PRAYERS WITHOUT PRODUCTIVITY: WHY NIGERIA MUST RETHINK RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT

In a nation where religion is more widespread than infrastructure, the contradictions stare us in the face. We pray endlessly, speak in tongues, and fast relentlessly, yet the metrics of progress remain abysmal. If religion has made you deaf to reason, perhaps you should read no further. But for those who still believe logic has a place in national discourse, it's time to confront some hard truths.

Prayers, vigils, and 24-hour Bible reading marathons do not, on their own, put food on the table. Success in today’s world is driven by systems, leadership, education, connections, and strategy, not just spirituality. The painful irony is that while we kneel in endless prayer, the rest of the world is building, innovating, and advancing.

Look around: poverty, corruption, illiteracy, and tribalism are our real demons. These enemies walk freely among us while we claim to be binding invisible spirits. Every street corner has a church, yet our schools remain dilapidated, our hospitals underfunded, and our institutions weak. The modern African church has become more of a commercial hub than a place of genuine transformation.

America, the global superpower many aspire to emulate, did not get there by prayer alone. They built strong institutions, invested heavily in science and education, and established systems of accountability. They understand that development is engineered, not wished into existence.

The Middle East, home to some of the richest nations today, did not rise through midnight prayers. They mastered oil, trade, and geopolitics, and they invested in innovation and infrastructure. Their wealth was the product of strategic planning and deliberate nation building, not endless vigils.

Even China, a secular and largely atheistic society, has achieved astounding growth. They don’t speak in tongues, yet they are lifting millions out of poverty, dominating global trade, and expanding their technological reach. They are a lesson in discipline, planning, and ruthless efficiency.

Africa, and particularly Nigeria, is arguably the most prayerful region on earth, yet it remains painfully underdeveloped. We must stop pretending. Prayer is not a substitute for policy. Speaking in tongues will not fix power supply, bad roads, or poor healthcare. Our overdependence on religion has become a national excuse for inaction.

It is time to redirect our energy. Instead of building more churches, let us build more schools and technical colleges. Let tithes and offerings empower local entrepreneurs, not enrich a few. You don’t need deliverance, you need discipline. You don’t need prophecy, 

you need productivity. Enough of waiting for miracles; what we need now is a national plan.