Dispatches goes undercover in some African churches in the UK, where evangelical pastors perpetuate a strong belief in witchcraft. They preach that some people are possessed by evil spirits, and that these spirits bring bad luck into the lives of others.

The only way to rid the possessed from the witchcraft spell and lift their curse is to 'deliver' them: a kind of exorcism that can be very traumatic. Some pastors charge significant sums of money to perform these deliverances.

Often it is children who are denounced as witches by these pastors, and this labelling can lead to the physical and emotional abuse of those children at the hands of their families. In extreme cases it has led to the deaths of some children.

In parts of Africa, branding a child a witch is now outlawed, but in Britain this practise is perfectly legal, despite the fact it can have horrific consequences.

Dispatches reveals just what goes on behind closed doors in these African churches, exposing the pastors who exploit the religious beliefs of the most vulnerable

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-67/episode-1

The programme shows on channel 4 at 8pm monday 26 july 2010.

programme is currently on on channel 104 sky tv/digital

Only a complete slowpoke believes that witches, as portrayed in Nigerian home movies or Nigerian folklore, exist!

Beliefs like these are part of Nigeria's backwardness.

i dey watch am now.
witches witches.every where.

Cohomology:

Only a complete slowpoke believes that witches, as portrayed in Nigerian home movies or Nigerian folklore, exist!

Beliefs like these are part of Nigeria's backwardness.

you dont know how compelling religion can be. you put your faith, hopes and belief on a god or someone representing him, you are completely powerless and therefore you must submit to that authority. In that scenario, you would believe any and everything you are told. . . . . . witches, evil spirits, etc.

snowdrops:

you dont know how compelling religion can be. you put your faith, hopes and belief on a god or someone representing him, you are completely powerless and therefore you must submit to that authority. In that scenario, you would believe any and everything you are told. . . . . . witches, evil spirits, etc.

I'm a Christian and I believe in the beautiful Christian traditions - they're lovely, indeed.

However, I can discern the difference between religion and deliberate manipulation for fame, glory, power, influence or wealth.

My worldview has no room for witches, a la Nigerian folk lore gibberish.

but witch craft is well documented in the bible as are deliverance for people possessed by spirits. So this is not a nigerian/african thing.

nevertheless, it is an issue of quacks deceiving the vulnerable for personal gain.

@@@@@@@@@@@

some  man is about to go jailllllllllllll!!

oduduwa una hear me

snowdrops:

but witch craft is well documented in the bible as are deliverance for people possessed by spirits. So this is not a nigerian/african thing.

nevertheless, it is an issue of quacks deceiving the vulnerable for personal gain.

I have no belief whatsoever in them, even if referenced in the Bible. The Christian faith does not hinge on believing the many stories in the Old Testament, rather it is based on believing in Christ as the Messiah, the savior of humanity. All teachings around Christ is what I believe. Yep, you can say my rationality has a singularity in Jesus Christ - that singularity is defined by faith.

The day a pastor will tell me any of my children is a witch is the day I'll slap a pastor in public! That is the level of disdain I have for such rubbish.

Pastor Paul na complete rogue . . . . . Just c how he is using different types of formula to extort money from the church goers.
He wants a van of 12000 pounds, then he tries forcing 'em people to fall down whilst speaking in tongue. na real wa for all these people. one thing i still fail to understand is why have more than 10 churches under 1 mile radius  

Let Britain provides good job, good life to these people and we see if these pastors can continue with their witches stories.

The pastors exist because there is a vacuum in the society and they exploit it.

I never new Pastor Gilbert Deya is the biggest, I thought it is our Naija Pastors.

I'm kinda disappointed in Channel 4's documentary though, it was way too superficial.
I can do a better job.

They didn't even go to any Nigerian church, especially the one whose name I shall not mention.

Cohomology:

I have no belief whatsoever in them, even if referenced in the Bible. The Christian faith does not hinge on believing the many stories in the Old Testament, rather it is based on believing in Christ as the Messiah, the savior of humanity. All teachings around Christ is what I believe. Yep, you can say my rationality has a singularity in Jesus Christ - that singularity is defined by faith.

The day a pastor will tell me any of my children is a witch is the day I'll slap a pastor in public! That is the level of disdain I have for such rubbish.

yet again the lord jesus and his disciples did cast out demons from people possessed by evil spirits. so this practice is not restricted to the old testament. the issue here is not belief or not in witch craft but of fraudulent pastors exploiting and abusing the vulnerable.

