VIDEO: Apostle Iren faces backlash over tribal analogy in sermon

Founder of Celebration Church International, Emmanuel Iren, has come under criticism following a viral clip from one of his sermons in which he made a tribal analogy while speaking on prosperity, culture and personal values.

In the circulating video, the cleric emphasised contentment and spiritual identity over outward display of wealth, noting that appearances can be misleading.

“Recognise where you are and be happy in Christ. Joseph, without all the embellishment, was a prosperous man. It is first in my heart, my spirit,” he said.

While illustrating his point, Iren referenced the Igbo community, stating, “You see an Igbo man, T-shirt, short knicker, but he has containers on the high sea. No fancy dressing, half shoe, nothing. Check his bank accounts.”

He also alluded to cultural differences in lifestyle, adding, “If you grew up in a tribe where you party every…,” a remark that many listeners interpreted as a veiled reference to other ethnic groups.

He added that cultural differences can offer lessons, saying, “These are things we can learn from each other,” while cautioning against judging people based on lifestyle or appearance.

The remarks, however, sparked widespread reactions on X, with users divided over whether the analogy reinforced stereotypes or conveyed a broader message about discipline and priorities.

A user, Ademola (#Alkaneseries), criticised the sermon and called for correction, writing, “The Gospel permits no tribal bias. Elevating one group while diminishing another is favoritism not truth and stands in direct violation of this command.”

He added, “If you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted as lawbreakers. God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him.”

Another user, GoddyCoCo (#godiscoco), argued that the remarks overlooked the economic value of social culture, stating, “He doesn’t understand the huge economy of parties. It is an industry on its own. Thousands of entrepreneurs, musicians, caterers, media crew, event planners, ushers, bouncers get regular weekend gigs which trickle down to farmers and souvenir shops.”

Damilola Adeyemi (#DamilolAdeyem1) questioned the message, writing, “Every sentence, worse than the last. Is he really elevating arrogance as a sign of godly virtue because the person is rich. Is this man preaching about Jesus or trying hard to pander?”

Another critic, #Perizim_Busuyi, said, “To be spiritually filled is good but to have social intelligence is the best. As you lack social intelligence, you have rubbish your anointing. Most of you Gen Z pastors still need to be under tutelage.”

User #BabaSammy66471 also faulted the sermon, writing, “Are you now trading the preaching of the gospel for entertainment. If the fire is gone, seek renewal from God or counsel from senior pastors, don’t mask it with divisive rhetoric.”

Similarly, #Light6476842792 wrote, “This pastor reduced an entire people to liking to party, but that culture you mocked is actually a major economic engine driven by entrepreneurs and job creation.”

However, some users defended the cleric’s comments. #victoriyanu wrote, “But he said the truth. Some people will rather buy aso ebi with their last money just because they want to belong.”