Fr. Kelvin Ugwu, a Catholic priest, has criticized the tendency among Nigerians to explain unfortunate events using spiritual explanations.
In a Facebook post made on February 2, 2026, he responded to a woman who attributed the death of Ifunanya Nwangene to a supposed ‘serpentine spirit’ and the snake kingdom.
He remarked, “If someone drowns, it’s often said to be due to a marine spirit. In the case of a road accident, many claim it’s an occult spirit looking for a sacrifice.”
Ugwu continued, “When a person is bitten by a snake, and if the government fails to supply essential items like anti-venom, it is labeled as a serpentine spirit.”
He emphasized, “Malaria, caused by mosquitoes, remains the leading cause of death, with nearly a million fatalities annually due to this disease.”
“What spirit do we attribute mosquito-related deaths to? If we accept the existence of a snake kingdom, then surely there must be a mosquito kingdom as well.”
He added humorously, “Sometimes I wish Nollywood had created a mosquito kingdom, similar to its portrayal of marine and snake kingdoms. That way, people might have a greater fear of mosquitoes, potentially leading to better preventive measures and a decrease in malaria-related deaths.”
Ugwu’s reflection questions deep-rooted beliefs in spiritual explanations while highlighting the dire public health challenges posed by malaria in Nigeria.
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