@eldee
Abeg name and shame
why keep a tight lip

this reminds of a popular church in naija yrs back (dont wanna mention any name)
they were doing a confrence or whatever close to my house nah i tafia go o
a pastor came close to me and started praying,laying his hand on my forehand and started speaking in tongues
the guy pray pray pray i nor fall him come begin dey push me
i was so stunned and angry at the same time that i walked out on him
some of all these pastor's are real scum bags

otawa:

Let Britain provides good job, good life to these people and we see if these pastors can continue with their witches stories.

The pastors exist because there is a vacuum in the society and they exploit it.

I never new Pastor Gilbert Deya is the biggest, I thought it is our Naija Pastors.

exactly. the african community are especially at risk to being left frustrated and desperate to fill that vacuum.

community cohesion is at an ever low point in this country. people risk social isolation. you hardly get the chance to meet with your neighbours. the weather can be killing, so you can find your best friend being your computer, tv or mobile phone.

life can be tough as an african immigrant. people look to the church and pastors for inspiration and to find solution to their problems. and that is why as the documentary showed a man committed suicide after the pastor branded his family a witch.

pity.

eldee:

I'm kinda disappointed in Channel 4's documentary though, it was way too superficial.
I can do a better job.

They didn't even go to any Nigerian church, especially the one whose name I shall not mention.

it looks low budget to me compared to the usual dispatches standard.

on the other hand, having to go through all 4000 known african churches is definitely a herculian task. this issue surely need to be revisited maybe in a follow-up programme.

y me:

this reminds of a popular church in naija yrs back (dont wanna mention any name)
they were doing a confrence or whatever close to my house nah i tafia go o
a pastor came close to me and started praying,laying his hand on my forehand and started speaking in tongues
the guy pray pray pray i nor fall him come begin dey push me
i was so stunned and angry at the same time that i walked out on him
some of all these pastor's are real scum bags

Big sigh of relief say na only head he touch. i wan vex before  
All them fraudsters that hide under religious cloud   God dey sha

snowdrops:

it looks low budget to me compared to the usual dispatches standard.

on the other hand, having to go through all 4000 known african churches is definitely a herculian task. this issue surely need to be revisited maybe in a follow-up programme.

jay bee:

Big sigh of relief say na only head he touch. i wan vex before
All them fraudsters that hide under religious cloud God dey sha

watching it now on 4+1 honestly i'm so tired of this problem in our community.

the undercover journalist is right about how nobody wants to talk bad against pastors - that is why there are so many fake pastors today they believe the are untouchable. abi its only african children that are witches

abeg this is just arrant nonsense and makes me cry.

oh and on another note the girl "kay" is just one of many both here in the uk and in nigeria - so the pastor needs sex for her family to get better - truely disgusting.

i c there r many people who r out of touch with "reality" in here.I'm hearing some comments like "witches don't exist","I don't believe in witches". . .just keep praying(dats if u pray) u maintain d status-quo,else u will run in here and tell ur story. . .

Cohomology:

I have no belief whatsoever in them, even if referenced in the Bible. The Christian faith does not hinge on believing the many stories in the Old Testament, rather it is based on believing in Christ as the Messiah, the savior of humanity. All teachings around Christ is what I believe. Yep, you can say my rationality has a singularity in Jesus Christ - that singularity is defined by faith.

The day a pastor will tell me any of my children is a witch is the day I'll slap a pastor in public! That is the level of disdain I have for such rubbish.

only slapping hmmmmmmm any pastor that should tell me that about this my child will want to be slapped by the time i am done with him. life is hard for many african immigrants here and there is no wonder many people fall prey to these evil pastors - yes they are evil. anyone that can label a child or seek sexual favours from female members is evil.

there are many reasons why a child may misbehave or why things may not be going well in a family - why label an innocent child.

jay bee:

@eldee
Abeg name and shame
why keep a tight lip

AHHH!!!! I'm not ready to battle the army when they come to accuse me of blasphemy.
We all know a popular chuch where flogging 'helps to remove the demons'.

snowdrops:

it looks low budget to me compared to the usual dispatches standard.

on the other hand, having to go through all 4000 known african churches is definitely a herculian task. this issue surely need to be revisited maybe in a follow-up programme.

They should have gone to Africa to see the roots of the whole thing.
Talking to a couple of people will help to show that people do this because of the African traditional beliefs they grew up with.

Besides, consulting average Nigerians in say Peckham or Woolwich will show that the problem is still there.

wait o what the F*** is deya still doing in the UK - this man has no shame - so his wife is in jail for kidnapping and this man is getting fat in london to the xtent he is being filmed and not even hiding.

this is one shameless "pastor" that needs to be punished in Kenya where he is wanted.