Since the recent bombings in Abuja Nigeria, emotions have been running high with so many citizens expressing their anger online and offline. In the midst of it all, I have watched carefully and searched for any statement from religious leaders. For two days, I saw nothing except from a certain Pastor that claims to have prophesied the incident.
That wasn’t going to help in anyway so I ignored that and kept on searching. Finally, after two days the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Orisetjafor released a statement; how happy was I? but after reading it, I must confess I have been left deflated and disappointed. He didn’t suggest any solutions to the Boko Haram issue but simply condemned the act and placed a curse on the perpetrators. Whether that will solve our immediate problems is left for you to decide depending on your belief.
Since the unfortunate incident happened on Monday, I have seen comments from several religious Nigerians online, these comments include: ‘pray for Nigeria’, ‘let’s keep praying for Nigeria’, ‘don’t stop praying for Nigeria’ and the most disturbing for me came from IK Osakodiwa of Rhythm FM suggesting that the issue of Boko Haram is spiritual and we need to intensify our prayers.
If I may ask, are we the only nation in the world? Why has the devil chosen Nigeria? Is the issue of epileptic power supply spiritual? the issue of bad roads, spiritual? the issue of insecurity? how about the issue of corruption and missing funds? and the educational sector? unemployment? NIS recruitment tragedy? ARE ALL THE ISSUES FACING NIGERIA SPIRITUAL?
It is therefore evident that millions of Nigeria believe that the solution to Nigeria’s numerous problems lies in praying. The argument in favour of this has been ‘Nigerians are helpless’. Whilst this may be true, many of us know that we have been praying since 1960 and nothing has changed, sadly the situation has gone from bad to worse and I can smell war. We therefore have to change our tactics fast.
I have pictured in my head what will happen in religious centres across the nation over the weekend.
I see people offering thanksgiving and sharing testimonies of how they missed the bomb blast by seconds. I see religious leaders assuring their members that they are safe from Boko Haram because they are God’s children.
I see prophesies of safety concerning the congregation’s children, their children’s children, their cattle and dogs etc. I see religious leaders asking the congregation to pray for Nigeria for a couple of minutes and in their sub-consciousness the congregation will believe they have done their bit to help with Nigeria’s issues. It is a vicious cycle that occurs from weekend to weekend.
However, one thing I am sure of is that several religious people died in that blast and several others die daily in our country from accidents due to bad roads, stray bullets due to insecurity and hunger due to poverty. My point is nobody is safe and it can happen to anyone at any time.
So what do we have to do? I have decided to view the solution to Nigeria’s problem from a religious angle. Since we are such a religious country and have so much respect for our religious leaders, I have cause to believe the solution lies therein. Therefore, I am writing this to you because I know how respected you are and how millions of Nigerians take your word for what it is.
May I therefore, plead with Nigerian religious leaders to do things differently when their congregation gather for worship this weekend?
- Could you please let your members know that prayers only CANNOT and WILL not solve our problems. If it could, Nigeria will be the best country on earth because we have prayed and prayed and prayed
- Could you please encourage them to start getting angry with the government and demand for their rights? The citizen of any country is entitled to some basic amenities from the government. Several governments in Nigeria have come and gone and have not been able to provide us with our entitlements. Many people have turned to God due to helplessness and hopelessness.
- Could you please let your congregation know that God will not come down to help us and we have to help ourselves.
If you already do this, please intensify it this weekend when your congregation gathers for worship, we need to change the thinking of the average Nigerian. The moment we come to the realization that God will not come down to help us, I believe we will become more ‘aggressive’ and demand for change.
We have to start from somewhere.
Let’s do this for the future of generations unborn.
''A''
FOR-Religious Change Nigeria
Gbam! Gbammer!! Gbammest....who ever wrote this have said it all...
