The Religious Romanticism of the Nigerian Clergy Must Stop, by Matthew Ma

Nigeria is a deeply religious country, where prayer is woven into the fabric of everyday life. We pray before opening a shop, sitting for an exam, embarking on a journey, planting a farm, or making a major decision. For millions of Nigerians, faith provides hope, resilience, and comfort in difficult circumstances. When trouble comes, familiar expressions quickly follow: “It shall be well,” “God will provide,” “God dey,” and “E go better.” These words can offer genuine encouragement and hope; however, they become dangerous when hope replaces responsibility. “God will provide” should not become a convenient excuse for refusing to do what lies within our capacity. Prayer cannot replace preparation; faith cannot substitute for discipline; and hope cannot eliminate the need for action. The question, therefore, is not whether Nigerians should pray. The deeper question is whether our prayers inspire us to act or encourage us to wait passively for solutions that require our own effort.

The Bible offers many teachings that emphasize diligence and the importance of hard work. For example, in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Saint Paul delivers a powerful message: “If anyone does not work, neither shall he eat.” This scripture highlights the value of personal effort and responsibility, showing that faith and hard work are not opposites but complementary parts of a fulfilling, productive life. Rationally, Saint Paul’s challenge means a graduate cannot spend years praying for a job while refusing to build marketable skills, make connections, or explore entrepreneurship. A trader cannot pray for prosperity while neglecting bookkeeping, customer service, or adapting to changing consumer demands. A farmer cannot pray for a bumper harvest while ignoring improved seeds, irrigation, weather information, and access to markets. The same principle applies to our communities. We pray for safer roads but often neglect basic civic responsibilities. We pray against insecurity while leaving community vigilance and cooperation to others. We complain about poor schools yet often treat public institutions as someone else’s responsibility. We pray for good leaders but forget that responsible citizenship means asking questions, demanding accountability, and participating constructively in public life.

Christian history offers a similar model. Rooted in sixth-century Western Christianity, the Benedictine tradition established a structured ora et labora—meaning “prayer and work”—through the Rule of St. Benedict. The monks did not withdraw from productive life to pursue prayer. Instead, they engaged in activities essential to sustaining their communities, including farming, baking bread, tending bees for honey, crafting clothing, and other necessary tasks. Their daily routine illustrated a simple yet profound principle: prayer was not a substitute for work; rather, it was integrated with it. Their faith shaped their approach to labor, while their work met their material needs and strengthened community bonds. Centuries later, in his 1905 work The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Max Weber examined how certain Protestant beliefs contributed to a cultural ethic that gave disciplined everyday work moral and religious significance. Weber did not argue that Christianity invented hard work or capitalism. Instead, he explored how concepts such as vocation, self-discipline, frugality, and systematic labor imbued ordinary economic activity with religious meaning.

However, in the twentieth century, Classical Pentecostalism emerged largely through the 1906 Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles and emphasized the Holy Spirit, healing, and spiritual renewal. Over time, this mindset became intertwined with the belief that God had preordained every outcome, leading many communities to mistake patience and trust for instructions not to act. This misinterpretation drew on Matthew 6, which speaks of the birds of the air and God’s provision for them. Often taken out of context, such verses offered superficial justification for inaction while overlooking broader biblical teachings that emphasize diligence, planning, and work. In African contexts, including Nigeria, this tendency has sometimes been reinforced by prosperity-oriented teachings that frame economic advancement primarily as a divine blessing.

Today, the “New Generation Churches” adopt a passive approach, believing that divine intervention alone can solve their problems. They pray fervently throughout the week, from Monday to Sunday, yet often overlook the need to take practical action in their daily lives. Relying solely on prayer without action raises serious concerns, particularly regarding the relationship between citizens and their political leaders. Believing that miracles can solve societal problems without active engagement weakens accountability and undermines politicians’ credibility. This belief leads some of our leaders to neglect our needs and concerns, assuming we will pray rather than act to demand better governance or address problems. In Nigeria, this has created a harmful cycle in which faith becomes disconnected from personal and communal responsibility, allowing corruption and resource mismanagement to go unchallenged.

Dear Nigerian youth, I urge you to be cautious about religious romanticism. So, what exactly is religious romanticism? It is the tendency to glorify and idealize aspects of religion, including religious leaders, miraculous events, prophecies, and promises of spiritual fulfillment. This idealization can become so intense that it overshadows critical thinking, undermines personal responsibility, and diminishes the value of hard work and practical effort in daily life. When individuals become overly enamored with the idea of divine intervention or the extraordinary claims of certain spiritual figures, they may neglect the importance of applying rational thought and making sound decisions based on evidence and experience. In essence, this mindset can lead to a dangerous dependency on faith as a substitute for personal initiative and accountability.

I am not suggesting that faith is inherently negative. In fact, faith can offer hope, courage, discipline, and purpose. There is nothing wrong with praying for success or believing divine intervention can influence your circumstances. The danger, however, arises when someone believes prayer alone can replace education, skills, diligence, planning, perseverance, or sound decision-making. Be cautious when someone claims an enemy causes every failure, every setback is a spiritual attack, or every financial breakthrough requires a specific religious ritual or monetary contribution. Likewise, be wary of any religious leader who discourages you from questioning or critically examining extraordinary claims simply because they are called “the word of God.” Nigeria needs a generation that can pray and think, believe and question, and hope and work. Do not leave your intellect at the threshold of a Church or religious gathering. Faith should strengthen your ability to confront reality, not help you escape it. Pray, but also prepare. Have faith, but never abandon reason, hard work, or personal responsibility.

