Why Nigerians Must Stop Praying About Self-Inflicted Woes (And What to Do Instead)

I think it was around 1989 or 1990. It was the Holy Ghost Convention of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries, led by the then Reverend Francis Wale Oke (now Bishop Francis Wale Oke). That was one conference that always made Ibadan and many parts of the South West stand still in those days.

The experience was simply unforgettable. That particular year, work was still going on at the new site of the ministry called the Garden of Victory at Olaogun in Ibadan. What we had as a semblance of a building was a caricature of a hall without a roof. It was like an open-air crusade. That particular night, as the service went on, the heavens opened, and it rained cats and dogs!

I was there that night. Reverend Wale Oke took the microphone and asked all of us to pray that the rain would stop. Oh, how we prayed that night. We commanded, loosed, and bound. We prayed in the spirit and prayed in the understanding. It was quite a sight to see the huge crowd lifting up their hands and praying so fervently. Yet, the more we prayed, the more it rained.

After some time, Reverend Wale Oke introduced the guest speaker for the night, who was the late charismatic Archbishop Benson Idahosa. It was still raining when the late Archbishop took the mic. He greeted the audience in his passable Yoruba in a very humorous way, and his next statement is what I will never forget for as long as I live.

He asked the audience if they knew why the rain did not stop. He said it was because when they prayed, he—Archbishop Benson Idahosa—did not say amen. The convention grounds went quiet. He then taught us a lesson that has been my watchword ever since. He asked the audience why they were wasting time praying when they could raise money to roof the building. If the building was roofed, there was no need to worry about the rain. He told us the rain was doing its work and we should do our own work. It was quite a night as people stepped out to give money for the roof project that night.

I recalled this story in church recently when someone prayed about the fuel crisis. I didn’t say amen too. I have stopped praying about self-inflicted woes. What Nigeria needs is not more prayers; it is simply for the majority to have common sense to do what is right. Doing what is right is not just about getting your PVC to vote when elections are approaching. That is what many don’t understand. By the time you get your PVC, you’re already saddled with terrible choices, and your PVC just enables you to pick the best of the worst.

The real change starts at the party primaries. The selection of party candidates is the most important process. That is the real foundation, which we must get right. If a party’s candidate that was chosen is a nincompoop, your PVC will only elect a nincompoop.

This is why those who are real politicians will give anything to become party delegates. Are you tired of the incessant fuel scarcity? Are you fed up with poor leadership and tired of the corruption all around? The situation is becoming more gruelling for many Nigerians. Electricity supply keeps getting worse, and fuel is almost beyond the reach of the average citizen. You can literally see frustration on the faces of many.

The solution is not more prayers. We have prayed enough. The answer is in doing the right thing. Take action. Go to your ward and participate in politics. Be the gatekeeper in your community. Struggle to become your party’s delegate so that you can be part of the selection process. When you leave party politics to those we often look down on, they will choose for you, and all that they need is the validation of your PVC to confirm that choice.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march!” (Exodus 14:15 TLB).

The Common English Bible (CEB) renders it this way: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to get moving.

Get involved! As the Bible says in James 2:17, faith by itself is dead if it doesn’t cause us to take the right actions.