Close All Churches, There’s No God”: US-Based Igbo Thinker Tells Nigerians, Launches Varsity

By TONY OKAFOR, AWKA

A US-based Igbo thinker and pharmacist Dr. Obiora Mba has called for the closure of all churches in Nigeria, declaring that there is no God.

Dr. Mba made the provocative statement while discussing his unconventional university, Nkolo Mahadum (Wisdom University) with our correspondent.

“We realized that we Africans, Igbo people were not adequately educated, we are miseducated; we’re misinformed,” Dr. Mba said, explaining the motivation behind his advocacy for a new perspective.

As the founder and director of Nkolo Mahadum (Wisdom University), Dr. Mba emphasized the need for people to think critically and use their natural common sense, which he refers to as “Ako N’Uche.”

The institution operates as an open university without requiring Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams, aiming to educate people from an African perspective.

Dr. Mba criticized the current system of governance and education in Africa, attributing it to colonialism and artificial boundaries.

Dr. Mba challenged traditional religious beliefs, describing heaven and hell as states of being on earth rather than afterlife destinations.

“The concept of heaven and hell is that on this earth that we are living; there is no place called heaven; that when you die that you will go to heaven; there is no place that we are living that is called hell; that when you die you go to hell,” he said.

According to Dr. Mba, “heaven” is a state of happiness and normalcy, while “hell” is a state of discomfort and unhappiness, caused by human actions rather than a supernatural entity.

“When a human being is doing good to you; you are in heaven; if somebody is giving you money to solve your problems, you are in heaven… Whomever that is making you happy in that normal Homeostasis is your god,” he explained.

Dr. Mba further posited that the concept of God is a human construct, derived from the “wow of creation” and the mysteries of the universe.

“There is no Almighty God somewhere, anywhere on this earth. There is no Almighty God, but man created gods.

Man is the God. There is no other fictitious or special god somewhere on earth that created this world. Nobody supervises us, but man,” he emphasized.

Dr. Mba’s statements are likely to spark controversy and debate, particularly among religious groups, but his views reflect his commitment to rethinking traditional knowledge and promoting a more nuanced understanding of the world.