At one time, the Catholic Church prayed fervently for Nigeria during periods of distress, seeking divine intervention to ease the nation’s struggles. The Church also later developed specific petitions against the persistent bribery and corruption that have plagued the country for years. These prayers carried great weight and remain among the Church’s most fervent appeals in recent times. However, powerful as these spiritual interventions may be, I believe they must be accompanied by tangible action to bring about real change. Praying for Nigeria’s well-being is commendable, but decisive action is just as—if not more—effective in addressing the challenges our country faces. Likewise, while praying against bribery and corruption is worthwhile, we must take proactive steps to empower Nigerians to resist these practices.

One might ask: if not by prayer, what specific steps can we take to eradicate bribery and corruption and uplift a nation in distress? Several strategies are available. First, the Church must remain vigilant and attentive to the signs of the times, letting what it observes inspire collective action. This can begin with a more active role in politics, including training men and women in policy development and analysis. Second, we can equip priests and other religious leaders to engage effectively with policy issues. With knowledge of governance, ethics, and public service, they can work more meaningfully with government bodies to advance policies that promote integrity and justice. These are practical steps we need to take. Rather than limiting our prayers to the walls of our sanctuaries, we must go into our communities and turn those prayers into action. In doing so, we can contribute significantly to Nigeria’s healing and transformation, creating an environment where we recognize and challenge bribery and corruption at their roots. Through prayer and proactive engagement, we can help cultivate a better future for our nation.

My passion for national development, combined with close observation of Nigeria’s social and political landscape, led me to pursue public policy studies. My deep passion for public and social policy as a cornerstone of national development did not arise suddenly; I developed it over time by closely examining Nigeria’s complex social and political landscape. This landscape is marked by many challenges, from economic instability and inadequate infrastructure to governance issues and social inequality. As I navigated this complexity, I felt compelled to study public policy—not only to understand the frameworks that guide its development, but also to explore how I could help shape effective policies that address the urgent needs of Nigerian citizens. After completing my studies, I returned to my country, and I am now exploring ways to engage with policy issues in Nigeria. I also hope to teach the younger generation why it is essential to work toward a better country with stronger policies.

I study public policy because my priestly vocation has taught me to care not only for individuals who suffer but also to understand the social and institutional structures that produce or perpetuate that suffering. Public policy gives me the analytical tools to connect the Christian commitment to human dignity, justice, and the common good with practical approaches to governance and social transformation. Today, I am extending my pastoral responsibility beyond the parish or congregation to the structures that shape people’s everyday lives. My public policy studies offer valuable insights into education, healthcare, housing, employment, social protection, security, migration, environmental resources, and the essential principle of human dignity.

However, since returning, I have seen Nigerians struggle to find meaningful employment. Finding a job can be arduous, as the adage goes: “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” This often creates a frustrating barrier for talented individuals. Pervasive tribalism, bribery, nepotism, and favoritism can also dishearten those who want to contribute positively to society. Dedicated job seekers often feel overwhelmed by these systemic challenges and may even consider abandoning their aspirations. In a system where personal connections and established networks often matter more than job availability, many capable people resort to prayer as a last option. A call often romanticized by religious leaders.

Calling on the Nigerian clergy to move beyond mere religious romanticism does not mean rejecting faith, prayer, or spirituality. Instead, it means restoring the proper balance among faith and hard work, prayer and preparation, and hope and responsibility. Prayer can provide courage, moral direction, and resilience in difficult times, but it should never excuse inaction or replace the effort needed to transform individual and collective circumstances. To this end, Nigerian religious institutions must challenge a culture of passive expectation. Young people should be taught that praying for opportunities matters, but they must also be ready to recognize and seize them. Praying for prosperity should go hand in hand with acquiring skills, creating value, building businesses, embracing innovation, and working diligently. Likewise, those who pray for a better Nigeria must understand that national transformation depends on active citizenship: demanding accountability, participating constructively in public life, and contributing to their communities’ development. The time has come for religious leaders to promote a faith that champions education, creativity, entrepreneurship, discipline, integrity, compassion, and service rather than fostering passive followers. From the pulpit, people should be encouraged to face life’s challenges with courage and responsibility, rather than simply waiting for supernatural intervention to bring change.

Our responsibility matters most when shaping the aspirations of young Nigerians. They should not surrender their ambitions to prophecy, their intellect to preachers, or their future to promises of miracles. Instead, they should be encouraged to think critically, ask questions, pursue knowledge, develop their abilities, and make their own decisions. Faith should inspire reflection and action—not discourage independent thought or personal responsibility. Young Nigerians must therefore refuse to leave their future in the hands of priests, prophets, pastors, or politicians—or rely on the expectation of miracles. They must recognize their ability to shape the circumstances in which they live. They should study, learn, create, innovate, organize, work diligently, and hold accountable those entrusted with public responsibility. Religious faith can inspire and provide a moral foundation for these efforts, but it cannot replace them.

Let us pray for Nigeria but also take action to build it. Let us hope for a better future and work tirelessly to create it. Let us believe in God’s possibilities while recognizing our responsibility to bring them to life. Nigeria’s future cannot rest solely on waiting for a miracle; it also depends on the courage, choices, discipline, creativity, and sustained effort of its people. Our task, then, is not to abandon faith, but to turn it into responsible action.

Rev. Ma, S.J., is a Jesuit priest and public policy analyst. He currently writes from Abuja, Nigeria.