Joshua Bamiloye, son of the prominent Nigerian evangelist Mike Bamiloye, has voiced strong disapproval of Peter Obi’s recent statements about church vigils, labeling them as “misguided” and “insulting.”
Obi, while speaking on the Honest Bunch Podcast, suggested that Nigeria should aim for greater productivity by cutting back on church night vigils, which he implied contribute to “breeding poverty.”
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bamiloye expressed his disagreement with Obi’s stance, asserting that addressing night vigils is irrelevant and deflects from the deeper systemic issues affecting the nation. He noted that vigils typically occur on Friday nights, just before the weekend, and questioned why other social gatherings, such as comedy shows and concerts, aren’t also singled out as productivity obstacles.
“So now vigils are the reason Nigeria isn’t productive?” Bamiloye tweeted. “The mentality of blaming church attendance for Nigeria’s problems is very misguided and, at best, an insult.”
He added, “If we’re serious about productivity, why not also restrict recreational events, comedy shows, and concerts—in fact, let’s ban every social gathering. The hot weather seems to have corroded some minds, preventing clear thinking and action on the real issues.”
https://x.com/jay_mikee/status/1852791572808556624?t=oF-8dlzHOxqTybWi9RImog&s=19
The exchange has ignited debate across social media, with many Nigerians weighing in on the role of church activities versus other societal factors in the nation’s productivity.
