Pastor Adefarasin, Our Father In The Lord, If God Did Not Create Nigeria, Who Did? -By Isaac Asabor

When a man of God speaks, his words often transcend the pulpit. They become national conversations, global soundbites, and spiritual reference points. It is for this reason that pastors, bishops, and prophets must exercise great caution in their utterances. The tongue of a shepherd can either guide sheep to safety or drive them into confusion. This is why Pastor Paul Adefarasin’s recent declaration that “Nigeria was not created by God”, and that the country exists for British economic interest,  is both disturbing and misleading. Coming from a cleric of his caliber, such a statement risks shaking the faith of millions and undermining the very truth of God’s sovereignty.

Yes, history records that Nigeria was a colonial creation, the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates by Lord Frederick Lugard, done for the administrative convenience of the British Empire. The name “Nigeria,” as historians recall, was coined by Flora Shaw, Lugard’s mistress, and indeed, it was never an indigenous conception. But to stretch this historical fact into a theological conclusion that Nigeria was not created by God is not only flawed but dangerous.

At this juncture, permit this writer to throw insight into the danger of such a statement, particularly as Nigeria today is a nation grappling with corruption, insecurity, poverty, and chronic underdevelopment. In fact, the people are already burdened by despair, searching for signs of hope. In such a context, a pastor of Adefarasin’s stature has a responsibility to use his platform to instill faith, not erode it. When he stands before thousands in his congregation and millions watching online to declare that Nigeria was not created by God, he inadvertently plants seeds of hopelessness.

What happens to the struggling farmer who has been praying for divine intervention? What happens to the jobless graduate who believes God still has a purpose for Nigeria? What happens to the intercessors who gather daily to cry for the nation’s revival? A declaration like this undermines their prayers, suggesting that they may be pleading for a country that lacks divine recognition. That, dear Pastor, our father in the Lord, is spiritual discouragement, and it is not fitting for a servant of God.

James 3:1 warns: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Pastor Adefarasin must recognize that his words are not ordinary; they are magnified by his influence and echo far beyond his pulpit.

Weighing his assertion on the scale of the scripture and the sovereignty of God, there is no denying the fact that it is literarily weighty to ignore. This is as the Bible leaves no ambiguity about God’s involvement in the creation and governance of nations. Psalm 24:1 declares: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” This simple truth demolishes any argument that separates Nigeria from God’s creation. If the entire earth belongs to Him, Nigeria cannot be an exception.

Isaiah 45:18 strengthens the point: “For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, He is God; who formed the earth and made it, He established it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord, and there is no other.” Nigeria’s land, its people, its rivers, and its resources are all within this divine framework.

But perhaps the most precise scripture comes from Acts 17:26: “From one man He made all the nations that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.” This verse cannot be ignored. The very boundaries of Nigeria, whether drawn by Lugard or by Flora Shaw’s pen, still fall within the timing and sovereignty of God. Human agents may appear to be architects of nations, but they are, in truth, instruments in the unfolding of divine will.

Daniel 4:17 further declares: “…the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone He wishes…” If God is sovereign over all kingdoms, how then can Nigeria be excluded? To argue otherwise is to deny His supremacy.

Yes, colonialism left scars. Nigeria’s amalgamation was not birthed from a divine prayer meeting but from an imperial conference room. The British were motivated by economic interests, not by spiritual revelation. Yet, history is full of examples where God used even the selfish motives of men to fulfill His purposes.

Consider Israel’s exile in Babylon. It was Nebuchadnezzar’s military conquest that uprooted them, but God declared in Jeremiah 25:9 that He had appointed Nebuchadnezzar to execute judgment. In other words, God often uses men, even unbelieving rulers, to accomplish His purposes. If He could do it then, why not now? Could it be that colonial amalgamation, however exploitative, was still part of a divine script to shape Nigeria for a greater destiny?

It is also worth noting that after the amalgamation, Nigeria became a melting pot of cultures, languages, and religions. This diversity, while a challenge, has also been a unique strength. Could this complexity be part of God’s design, preparing Nigeria to play a strategic role on the African continent and the world stage?

Looking at the issue from the perspective of denying God’s hand in the affairs of Nigeria, there is no denying the fact that Pastor Adefarasin’s statement risks normalizing a dangerous mindset: that Nigeria is an accident of history with no divine purpose. If Nigerians believe this, hopelessness will grow. Why pray for national revival if the nation itself is not God’s creation? Why fast for transformation if Nigeria is merely a colonial experiment?

This mindset is unbiblical. Jeremiah 29:11 speaks directly to nations in crisis: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Nigeria, like Israel, may be enduring its Babylonian moment, but that does not nullify God’s plan for its restoration.

At this juncture, permit me to urge the well-respected cleric to retract the Statement. Pastor Adefarasin, with due respect, your voice carries weight. You are not just a preacher in Lagos; you are a national figure, a spiritual leader, and a mentor to many. But in this matter, sir, you have erred.

Your statement, while historically framed, has the unintended consequence of diminishing God’s sovereignty in the eyes of your listeners. It sends the wrong message at a time when Nigeria needs encouragement, not discouragement.

You must correct it. You must publicly affirm that, while Nigeria’s colonial creation was a human act, its existence, its boundaries, and its destiny are within God’s sovereign will. This is not about defending colonial history; it is about upholding biblical truth.

Psalm 33:11–12 reminds us: “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.” Nigeria, despite its troubles, is blessed because it belongs to God. That truth must not be compromised.

Against the backdrop of the foregoing views, it is germane to ask, “If Not God, Then Who Created Nigeria?” Pastor Adefarasin, I leave you with this simple but profound question: If God did not create Nigeria, who did? Was it Lord Lugard? Flora Shaw? Whitehall? Or is it more accurate to say that these colonial figures, knowingly or unknowingly, were instruments in God’s larger plan?

The Bible already gives the answer: “The Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth…” (Daniel 4:17). Therefore, Nigeria is not a mistake, not an accident, not a colonial orphan. Nigeria was created by God, sustained by God, and destined for God’s purpose.

That, sir, my father in the Lord, is the truth your pulpit should echo.