seen various Prime Ministers, Military Heads Of State, and Presidents, use State Powers to make policies and decisions that suppress the cultural, religious, and traditional worldviews of other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

One such notable instance of the use of State Powers to propagate ‘Religious Dominance’ of one ethnic nationality (or religion) over the other, was in 1986 when the former Nigerian Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, registered Nigeria as a member of The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), automatically designating Nigeria as an Islamic State. This move was protested by many Nigerians. Babangida’s second-in-command Commodore Ebitu Okoh Ukiwe, opposed the decision for Nigeria to join the Islamic organization but was removed as Chief of General Staff. General Ibrahim Babangida stood his ground, showing a clear use of political power to suppress the cultural and religious freedom of the various ethnic nationalities and religious groups in Nigeria and force the Islamic Status on all Nigerians, irrespective of cultural or religious beliefs and faith. Despite being considered a Secular State, Nigeria remains a member of the OIC and by that membership, is considered an Islamic State in the Commonwealth of Nations, to this day.

Protesting the membership and participation of Nigeria in the OIC, The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), in 2019 kicked against the participation of Former President Muhammadu Buhari in a conference/meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. HURIWA maintained that Nigeria is a “multi-religious geo-political entity” and that “it was illegal and unconstitutional for President Muhammadu Buhari to attend a summit exclusively convoked for Islamic nations.” They also wrote that “Nigeria’s presence in such a body offends sections 10 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution since Nigeria is a secular or at least a multi-religious nation.”

This event in the nascent history of Nigeria, gives a clear background of the illegality of the statement by Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, designating Anambra State as a ‘Christian State/society,’ creating a template for religious persecution of those who practice Odinala (a form of African Traditional Religion), and also Muslims and Atheists.

The Forceful Christianization Of Anambra State By Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s Government

Today, in 2025, akin to the high-handed approach of the Military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, an Ìgbò-Christian has outrightly declared Anambra State a ‘Christian State and society,’ and launched a crusade against the indigenous spirituality and culture of Ndị Ìgbò enshrined in Odinala na Omenala Igbo. This distasteful trajectory by the Government of Anambra State did not however start in 2025. It has its roots stretching back to the inception of the current Governor’s first term in office.

In a statement in 2022, the Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, after assuming office, started a tactical campaign against the practitioners of Odinala na Omenala ÌGBÒ (the Igbo form of African Traditional Religion), cunningly grouping them with kidnappers and criminals, declaring the ancient practice of Odinala to be ‘idolatry’ that must be flushed out from the state. 

In a speech made at the dedication for a new church building of The House Of Testimony, Life Of Faith Gospel Assembly in Onicha, Anambra State, Governor Charles Soludo, instead of focusing on addressing the insecurity in Anambra State, went on to instigate Ndị Anambra against those who practice the ancient Indigenous Spirituality of our ancestors, by making a blanket statement that blamed the kidnapping in Anambra State on practitioners of Odinala na Omenala, known as Ndi Ogo Mmuo, using the words “shrines” and “priests” as the perfect cover for his campaign of calumny. 

This was just the ground watering, for a more sinister ‘Crusade,’ which we now see playing out today in the creation of a new law that tramples upon the freedom of Ndị Ìgbò in Anambra State, to practice Odinala na Omenala and the irresponsible harassment of Dibịas and Odinala practitioners. 

Governor Charles Chukwuna Soludo, since he became governor of Anambra State, took various occasions to make remarks which cajoled Odinala na Omenala, calling it Idol worshipping, while encouraging Ìgbò-Christians to join hands with him and with one another to persecute those who practice Odinala, with a bold call to ‘Ecumenism.’ 

In a similar statement, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, on November 6th, 2022, in the company of his Deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, while referring to the rise of Odinala na Omenala in Anambra State, said that “Christianity was facing a major threat in Anambra State.” He urged Christians in the state to bond together to defeat idolatry practices in the state. The Governor made this call for a “Crusade” against those who practice the indigenous spirituality of Ndi Igbo while speaking at the yearly prayer rally organized by Anglican Communion, Province of the Niger, held in Awka, Anambra State capital.

In a condescending statement about the spirituality, tradition, and culture of our revered Igbo ancestors, as a rallying cry for his crusade against Ndi Odinala, the Governor said “The fastest growing religion is idolatry. Christianity is facing a major threat which is idolatry. And we must bond together to defeat it…” He added that “despite everything, Anambra state remains a Christian Society, which will never be taken for granted.”

