BY ADESOLA ADEBAWO
Growing up in a traditional Nigerian Ilaje community in the 1980s, becoming a born-again Christian was a bold and often controversial choice. The prevailing religious landscape, dominated by the ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฏ๐ถ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ต๐ถ๐บ (๐&๐ฆ) sect as well as other white garment churches, held different cultural norms and beliefs than those espoused by evangelical Christianity.
One of the most significant differences was the C&S sect’s acceptance of polygamy. This practice, while frowned upon by evangelical Christians, was deeply ingrained in many Nigerian communities. Additionally, the consumption of alcohol was a common social norm, both within and outside of religious gatherings.
These cultural differences often led to conflicts between evangelical Christians and members of other religious groups. In my family, the tension was particularly acute. My father, a devout member of the ๐๐ผ๐น๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ป, was deeply opposed to my newfound faith. He insisted that as a son of his, I must follow the family tradition of marrying multiple wives.
This was a major moral dilemma for me. Raised to respect and obey my parents, I struggled with the conflicting demands of my faith and family. However, I knew that I had to choose a path that aligned with my newfound beliefs.
With the help of my school principal, Dr. Eliam Omojuwa, a close relative of my father’s, I was able to convince my father to allow me to continue attending my evangelical church. My principal argued that my new faith could be a positive influence on my life, leading to greater academic success and personal growth.
Despite my father’s reluctant approval, I still faced challenges in navigating the cultural divide between my faith and family. Even as a member of the Holy Apostles Community Church, my father was involved in the trade of traditional African medicine, among other businesses. This practice often involved the use of alcohol-soaked herbal remedies, which conflicted with my evangelical beliefs.
One Sunday, my father instructed me to pick up supplies for his traditional medicine business from a local supplier named Baba Tawose at a small IKALE village called Iju-Odo in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State. This was a difficult decision for me, as it meant missing church service and engaging in a practice that went against my faith. However, I ultimately chose to obey my father, hoping that my actions would demonstrate my love and respect for him.
As I grew in my faith, I continued to grapple with these conflicts. I sought guidance from my church leaders and prayed for wisdom on how to navigate these challenging situations. I learned that while it was important to honor my parents, I also had a responsibility to follow my own convictions.
One of the most significant challenges I faced was maintaining my relationship with my teenage girlfriend. As a born-again Christian, I knew that premarital sex was forbidden. However, my strong feelings for my girlfriend made it difficult to break off the relationship.
The turning point came during a Sunday school procession (it was called ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐) As we marched through the streets, carrying placards with different evangelistic inscriptions, I passed my girlfriend’s house. Seeing her there, I felt a surge of emotions. I knew that I had to make a choice. In that moment, I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me, telling me to stay true to my faith.
With great difficulty, I ended my relationship with my girlfriend. It was a painful decision, but I knew it was the right one. From that moment on, I was determined to live a life of purity and devotion to Godโฆ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฑ!
