This write-up is not targeted to any church or religious gathering. it is a general observation of what happens in our society presently...

Nigeria is rated as one of the most religious countries in the world. Despite the religiousness, Nigeria still rates as one of the poorest, most dangerous, corrupt and crime-infested places on earth. With the level of poverty, criminality and danger, Nigeria could pass for the city of devil. Yet the presence of many religious people and places of worship undeniably characterizes Nigerians as a people of God. Since Nigerians are mainly people of God, who are the people committing all those crimes in Nigeria?

To understand why there is so much crime in Nigeria despite the religiosity, we evaluate the purpose of religion in Nigeria against Nigeria’s socio-economic situation.

Nigeria was formed by British colonial masters using a brutal amalgamation of different unwilling ethnic groups, kingdoms and communities. Before exiting Nigeria at independence, the colonialists installed a federal system of government to hold the different ethnic groups together under military force. The government seizes and auctions the whole mineral resources of the different communities to foreigners, while the people remain poor. In this state of frustration and desperation, various Nigerians search for any spiritual or physical means to satisfy their needs.

Humans have several needs, but focus on some needs more than others, according to their level of enlightenment. For this reason, the purpose for being religious in Nigeria may be divided into three: material, psychological and spiritual.

Material purpose of the Nigerian religious people: money and protection
This aspect of the Nigerian religiosity is motivated by the quest for material prosperity and protection. Most people in this category are pushed to religion by fear of adversity or desire for material blessings. They see the blessing of God as health or financial breakthroughs and protection from attack and misfortune. Their prayers are either channelled against enemies, accidents and misfortunes or channelled to money, health, protection and other material benefits.

When desperate, people in this category are ready to perform rituals, pay money, fast and do bizarre things commanded by religious leaders. Many in this category do not mind sacrificing anything or anybody for a promise of prosperity and protection from harm. They desperately remember being people of God when there is trouble.

More ambitious people in this category join religious-leadership-training schools to get church branches and start making money. Religious leaders in this category never fail to emphasize the importance of tithes and offerings in the life of fellow materialistic followers. They easily link the gospel with material and individualistic prosperity, while lip-glossing the gospel of repentance and charity.

Religious leaders in this category exploit the people’s fears by threatening them with poverty, disease, death and misfortunes. They also entice and exploit the people’s appetites by prophesying health, prosperity and victory. Even when the socio-political situation of a society is intolerant of balanced social prosperity, they continue to preach prosperity. They do not need to study or address the socio-political factors of poverty in the society; they only need to proclaim miracles.

Psychological purpose of the Nigerian religious people: name (fame)
This aspect of the Nigerian religiosity is motivated by the need to build a social reputation, or to belong somewhere. The access to all the mineral resources for production in Nigeria is confiscated by the Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act. Many Nigerians do not have the opportunity to grow their names using what they have produced, like Apple and Toyota. Hence, they demonstrate their social relevance by displaying religious activities, or claiming to make spiritual contributions to the society.

Some people in this category already have money, and only want to validate their moral images and profile. They join and lead choir, ushers, become deacons, pastors, priests or any other high-profile position. Politicians, top managers, businesspeople, civil servants and other socially-established people fit in here. They pay the heaviest tithes and make flamboyant donations, even from corrupt sources, for applause. This category are more interested in the augmentation of their social image by the church than the gospel. They are the type of people Jesus would call Pharisees, who pray and do media-charity to be respected by men. (Matthew 6:1-5)

Religious leaders in this category attribute the congregation’s success stories to his prayers, and all misfortunes to the people’s sins.
The material and psychological categories may intersect from time to time. However, their common ground is that they need to obtain superficial benefits from the church.

Spiritual purpose of the Nigerian religious people: meaning of life
This aspect of religiosity is guided by a genuine search for spiritual fulfilment and the true purpose of life on earth. People in this category are constantly searching for the truth about their lives on earth: their mission in life. They are guided by the heavenly condition of “when I was poor, sick and hungry, imprisoned and dying, you cared for me.” (Matthew 25:35-40) In searching for the meaning of their lives on earth, they devote themselves to solving human problems through science or any other way. They believe in fulfilling divine wish of “thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10) by working for social justice in Nigeria. They believe in “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33) and every other thing will be added unto you as jara.

This category of religious people may be rare in Nigeria, since the environment conditions Nigerians for personal survival. However, there are good Nigerians who do not blow their status as people of God, but go about working for social justice. These are the silent saints who do charity without calling the media and fight for justice without seeking attention. Some of them may even claim to be atheist, while they are more charitable than the religious people. These are the people who will ask: “Lord, when did we see you hungry, naked, imprisoned, and came to help you.” (Matthew 25:35-40) And the Lord will smile at them replying: Omoluabi, when you were doing it for the least of Nigerians, you were doing it for me, abeg take one bottle of wine and sit by my right.

In conclusion, the socio-economic situation in Nigeria conditions Nigerians to search for survival even through the church. The motive for being people of God in Nigeria is also affected by the socio-economic situation. As long as people do not have access to resources to solve their problems, they will continue to search for solutions in anyway.

What is your purpose for joining the people of God? Money and protection; name and fame or meaning of life and heaven.