Factors Militating Against the Spread of Adventism in Onitsha

The Seventh-day Adventist church is one of the protestant churches born out of the Millerite movement, imbibed on holistic Christian principles. The emergence of the church in Onitsha, Anambra state, Nigeria is an ambivalent history, however, oral history has it that the church had been in existence before 1954 but was unbeknownst until after the civil war of 1966-1970. Onitsha is one of the most populated cities in Nigeria and is considered the heart of Igbo Land from where the Christian Gospel penetrated all Igbo land; being religiously lucrative in nature and has most of the benefactors that can fuel the growth of any religious movement to a higher level, but in contrast, all these effects are absent as the church drains in membership and infrastructural growth. This study adopted the empirical research method; which relies on observation and particularly verifiable and visible facts, hence, the primary source comprises oral interviews and participant observation. Oral interviews were conducted with three (3) church pastors (past and present), four (4) local chiefs in Onitsha, two (2) church leaders and ten (10) youths (male and female). The secondary source includes books, journal articles and the internet. The data collected were analysed using a sociological approach which interprets the interaction and interplay between religion and society. The findings of the study present six tier factors acting as a deterrent to the spread of Adventism in Onitsha, which includes; sociocultural and socioeconomic factors, African Independent Churches, Pentecostalism, Catholicism and Administrative factors. The study, therefore, calls for a strong awakening of the church, as it educates them on these factors and proposes solutions to these issues.