When I first heard Karl Marx’s assertion that “Religion is the opium of the people,” I was deeply offended. As a young Christian, I thought he was dismissing our faith. But over time, especially observing religious practices in Nigeria and Africa, I am beginning to understand his perspective.
Religion often disconnects us from rational thought. We follow regimentation and routines without questioning their effectiveness. For example, pastors have asked their congregants to eat grass, and they complied. Others have preached while standing on human beings. It’s as though logic is abandoned in the name of spirituality.
100 Days of Fasting: To What End?
Now, we’re being called to another 100 days of fasting for Nigeria. This isn’t the first time. Since I became a Christian at 26, we’ve been fasting for this country. I’m now 66, and rather than improving, Nigeria has deteriorated.
Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” If our endless prayers and fasting have not transformed Nigeria, isn’t it time to rethink our approach?
The Bible itself specifies the kind of fasting God desires. Yet, we persist with rituals that yield no tangible results. The problem lies not with God but with us. Until Nigerians change individually, the country cannot change.
Prayers Alone Won’t Save Nigeria
God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves. He will not conduct elections, fix our police force, or provide security. The challenges we face—corruption, incompetence, and insecurity—are the results of our actions. For example:
- Security Forces: Many security personnel are distracted, ill-equipped, and poorly motivated.
- Rehabilitating Terrorists: Integrating “repentant” terrorists into the military is a recipe for disaster.
- Exploiting Resources: Planes land in our forests to cart away our minerals, yet we pray instead of taking decisive action.
Prayers won’t stop these issues. Only strategic thinking, self-examination, and intentional action can.
The Real Purpose Behind Prolonged Fasts
As a clergyman, I understand the financial strategy behind these extended fasts. Churches often benefit financially during fasting periods through increased offerings. These fasts exploit people’s fears, insecurities, and uncertainties, promising divine intervention that rarely materializes.
What Nigeria Truly Needs
What we need is not more vigils but think tanks. Not more fasting but strategic planning. We must:
- Confront corruption and incompetence.
- Develop actionable blueprints for progress.
- Reorient our values and hold ourselves accountable.
Inventions like the mobile phone didn’t come from prayer alone but from determined minds working together to solve problems. Similarly, Nigeria needs solutions driven by logic, collaboration, and hard work—not just fasting and prophetic declarations.
Time to Build, Not Deceive
Let’s stop deceiving ourselves with religious rituals. It’s time to focus on building our country. As Nigerians, we are among the most brilliant, hardworking, and enterprising people globally. Yet, our nation lags because we refuse to address our real issues.
Let us embrace self-reorientation and transformation. Together, we can create the Nigeria we dream of.
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God bless you.
Dr. Charles Apoki.
