African Pentecostalism: How Much Is Too Much?

Ignoring Abuse and Sexual Immorality
In societies that are often both matrilineal and patriarchal, African women have been the subject of rape and abuse time and time again. With women requested to submit to their husbands and men challenged to lead, some of the most disturbing cases of abuse are connected to the African Charismatic Church.

For example, on November 10, 2015, the Nigerian media reported that a 46-year-old pastor, Ifeanyi Bernard, had been arrested by the Nasarawa State Police command for raping a 13-year-old girl in Karu Local Government Area. According to police, the controversial pastor lured his victim into his house under the pretext of casting out demons from her. As soon as she was in his house, he allegedly pushed her on to his bed and raped her repeatedly.

“I had been into evangelism for some years now and I have been casting out demons from people who have spiritual and family problems before I met this young girl through her father, Mr. Martins Ijiwo. I have been a friend of the family for quite some time. I used my anointing oil to lure her into my room and all of a sudden, I was carried away and before I knew what was happening, I saw myself making love to her,” the pastor confessed before a group of reporters.

In 2011, Ghana’s Daily Graphic reported that a head pastor had been arrested for allegedly raping five sisters at Akyem Akiase in the Eastern Region. According to the reports the pastor committed the crime on the orders of “some celestial powers.”