A Nigerian clergyman, Emmanuel Okose, has stirred controversy with claims that modern churches have become morally compromised, alleging that to be recognized as a “real man of God,” one must be secretly bisexual and affiliated with church cartels.
Okose shared his assertions on his Instagram page on Thursday, March 27, 2026. In his post, he expressed deep concern over what he perceives as a departure from spiritual integrity within contemporary religious institutions.
“Church these days have become a joke… Where you need to be a hidden bisexual to belong to the ‘click,’ join a cartel before you belong… If you don’t join the cartel, you can’t be considered a real man of God,” he wrote.
He further lamented the apparent spiritual decay affecting his generation, claiming that the “Holy Ghost has left the church” and calling for a serious purging of corrupt influences within the faith community.
Despite the criticism, Okose concluded his post with a declaration of faith, quoting the Bible: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail over it” (Matthew 16:18), signalling his intent to uphold what he believes to be true Christian values.
The post has ignited a heated debate on social media, with some agreeing with Okose’s perspective on moral decline in religious institutions, while others have dismissed his claims as exaggerated and provocative.
Observers note that the discussion reflects broader conversations about accountability, spiritual integrity, and the influence of informal power structures within churches across Nigeria.
