Nigerian cleric Emmanuel Okose has stirred widespread reactions online following a controversial statement criticizing what he described as the current state of the church.

In a viral post shared by Instagram blog Instablog9ja, the apostle alleged that modern churches have strayed from their spiritual foundation, making strong claims about internal practices and expectations among some clergy.

“Church these days have become a joke, where you need to be a hidden bisexual to belong to the clique, join a cartel before you belong… If you don’t join the cartel, you can’t be considered as a real man of God,” he wrote.

Okose further expressed concern over what he sees as a decline in spiritual authenticity, stating that the Holy Spirit has departed from many congregations and calling for what he described as a “serious cleansing” of the current generation.

Despite his sharp criticism, the cleric reaffirmed his belief in the resilience of the Christian faith, referencing a passage from the Bible (Matthew 16:18) to emphasize that the church will ultimately prevail.

The remarks have generated mixed reactions on social media, with some users supporting his call for reform and others criticizing the tone and nature of his claims, particularly the unverified and sensitive allegations made.

Observers note that the statement highlights ongoing debates about accountability, transparency, and moral standards within religious institutions in Nigeria.