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Many Nigerians are currently split over the suggestion made by Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, proposing the conversion of church vigils to night shifts to increase productivity.
During his appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast, Obi argued that excessive indulgence in religious activities and politics has waned the productivity of Nigerians, worsening the poverty situation.
“I’m not happy in Nigeria; we can’t continue to breed poverty; that’s not leadership. We live in a largely unproductive society, which is why the only things that seem attractive here are politics and religion,” he remarked in a clip from the podcast released on Saturday, November 2, 2024.
The former Anambra State Governor put forward as a solution, the transformation of vigils into night shifts, arguing that too much time is spent attending church services from Monday to Friday.
“We have to dismantle it. I’d rather turn night vigils into night shifts so people can be productive. I go to church; I believe in God," he noted, stressing that it's unacceptable for people to attend church from Monday to Friday, morning and night.
“If I travel from here to my house, the only signboards you see are those of churches. If you go to the East, it’s burials, and that’s not a country. In other countries, you’ll see products,” he added.
Nigerians split over Obi's proposal
While Obi's suggestion resonated with many Nigerians, who agreed on the need to tone down religiosity for enhanced productivity, some think that the argument infringed on religious traditions.
In his reaction, Joshua Mike-Bamiloye, son of the popular founder of the Mount Zion Faith Drama Ministry, Mike Bamiloye, is one of the Nigerians who has condemned Obi’s proposal.
In a post on X on Sunday, November 3, 2024, Joshua alleged that the comments were “misguided” and “insulting.”
“So now vigils are the reason Nigeria isn’t productive? The mentality of blaming church attendance for Nigeria’s problems is very misguided and, at best, an insult,” he wrote.
As a counterargument, Joshua posits that other social gatherings, such as recreational events, comedy shows, and concerts, should also be banned to boost productivity.
“Vigils are commonly held on Fridays, right before the weekend. If we want to be productive, why not also ban recreational events, comedy shows, and concerts—in fact, ban every social gathering?
“The hot weather seems to have corroded some minds to the point that they fail to think clearly and address the real problems,” he added.
See below how other Nigerians on X reacted to Obi's call
“The only things working are politics and religion; that is why pastors and politicians are so wealthy. We, on the other hand, vote for bad politicians and then go to church to pray for what those politicians are stealing from us!” - @TheAmaizingJosh
“Yet he was present at every major church gathering during the election campaigns last year. Every programme, this man attended while canvassing votes from the same church that he now wants to dismantle.
“I support him; please, sir, let’s join hands to dismantle it together, so Nigerians wouldn’t have to be divided along religious sentiments engineered by the same politicians who are friends and business associates with the pastors and church operators.” - @sir_enike
“We spend far too much time in houses of worship, and that’s a genuine fact. Too many houses of worship with minimal reflection in people’s lives, both morally and financially. It’s time we do something differently.” - @ogunmusi
“Actually, he mentioned Monday to Friday, not just Fridays. His point is that holding vigils on work nights could affect productivity since people still need to show up for work the next morning.
“Yes, other late-night events can impact productivity too, but vigils occur more regularly, sometimes every week. So, it’s not about blaming the church but acknowledging that frequent late nights during the workweek can really wear people out.” - @OMatarazi
“The religious aspect is actually true. We need fewer people active in churches and more engaged in being productive.” - @japhetho