Obi recently noted that Nigeria suffers from poverty and unproductivity, attributing this to an overemphasis on politics and religion.

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,” 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.