ReplyDeleteThis is. Exactly what I'm all about its not about having fun my dear country let's fight back as youths and if the govt is agaainst it we challange them too
DeleteWhere are those who can speak out let's take walks of protests let the govt listen to us once nd for all, let them hear our contributions
Let's protect ourselves by ourselves
Push up, walks of protest for how long? The protest alone with solve the issue. Prayers are also needed. When two or three are gathered in my name, I'm there with them...av u read that passage before? Faith without works is dead too. We need to work and also pray
DeleteThis write up is sweet as honey that can never spit out. Hope this beautiful message will get to the right people and right minds. We need to change our mindset and orientations in this country, and this is just one of them.
DeleteAdekunle Kaszzem
Nice write-up Mr A, BUT really? what do you want them to do?
ReplyDeleteInstigate their members not to got to work and strike?
Stage a protest to the government houses?
Believe me, I understand your reasoning but there's little or nothing they can do than tell their congregation to pray! pray!! pray!!!
It's a spiritual gathering not otherwise!! Do you think if Jesus was around he'd tell his people to riot? IMO, i don't think so.
Reason why most churches aren't functional is because they have left the things of God they ought to preach and moved to secular issues, mundane issues you wouldn't have to bring up if your congregation was deeply rooted in God's word!!
The most they(religious leaders) can do is probably boycott all invitations from the government to show their grievances! And ALSO, urge their congregation to pray pray and pray!!!!!!!!!!
Good to be back!!!
Shut up with this ur prayer nonsense. U re one of Nigerians problems
DeleteLike
DeleteAnon 11:42, you must be very stupid
DeleteStella, when are you going to write your own open letter?
ReplyDeleteYour comment will be visible after approval
Even the bible said heaven help those who help themselves
ReplyDeleteSo we can't just fold our arms and pray
Our prayers should be backed up with actions on how to curb the menance in our dear country
Sorry 2 dissapoint u, u dnt know the bible. No such. Thing as heaven helps those who helps themselves in the bible. When God wants 2 help u, ur own struggle 2 assist becomes even irrelevant.
DeleteMbok which part of your bible says that? It's not in mine!
DeleteI choose not 2 comment.
ReplyDeleteBetter not to make ur senseless comment as u did since the past days. Moron
DeleteAnon 1:21, get a. Life
DeleteThe poster is right God will not come down from heaven to help us like the say heaven help those who help them selves
ReplyDeletewe are always quick to say "it is well" then we conclude: "only God can help us" ; the truth is nothing is well with/in this country. God helps those who help themselves!
ReplyDeleteSo you want pastors to start inciting violence eh? People like you will still be the first to say why ate folks blindly obeying their pastors. Shut up your mouth Mr writer. What have you done for Nigeria? Sick of these foolish fellows who sit on their assets and proper solutions. I won't even be surprised if the writer is abroad. Is Ayo Oritsejafor a security personnel? Is he an sss agent? What else do you want him to say? Drop your pen and get into the streets. Start with yourself. Kpcheew.
ReplyDeleteAnother condemned Nigerian. U re one of nigeria's problems
DeleteGbam... You have saved me from typing the epistle I had in mind to type...
DeleteWriter,stop sending memos and letters.. Get into the street and start the process.. Every action starts with someone ..
Anon 11:44, shut the trash you call a mouth
DeleteYou said it and anybody that does not believe in what u said is a criminal also stealing with government
DeletePersonally, what is your own contribution. Am not saying prayer is the best solution but what have atheist like ur type done to stop this mess or are you claiming that all Nigerian citizens are religious. Morons like you always seek for a loophole to base their argument in other to sound different. Cnt u state ur point without attaching it to any religion. So u are tying to tell me u hv been in coma during all this bombings nothern states, just because it happened in Abuja u tnk dt regilious leaders are not doing wt is expected of them. Why not organise ur kind, take matchets n guns n go demonstrate as d floor is open. If you cnt stay any longer, dear Cameroon is not far.
