A new religious establishment, known as the Ogbanje Church of All Nations, has recently been inaugurated in Nnewi, located in the Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The church’s opening was marked with its first worship service, during which congregants sang and danced to songs that eulogized the names of popular river goddesses in the region.
A video of the worship service has been circulating on social media, capturing the joyful and lively atmosphere as church members celebrated and danced to tunes composed in praise of the goddesses associated with the well-known rivers in Nnewi.
Presiding over the service, a clergyman, whose name was not mentioned, addressed the congregation in the local Igbo language. He encouraged the members to worship deities and entities they are familiar with rather than those they are not acquainted with. The cleric drew attention to the fact that people often use names of biblical locations, such as Bethsaida, Jericho, and Samaria, in songs without fully understanding the significance of these places.
Amidst echoes of joy and commendations from the congregation, the unnamed clergyman led the worshipers in singing a praise song dedicated to the revered Ogbanje, and the attendees joyfully danced in celebration.
The establishment of the Ogbanje Church of All Nations has sparked interest and curiosity among the residents of Nnewi, as the church’s focus on venerating local river goddesses sets it apart from more conventional religious institutions in the area.