Joshua Bamiloye, son of Nigeria’s prominent televangelists Mike and Gloria Bamiloye, has reacted to a recent analogy made by the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Speaking during a sitcom in the Honest Bunch Podcast, Peter Obi condemned the amount of time Christians spend at night vigils. The former Anambra State Governor wished the time could be spent on work shifts where people would be more productive instead.
Expectedly, his remarks sparked widespread debate online, with many questioning his stance on religious gatherings and their impact on Nigeria’s productivity.
During the podcast, Obi suggested that Nigeria might see more economic progress by reducing the frequency of church vigils, advocating instead for night shifts focused on productivity.
He implied that extensive late-night church gatherings could be contributing to poverty in the country, encouraging a shift towards productive work during the night.
Obi said, “It’s attractive, politics and church but it has to be dismantled.
“We are going to turn night vigil into night shift so that people can be productive.
“I go to church and believe in God but we can’t have it that people Monday to Friday, be in church morning and night.
“If I go from here to my house, the only sign boards you see are those of churches.
“If you go to the East, it’s burials and that’s not a country.”
Bamiloye, who took to social media platform X amid the ongoing debate off Obi’s remarks, addressed what he described as a misrepresentation of the nation’s underlying issues.
“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,” Bamiloye wrote.
He further argued that if productivity was the primary concern, then other social events, including recreational gatherings, comedy shows, and concerts, should also be curtailed.
“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?” he added.
In a follow-up post, Bamiloye emphasized that Nigeria could indeed be both religious and prosperous, rejecting the notion that the two are mutually exclusive.