November 04, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
Nigerians have condemned the comments of the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s,in a recent podcast which many perceive as mocking Yoruba people for voting for President Bola Tinubu.
The controversy started with a casual remark about the high price of rice, saying “It’s our turn, he is a Yoruba man… Is there a place they buy bread cheaper? So I can follow you to buy one.”
Many Yorubas feel ridiculed by this comment, especially since Peter Obi won in Lagos through the votes of many Yoruba’s and high level of votes in some other southwest regions.
However, some Nigerians have expressed disappointment and perceived ingratitude towards Peter Obi’s comments, feeling that they dismiss the support he received from Yoruba people during his presidential campaign, particularly in Lagos and other southwest regions.
These individuals believe that Obi’s remarks undermine the significant role Yoruba voters played in his success, sparking controversy and debate about the relationship between ethnicity, politics, and gratitude in Nigeria’s complex sociopolitical landscape.
Additionally, Obi’s proposal to convert church vigils into night shifts to enhance productivity sparked criticism from Joshua Mike-Bamiloye, who labeled the comments “misguided” and “insulting.” Mike-Bamiloye argued that blaming church attendance for Nigeria’s problems is misguided.
Obi made this proposal during an interview on the Honest Bunch podcast, citing Nigeria’s overemphasis on politics and religion as a major contributor to poverty and unproductivity.
“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 said.
Obi argued that too much time is spent attending church services from Monday to Friday, and suggested transforming vigils into night shifts to promote productivity.
He added, “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.
“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.”
However, his comments also sparks reactions, with many condemning his proposal as an infringement on religious traditions.
Joshua Mike-Bamiloye, son of Mike Bamiloye, the founder of Mount Zion Faith Drama Ministry, slammed Obi’s proposal, labeling it “misguided” and “insulting.”
Joshua questioned the logic of blaming church attendance for Nigeria’s problems and suggested that if productivity is the aim, other social gatherings should also be banned.
He added, “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.”
The pastor said, “I am not speaking as a pastor but a political scientist. Research has shown that Africans are deeply religious.
“What Peter Obi recommended is easier said than done. It is a lazy thought. Countries without God’s consciousness cannot make real progress. Israel, which is deeply religious but is still productive. We need a productive country where people love God.
“We cannot get a better society without churches and vigils. In countries that lack God’s consciousness, their children will acquire degrees and knowledge but become gays and lesbians where they will be sleeping with dogs.
“In America, students will go to schools with guns and kill teachers and students. It is an artificial society. It is the only religion that can bail out people from social issues.
“Religion is not our problem but bad leadership.
Churches are founding universities for knowledge accumulation, acquisition, and distribution. That statement from Obi has become a bad advert for him. It is a lazy line of thoughts.” He said.
