Born Againism in Northern Nigeria: The Pentecostal Experience in Taraba State

Abstract

Global Christianity has been punctuated by the sudden upsurge of Pentecostal’s born again phenomenon in the 20th century. Employing historical and analytical approaches, this study sought to explore the conceptual clarification of born againism and to determine the historical evolution, growth, attractions and impacts of born againism within the religious landscape of Northern Nigeria. The study revealed that born againism has so far gained wider acceptance among the Northerners with its overwhelming impacts currently being felt in almost every home in Northern Nigeria. Regardless of their religious affiliations, almost every home in the North has recorded the presence of at least a born again Christian. Even in the far North which has been the bastion of Islam religion, Moslems are getting born again by the day in their number and are being discipled secretly. Some of these Moslem converts to Christianity returned back to their people as Christian missionaries and busy evangelizing their fellow Moslem faithful with great zeal and positive responses. The study submitted that if the Northern Christians especially the Pentecostals are given more opportunities and financial backing to evangelized Northern Nigeria freely, there will be more explosion of born again experience that will not only revolutionalized the lives of the normal Christians in the North but also those of Moslems as well as the devotees of our indigenous religion. Received: 20 February 2024 / Accepted: 2 May 2024 / Published: 5 May 2024