PROLIFERATION OF PRAYER HOUSES AND HEALING HOMES IN ONNA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE: A SOCIO- RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE

John Akpan Johnson

Department of Religious and Cultural Studies, University of Uyo, Nigeria

Email: akpanjohn681@gmail.com

Abstract

There is great concern over the ways in which prayer houses and healing homes are being established in our contemporary society. Proliferation of prayer houses and healing homes entails multiplicity of prayer and healing homes with each founder claiming divine origin of his or her ministry.  Thus, the astronomic proliferation of these houses and healing homes in our contemporary society in recent time is so worrisome and has created wrong images for the church in the society.  In this paper, effort is made to examine the causes as well as the socio-religious implications of proliferation of prayer houses and healing homes in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Methods of study adopted for this work are survey and phenomenological methods. Findings from this study revealed that the glamour and flaunting of wealth by many prayer houses and healing homes founders and purveyors have made them to become desperate in establishing prayer houses and healing homes in every nook and cranny in Onna LGA. The result of the findings equally revealed that these houses and homes are regarded as solution centers by many people. However, the study also raised concerns about the potential exploitation of the vulnerable individuals or ignorant members of the public, the blurring of the link/lines between spirituality and commerce, and the implications for public health and social welfare policies in Onna LGA of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Thus, it is concluded from the study that managers of prayer houses and healing homes should guard against commercialization of healings and prayers. Finally, it is strongly recommended that government should also introduce proper licensing of prayer houses and healing homes in Onna LGA to checkmate their excesses.

 Keywords: Proliferation, Prayer, Healing, Onna, Exploitation.