Lawyer and rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has stirred the hornet’s nest on social media after stating that Nigeria’s deepening governance crisis is beyond the reach of prayers.
In a Facebook post that has since sparked a storm of responses, Adeyanju wrote: “Nigeria, the world headquarters of religious activities/worship is proof that prayers cannot fix leadership issues/bad governance.”
His remark, blunt as a bullet and as controversial as ever, has thrown the digital public square into a heated debate about the place of faith in a nation grappling with bad leadership.
One user, Godbless Uko, minced no words in condemning what he described as the misuse of religion, stating: “In Nigeria, even crooks use the name of God to deceive the gullible even the ones manning the pulpits.” He stressed the need for action over passivity: “Don’t sit at home and expect a miracle to happen, work it out.”
Echoing a similar sentiment, Reign Rence commented: “These are responsibilities given to man by God and if man fails, then man must face the consequences of irresponsibility.”
Oni Autonomy put it even more directly: “Prayers can’t solve what’s on the ground in Nigeria. Action is the best way.”
However, not everyone agreed with Adeyanju’s take. Kingsley Uluocha pushed back, offering a more nuanced view of the power of collective prayer: “Prayer is more than what people think it is. You’re a lawyer and so understand what ‘prayer’ is all about… it is not that prayer is ineffective… it is that we’re not yet ready to pray. Correctly.”
Cletus Chukwuma struck a middle ground, affirming the potency of prayer but stressing sincerity: “Prayer does wonders, na person wey they pray matters a lot. Not with a hypocritical heart.” He added, “However, who knows why we have not perished all along.”
Taking a more structural approach, Aliciatu Barrie outlined what she described as practical strategies to fix Nigeria’s leadership woes, including promoting transparency, citizen engagement, and education. According to her, “Addressing leadership issues in Nigeria requires a multi-faceted approach.”
Michael Ade Adesote chimed in with a balanced view: “Point of correction: Prayers alone cannot fix a country, but prayers with actions has never failed.”
For others, the issue was less about theology and more about misplaced priorities. Julie Udoh noted: “Even Israel cannot wait for the God of Israel to fight for them, we’re not ready yet.”
Meanwhile, Edafe Oghenebrume didn’t mince words: “Religion is not only the opium of the people, but an instrument to sustain oppression in Nigeria in particular and Africa at large.”
Oluwaferanmi Daramola brought the conversation full circle by urging Nigerians to shift focus: “Leave religion out of bad governance. How do we tackle the issue of bad governance should be the main thing. Leave religion abeg.”