In November of 2023, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo At the Annual Anglican Prayer Rally for Anambra State (APRAS) held at Ekwueme Square, Awka, boldly called Anambra State a “Christian State” yet again. His message which bothered on Ecumenism and the need to convert more people to Christianity, pointed out that out of the world population, only About 33% were still Christians, totaling a population of about 2.7 billion out of the 8 billion in the world. He then quickly switched to “those in the bushes, with their Alusi, all over the place… Most of them were Christians, were baptized in the Church, and became Christians, and are part of the number of Christians being counted. But when you open their clothes, they are carrying Alusi on their chest… The work of evangelization in my view is only just beginning… Even those who call themselves Christians are backsliding and going into idolatry…”

In another speech at another Church program at the end of 2024, Governor Charles Soludo resumed his ‘Crusade Speech’ against Odinala Igbo Spirituality, and called on the church to bind together and declare war on what he termed ‘Idolatry.’ He went on to say that “today, the fastest growing religion in Anambra is Idolatry… and that’s why in the new year… January, we are going to be registering those practicing Ezenwanyi, and those practicing Dibia… we are going to register everybody and know what you are doing… If you are not doing the right one we come in and scrape it. We must all fight this thing… Anambra is a Christian state, and we must rise up, as a people, together. If we don’t fight this thing together, we will all die individually. We must. The body of Christ is one… The greatest threat to Christendom is idolatry in the South East.

On the 9th January 2025, at the Church of Nigeria Bishops Retreat, Governor Charles Soludo, again continued with his illegal and cultural-suppressive statements of calling Anambra a “Christian State.” He started by saying that “this is a very trying moment for the Christendom generally, in Nigeria, and even more so in the South East of Nigeria…” The Governor went on to speak of the population of Christians in Nigeria, asking the Primate if the 20 million on the register are still there as Christians. He went on to say that the question of the dwindling number of Christians in the Southeast is much more pertinent, stating that “in the Southeast particularly, the fasted growing religion is Idolatry; It’s on the upsurge. Massive ascendancy. And those populating it are the Christians…” All over the bushes, wherever these chaps are, the first thing they do is to have a massive shrine… Now in every community… In Anambra, In Abia, in Imo, In Enugwu, In Ebonyi… Every community now, there is a massive resurgence…”

The governor went on to talk about the kidnapping of some prominent men in Anambra, saying that “there is a lucrative business empire” referring to the kidnapping business in Anambra State, and then went ahead to say that “at the heart of it all is idolatry” – cleverly pinning the kidnapping menace on those who are practicing the Indigenous spirituality of Ndi Igbo, Odinala na Omenala. He went on to say that there is a clash of religions, before going back to the topic of kidnappers who kill security operatives and take their guns; and then he quickly jumped back to the presence of idols and shrines in the kidnappers’ camp. All of this is cleverly pitting the populace against a system of spirituality (Odinala na Omenala), which he, the Governor has continuously labeled the cause of kidnapping and insecurity in the South-East.

The Governor then went on to talk about many shrines that had been burnt and destroyed by his government in the last two years – shrines belonging to kidnappers presumably (since he didn’t mention whom they belonged to), before stating that his government would be bringing out a new ‘Homeland Security Law.’ The Governor assured the Primates and Bishops saying: “The way we want to fight this war is not just carrying a gun and so on,” referring to a crusade against those who practice Odinala na Omenala, in the same bracket as kidnappers, and others (Pastors and Ndi Dibia) who influence the youth to chase wealth in an in a realistic manner.

What the sane world must understand is that the Governor of Anambra State is not being entirely truthful in his utterances. He is using cunning tactics to firstly demonize Odinala na Omenala Igbo and turn the Christian faithful against their brothers who are Ndi Ogoo Mmuo; then to secondly speak of an insecurity problem in Anambra State while pointing to the use of shrines by the kidnappers, and then finally lumping the shrine-possessing kidnappers and the general populace who practice Odinala na Omenala together, under the already demonized and derogatory term of ‘Idolatry.’ It is all a game to Professor Charles Soludo. Any intelligent person, devoid of emotional attachment to Christianity or sentiments/bias, would hear this clearly in his various speeches, captured above.

An Autocratic Plot To Suppress Odinala Unlawfully

It is important to state emphatically that Anambra is not a Christian State, and has never been a Christian State. Any attempt by the current Governor of Anambra State, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, to impose such status on the indigenous Igbo people of Anambra is religiously oppressive, and is simply a use of autocracy by a supposed democratic government to suppress other religions, faiths, and spiritual practices, especially Odinala na Omenala, which he has continued to call their practices ‘Idolatry.’

Ndi Igbo, and indeed the world, must know that if at all Anambra should be designated as a state belonging to one religion or faith, then it should be Odinala na Omenala because that is the oldest form of spirituality in the land, practiced by the ancient and modern indigenous people of the area – same people who gave their lands for free to the Churches and missionaries. However, Ndi Odinala na Omenala have lived peacefully with the foreign religions, despite the ostracization and continuous destruction of their holy places.

Anambra State, is a secular state, as is enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria, and any attempt by a sitting governor to change its status is a clear call for religious intolerance in the state. What Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has proclaimed for the past 3-4 years of his being in office is unlawful and suppressive, and shows clearly that he is not a Governor for all of the people of Anambra, but only for Christians, whom he has continuously called to persecute those who practice the Indigenous Spirituality known as Igo Mmuo, enshrined in Odinala na Omenala.

As I close my protest, I would love to state emphatically that Anambra State Is Not A Christian State.

This Article Was Written By Chuka Nduneseokwu, Editor-In-Chief, Voice Of The Sun

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