ReplyDeleteAnother condemned Nigerian. Tuehhhh
DeleteAnon 11:45, you are mad
DeleteIts 2 long n I wil read d summary lerra, oya I ned dat stella seat
ReplyDeleteEverything is too long for you to read. How did you manage in school sef? Hope you are smart sha cos you portray yourself as a blockhead.
DeleteCeeCee
Another condemned Nigerian. If it was a topic on sex and sex positions, u would have read it
DeleteAnon 11:46, are you ok @ all?
DeleteHmmmmm. Well said.
ReplyDeleteDear A, I've thought and thought over this issue, Nigeria as a country has failed in almost every sector, from our Security/intelligence to Light,I've asked myself and people who blame the President what would I do in his shoes, he's a human for God sake not superman with special powers, with all what u wrote there condenming the Religious angle being used to tackle this issues, not once did u suggest a possible solution, or idea, so are u better than GEJ or those of us that still believe in Prayers?people in Govt read this blog too, u had the platform to make useful suggestions and all you could do was condemn.and the Spiritual fathers u talked about what else would u have them do? You directed this letter to the wrong set of people, this BH issue will take the Grace of GOD for it to be overcomed, because all the possible solutions have read and thought of would be Frustrated because of how corrupt the country is , I'm with IK on this pls, we need spiritual help, since Muslims have outrightly denied BH's act, they should look for a way to talk to them to stop spoiling the name of the Religion, and we that can pray should continue praying for a wind of change in Nigeria, God works in mysterious ways I tell u, he can set confusion in the camp of the enemy and that will be just it.
ReplyDeleteU we're making sense then u derailed. Condemend
DeleteSpot on Nuvi. I totally agree with you.
DeleteFellow Nigerians let's coerntinue to PRAY.
Without God,no matter what we do to stop all the evil that has befallen us, it won't work.
Prayer is the key.
Anon 11:47, make your own contribution or better still lead the war or keep mute if you can't and allow others air their view
DeleteNice write up. But i disagree with you on one point: "get angry with government".
ReplyDeleteWho is government? It goes back to the congregation. I would rather say people should live what they pray. If u pray for good, b good urself. If u pray for improvement, improve urself. Life starts from the nuclei and so is change. There is nothing like "we" and "them". It is all "US", and only us can make it work. You throw buscuit wrap on road but you want a clean environment. then u say government is not trying bc they dont v street cleaners and that should v created employment? Why not try keeping the street clean by not throwing trash on it? at least that can be done effortlessly. Please lets call a spade, spade. We are all in it, we all contributed and is still contibuting to it. We can only make it better by stopping ourselves and taking the right route.
I rest my case
Good nigerian
DeleteWell said...we are the change we seek period!!!
DeleteI sincerely agreed with this person...because I believe our corrupt leaders are always using religious beliefs to bamboozle us.....when the world went into recession, why UK and Yankee no dey shout prayer??...they worked and tackled the bull by the horn not sit down in our corner and be screaming Jesus...
ReplyDeleteGood nigerian
DeleteMadam Ammie, there's no where in the Bible that states that!
ReplyDeleteBiko, stop saying what you don't know!!
Na your type we still dey talk!!
We need solutions at this point, and we must also unite at this trying times.
ReplyDeleteAs much I as like this write up. Im going to critic it this way. There's nothing wrong in our religious leaders telling us to pray for the Nation because its the right thing to do. However, I believe our problem in Nigeria is the people. We pray but yet live in sin. The government is a representative of the citizenry. In our own little corners, do we do the right things? These people in power, who put them there? Nigerians! Because of greed and selfishness.
ReplyDeleteI am very angry at the situation of things in Nigeria. Tired of the blame game and so I ask each and everyone of us to change and make the right changes. OSUN and EKITI citizens, its your turn to do the right thing. VOTE for the candidate with the best plans and manifesto, not the highest bidder. Let's replicate that all over Nigeria. Let's cry out everytime there's an injustice. Please this Nation needs to CHANGE. WE ARE THE CHANGE
And yet another condemned Nigerian. Shut up
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't he refer to Islamic leaders to preach openly in mosques against the violence. They have been silent and allowed BH become a hydra
ReplyDeleteAll the writer has done is challenge our mentality! The average Nigerian will not help himself but will wait for God even when God has given him the senses and resources to help himself.
