Rites of Passage in African Christianity and Their Implications for Youth Identity in Ekiti State

This study investigates the practice and theological significance of church-based rites of passage for adolescents in African Christian communities in Ekiti State, South West Nigeria. Traditional Yoruba society provided structured rituals marking the transition from childhood to adulthood, but urbanisation, Western education, and Christian conversion have significantly disrupted these frameworks, leaving many adolescents without meaningful identity-forming transitions. Using a descriptive qualitative design, data are gathered from twenty-five church leaders, forty parents, and sixty adolescents aged 13 to 17 across ten denominations in Ado-Ekiti, Ikole, and Aramoko. The study examines existing church-based rites of passage programmes and evaluates their theological coherence, cultural sensitivity, and developmental appropriateness. Findings indicate that churches with structured rites of passage programmes, combining biblical instruction, mentorship by respected adults, and communal affirmation rituals, produce adolescents with stronger faith identities, clearer values, and better resistance to peer negative influence. However, most churches in Ekiti State lack formalised adolescent transition programmes, leaving youth ministry fragmented and developmentally disconnected. The study recommends the development of a contextually grounded rite of passage curriculum for churches in Ekiti State that draws on Yoruba transition wisdom while centring a Christ-formed adult identity. Keywords: rites of passage, youth identity, African Christianity, Ekiti State, adolescent formation