Church vigils should be replaced with night shifts to boost productivity — Peter Obi

Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has suggested that church vigils should be replaced with night shifts to increase productivity across Nigeria.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Honest Bunch Podcast, Obi argued that Nigeria’s high poverty and low productivity are rooted in an excessive focus on religion and politics.

He says too much time is dedicated to religious gatherings, which could be better spent on productive activities that contribute to the nation’s growth.

He proposed those vigils be transformed into night shifts, stating that prioritising productivity over frequent church gatherings could help address Nigeria’s economic challenges.

He said, “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.

“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.

“However, we cannot have people attending 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.”

Obi’s statement has sparked mixed reactions, with some Nigerians agreeing with his emphasis on productivity, while others view his comments as an attack on religious practices.

Reacting to the statement on X, Joshua Mike-Bamiloye, son of the popular founder of the Mount Zion Faith Drama Ministry, Mike Bamiloye, described the comments as insulting.

In a lengthy post, he wrote, “So now vigils are the reason Nigeria isn’t productive? Boy, the mentality of blaming church attendance for Nigeria’s problems is a very misguided one and, at best, an insult.

“Vigils are commonly held on Fridays, right before the weekend. If we want to be productive, why not also ban recreational events, comedy shows, 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.”

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