ReplyDeleteTo the average Nigerian, everything is spiritual, if he is careless and forgets to lock his doors at night and is robbed, he would say it is spiritual! When will we start accepting our own blames? When will we start using our God given intellect to create a better society than running after witches and wizards?
When David and his men were attacked in the bible and their wives taken as captives, all David asked God was 'Should I pursue?' and God said 'Pursue for you shall surely overtake them'. Did he wait for God to come and pursue for him? or did he stay and fold his arms and wait for God to come and do the work when God had already empowered him
I wont be surprised the day Jonathan will come and say everything happening to Nigeria including the bad governance is spiritual!
The other day, I was reflecting on the issue of money rituals in this country, and I was like.. why must it be in Nigeria that we employ the negative 'spiritual' to make money? cant people make this money using their intellect and energy like in advanced countries?
Our thought process is backward, instead of holding the government responsible for the ills of this country, for robbing us dry and thinking we are stupid. For even daring to use the Nyanya killings in propagating their political interests... imagine APC governors visiting victims together, some politically inclined blood donation with their pictures all over the place etcetera
While the writer hasn't said prayers don't work or that we shouldn't pray or that religious leaders should instigate their members to declare a 'war' he or she just challenged our thinking. Perhaps the day we decide to accept our own blames and stop blaming the 'spiritual', maybe that's the day, our change will start.
While I agree that we may not be able to do anything as citizens struggling to just survive in this harsh economy, while I agree a government protest or strike may not help, I also feel we should loosen up on the spiritual for things that are clearly physical. I agree with truthteller that religious leaders can express their grievance by boycotting all invitations from government and refusing to give them their church platform for politically inclined religious appearances..
Sorry for the long epistle that's if anyone bothers to read but this writer has written intelligently and I totally agree
Me like 100times
DeleteIts amazing that the majority of the readers failed to get the point the writer was making.... He is suggesting that these religious leaders use their powers of persuasion to appeal to the congregation rather than always asking to pray and asking people to give testimonies for avoiding these atrocities. We have been praying idiots and nothing has changed. The writer is asking everyone to change tactics, be angry at the government, grow some balls, have a voice abi una think say london and america wen we dey always dey run to na only prayers them dey rely on. the reason why other countries are better than ours is because they are realistic in their ways of life and in their thinking. They understand that until you as a human lend your voice to cause nothing ever changes. Take pen to paper, come together with one voice, let the government know that we are angry rather than just sitting down and praying and doing nothing. Our way of thinking needs to change. The truth is in no time soon is God going to come down from heaven and change Nigeria if we do not do it ourselves. That's the Gospel truth. Rather than these religious leaders praying an asking for money everyday, they should speak to their congregation about change. Me and you know that prayers without action na lie, nothing go work... if we like make we pray today till thy kingdom come....if we don't do anything, Nigeria will never change. God himself don't like ugly. Us nigerians are a bunch of wimps, we hide under umbrella of prayer, yet we do absolutely nothing to change the situation.
ReplyDeleteOur leaders no dey shame, even us no dey shame, person sick, dem go fly am go abroad, Why dem dey fly dem go abroad, anyone from abroad don ever fly come back naija for sickness, Nelson Mandela himself was sick and was treated in South Africa. Was he ever flown anywhere for treatment... Mind you this is a country that got their independence way after us....If they sat down, folded their arms and prayed, Would there have been a change? No. Lets be realistic with out situation. My suggestion will be similar to that done in China... Any past president, leaders, rulers or anyone who has ever been in power in Nigeria, should be lined up and shot dead. Anyone who feels that they want to go and loot in Nigeria should be shot dead...No be Ghana now don better. The only way forward for Naija na through Coup.. we need one badly. All these keep praying approach obviously is not working and will never work.
