The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has addressed what he calls a misrepresentation of his recent comments suggesting that “church vigils be converted into night shifts.” Obi’s remarks, made during an appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast, received widespread criticism as an infringement on religious practices.
In the interview, the former Anambra State governor highlighted Nigeria’s economic struggles, linking poverty and unproductivity to two major factors: politics and religion. He argued that an excessive amount of time was spent in church services from Monday through Friday, which could be redirected toward productivity.
The comments sparked mixed reactions among Nigerians, with many interpreting Obi’s position as an intrusion on religious traditions. Following the backlash, Obi responded through a statement by his media aide, Ibrahim Umar, stating that his comments had been “twisted” and “blown out of proportion.”
The statement emphasized, “Our attention has been drawn to a significant distortion of Obi’s interview, with some erroneously claiming he called for dismantling churches in Nigeria.” According to the statement, the interview’s headline distorted Obi’s intended message, allegedly to serve “a mischievous end.”
Described as a man of “strong faith,” Obi expressed his respect for all religions, clarifying that his remarks were meant to highlight how faith and productivity could coexist. “Obi merely underscored what Apostle James said about ‘Faith without Works,’” the statement explained. His reference to turning vigils into “production nights” was intended to stress the importance of worshipping God through work.
“Even Jesus chose his disciples not while they were praying but while they were working—fishermen, tax collectors, and others,” the statement noted. Obi’s view, as presented, encourages a balance between work and prayer, which he believes should complement rather than substitute each other in Nigeria.