One billion likes for your comment. All past leaders that are still alive should be killed as done in China and Ghana
DeleteAnon 12:00pm ure blessed
DeleteWell said. I believe that there a part for prayers in all this but just as A has said, it is also a time to act. Even the bible say Faith without works is dead. Lets us face it, nothing will happen unless we pray and act. There is a part to play for us all...Get up...get out there and let your opinion be known in your own little community. Put your brick in place so we can complete the building. Thumbs up A.
ReplyDeleteDear Poster,
ReplyDeleteReligion and Nigerians are intertwined. We have been so drilled from generations past about religion that anything any one says criticising their gods of men is met with a lot of resistance. The pastors are also very smart. They understand the make up of the average Nigerian and know he is too lazy to work and make a change. They know that the average Nigerian finds it far easier to " pray" than to actively do anything. So they have capitalised on it. They convince their members to sow seeds in order to receive their miracles. To pay their tithes which are used to fund the exorbitant life of these gods of men.
It will be a very long time before Nigeria gets to the stage of Germany, China, USA etc. this is because Nigerians are lazy intellectually. And they enjoy and bask in the corruption that abounds. Nigerians are religious but not Christians.
Look at our surroundings. Who creates the dirt lying on the streets? We do. Look at the way we treat those who work under us. Would Christ do that? Look at the massive corruption going on in the schools, offices, churches. Would Christ do that?
Be the change you want.
Jolomi
The only help we neeed from our Pastors is just to prophesy where BH camp is located so that arrests can be made and if possible the next target area so we can evacuate people before a bomb is detaonated. On a last note like Christ they should leave their comfort zone and take the gospel to the north.It is easier cus they v jets.
ReplyDeleteWho ever wrote this wants our religious leaders to be arrested with charges of inciting the public. It's is not for pastors to tell pple to rise up against govts pls theirs is to preach the gospel
ReplyDeleteWish I hv d patience to write a long epistle,wuld hv given sme points conerning ds.buh all I wanna sai,I agree wif d poster n sme ways buh nt all. EVE E UME
ReplyDeleteThat's why the bizness of church running' thrives in naija!cos the pple are so lazy to find solution for their problems its easier to just pray and siddon look,eg a jobless graduate will sit home all day without going out to try out other things,yet he claims he believing God for a job,how can d job meet him?same with naija issues:corruption is everywhere we are praying against it,but half of the prayer warriors are the master minders of corrupt practices in their respective offices. Lol!so how will it end.we just use religion to decieve ourselves cos it's easier to cling to.,God dis,God dat' is become like a beer parlour slogan for nigerians,cos most pple don't fear the God they profession dats y even the general prayers might not work(d prayer of the wicked is an abomination to d lord)).i also advise nigerians and their pastors to stand up and ask' of their right from the govt which covers safety and protection,at least the govt too respect MOGS too,and MOG like Oritsejafor should face their work and stop patronising d govt!inasmuch as I don't underestimate the power of God and prayers,God can't come down from heaven and fix our sh#t,he can't rain sophisticated equipments from heaven to fight BH,God is not a magician even in d days of old,d isrealites went out to war PHYSICALLY against their enemies and not just praying to God.we need to change our orientation!!infact,i have said too much#okbye
ReplyDeleteI support the writer, all you saying that the pastors are to preach the gospel & not to instigate the congregation against the govt are jus religious bigots. Was Martin Luther king not a baptisit pastor , did he not speak against the white American Government, did his prophies nt come to pass ( Obama). Our spiritual leaders can act as a catalyst of change in Nigeria . All these politicians run to them for before election for laying of hands, spiritual blessings & prophetic pronoucement ,why can't these so called men of God tell them the truth, the masses are suffering. They can send them away , tell them we need change in Nigeria. They can also boycot all their invites. Its to show them the darkness & light that mix. For me know our spiritual leaders both muslim & christain can make a big change to our beloved. Country.
ReplyDeleteWhat type of letter is this??? Oga, u have not said anything meaningful? How exactly should we demand for our rights? Should we stage a protest or go on strike? or what???
ReplyDeleteplease be more explicit next time.
I like your write up, this would have helped in advanced,governed and lawful county. When IK said we should pray, he did not say nothing should be done,but he knows Nigeria as a country and as a nation.Have u listened to this minister of defence interview for once after any bomb blast? you will just shake your head in so much disbelief;Did you hear they arrested Omojuwa&Co's after protesting? Did you listen to Governor Fashola's interview on channel when he complained about those from the federals?Nigeria can't fight its battle just physically,we are too wicked and heartless as a nation to our fellow humans just because of greed and power.
ReplyDeleteOur men of God do really have a role to play, once you ask from guardiance from God and he says-go and fight then you go;but what God asked preachers and members to do is constantly pray for the peace of Jerusalem''.Demanding your right from this wicked people don't get you to solutions, sometimes it get you killed or just famous;if we as a nation can come out and fight that's a different thing; but our civil society's can even get our government to sit up,my solution is prayer,when King Nebuchadnezza doubted God,God humbled him and he chewed grass; in the midst of all this turbulence its crystal clear that God is at work; sometimes he watches,sometimes he acts immediately but vengeance is still of the Lord.
The Corruption has eaten dip into the system,many of us act like we want change but wait till you put people like Omojuwa's and co's;Reuben Abati was one of those who constantly battered the corruption in government but he's there today, what can we say?poverty is a disease, and once you can be free from it,you will deny everyone or anything that might attach you to the rags.
This battle and the problems of Nigeria is not just a physical battle but a spiritual battle;when God intervenes and start dealing with these wicked souls-we will confirm that this is the Lords battle.
How do I hug u? Ur comment is the best
Delete@poster, is not by power nor by might.... Even St. Paul had to pray when things gat so bad and God said to him "my power will be made manifest in ur weakness".. You see why Its not enough to complain over d bokoharam attacks&other problems facing our life&country...question is, how often do u talk to God about them. God might probably be waiting for u to beckon him b4 he'll act..so, get in prayer mood, lets pray until something
ReplyDeletehappens, never can tell ..today its north & someone else dying, tomorrow it could be u. In total submission we pray for God's mercy upon our country in Jesus name!
*Prayer For Nigeria in Distress x10 Daily*
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17th April, 2014
First time you ever said something reasonable...keep it up
DeleteKai with the comments to this post I just read, I doubt if Nigeria can ever be better in the next 5 generations to come!!
ReplyDeleteNigeria has the highest number of church goers, yet the highest number of evil doers.
......smh
please who is this poster that wrote this... This... Hmmmph... Dey read dey go!
ReplyDeleteAnon 11:45, if she's condemned then you're what? Destroyed and finished abi?
ReplyDeleteThis poster should shut up.....what else has he done but write this letter and pray? Have u done even a one man riot squad to Abuja? We will keep praying........some of us go to churches where they do more, teach us to be leaders and good citizens......if our government is more talk and no action stop blaming the church....the solution you have given is nothing new....people like pastor Ayo have even done more for the country than you have done........stop attacking Christians, what are the Muslims doing to call their book haram brothers to order....they go to mosque every Friday, pray 5 times a day yet their brothers are killing in the name of Allah and the stupi northern governors have not deemed it fit to proffer a solution to the problem......please shut up and stop blaming the church for everything......as Christians the only thing we can do is to keep praying and keep speaking the word till things change.......you and all making noise here should start by leading a protest to aso rock.....meanwhile your suggestions have not told us how to tackle book haram....mschweeeeeew
ReplyDeleteNigerians LOVE suffer wellu wellu.
ReplyDelete