In a way they do. They are basically centers for brainwashing. But apparently one of the arts the brainwashing process imparts is the art of "high hypocrisy". That's why the adherents can listen to a sermon warning against dishonesty and fornication; and within the next hour are engaging in that very act.

sambos994: We Nigerians have to step up. The lord will help us.....note that I said "help". We can't be sitting down praying to god and do nothing.

I concore with you.
we have to will so taht GOD will provide the way.

Our leaders dnt believe in God, they only go 2 church or mosque 2 make d numbers. So hw cn u change such pple? Most of dem hv der own gods in der house.

Techwriter: I don't know about mosque's power to transform, but history has proven that the greatest powerhouse of change in any nation is the church. The church increased the influence of Rome over the entire world that that Nation ruled the world in so many areas. Then Christianity blossomed in Europe through the works of Martin Luther and others. before long Europe ruled the world that Great was once refered to as an empire that the sun never sets. It is remarkable to note that the industrial revolution rode on what is today called the protestant civilization.

Then the New World(America) was born by the church and most of their constitution was built from the Bible and the principle of biblical grace and freedom contributed to shaping their democracy. In a few century, this nation became the most powerful nation on earth. It is worthy of note that in Rome and Europe, immediately there was a decline on church influence the nations power deteriorated.

Now the church is God's institution to change a nation. The problem is that Nigerians like most Africans approached Christianity like their tradition religeon where they go to see natibe doctos for solution to problems. So people fill churches not for God to transform their thoughts and minds; not because they are hungry for God but because they are looking for magic answers to their marital and financial challenges. The day we get church right, Nigeria will lead the world read my lips

NB: if there were no church at all Nigeria would have been worse

You are very ignorant.


I like how you conveniently forgot to mention the genocides, wars and slavery christianity engaged in to get where it is today.

You mention the arrival of christianity in the Americas. You seem to forget how christian Europeans almost wiped out the native indians.


You mention the arrival of christianity in Africa. You seem to forget the slavery and colonization that happened for 300 years before slavery was abolished.






Note that the most peaceful countries in th world are very secular with a significant portion of the population not believing in god.

ba7man: The people that attend these Churches are Nigerians. Churches are supposed to provide a Moral foundation for individuals but we choose to dwell on the mundane things. Who shouts d loudest "Amen", who drops the most offering, who gets to sit in front, who's closest to the Pastor, Pastors are now so rich b'cos people want to pay for blessings and they ignore spiritual development. Churches aren't the problem in this country...its the people within that are.

This is a very complex topic and difficult to understand scenario.

If you want to follow me; put on your thinking cap and read.

What shapes an individual? Basically we are shaped by what we see, the fun's we can have and the difficult we try to avoid. When you punish a child or any human being over an activity, he avoids the action. When you compensate by extending any payment, be it even praise that makes the person feel good, he tries to repeat the action.

That is the whole essence of laws. Laws are made to serve as deterrent from evil actions that destroys societies. Compensation, Financial reward, praises and the rest are given to encourage good behaviour. With these two tools, you can shape any society.

A big fact also is that all humans wants pleasure, praise, looking good etc at the unconscious level. If given opportunity to cut corners to achieve these (without any punishment - either from the society or God), almost all humans will cut corners. If cutting corners becomes the only way to survive or even achieve some good feelings in terms of pleasures, all humans will most certainly cut corners. It is because of this still that law and law enforcement is very important.

What we have in Nigeria, is that over the years, cutting corners and other irresponsibilities have become a way of life. We look around us and all the good things of life are for those that cut corners. The corrupt are living big while the angels are dying of poverty. We have had former top government officials who could not provide for their children. Their children hate them and could not understand while the their colleagues who choose to steal from the treasury have a better life than them. The youths grow up in societies where the corrupt are having good life while the angels are dying of hunger. The youths will instantly choose to be corrupt in order to live good life. With these, corruption become a way.

Now when you go to church and you see the corrupt being well recognised; and given the front sits; nothing the pastors preach will make a meaning. When the pastors are seen to live a worse life; the preaching become a non-issue.

So the Churches and the Mosques will make no change in a rotten society. It is only the government who has the power to dispense and immense wealth and also the power to punish with an immense Security outfits that have the power to change societies. can someone remember what Buhari/Idiagbon achieved under 16months?

If we can have a good and dedicated President who can manage to survive the numerous plots they will hatch against him; rule us for just 4 years; the whole corruption will reduce significantly. We are corrupt because our government who controls the big money keep empowering the corrupt with it while denying the angels a say. It is our government that destroyed our society. Churches lack the power to fight a corrupt government except through civil disobedience.

Someone will now ask, how did we evolve the bad government of day? The common fallacy we have all learned to say is: "A people deserve their government". It is true that a people deserve their government given a perfect society with no outside interference. But our case is different.

In short, what we call our government is not ours and have never been ours. It is an imposition by our Western conquerors. Remember we were conquered for about 500 years ago (The discoveries in search of wealth by the European lords that is akin to looting a foreign territory; the slave trade that was ochestrated for the gain of Western Europe and America by the European who were able to get paid agents among us; the colonisation and brainwash in terms of education and religion; the flag Independence they gave us and the present day Neo-colonialism). Going on to analyse these and how it destroyed our ability to have control of our government will make serious volumes that will distract from the issue at stake.

Needless to say, that our government has never evolved from; or been under the control of the Nigerian people. Our Police was created to subdue us. Our Army was an instrument of colonising us. Other institutions were never given to us as a right, but as a privilege. As a consequence, even till date, our ministries and government parastatal will never take orders from us. They will rather dictate to us in the manners the colonial masters dictated to us. These have never happened and will never happen anywhere in Europe and America. So we adopted a wrong type of governance thanks to an initial and controlled imposition by the West.

The Foreign Big Mater we called government have all the resources. Our first set of people that made contact with the Colonial masters were bought over against us. They served a foreign interest against us and owe NO ALLIANCE to us. Our culture became that of People within government corridor against the interest of the Society. Government to us became an avenue to protect and build personal empires. This is the making of a Foreign power that learned to bribe and set us against each other. These also was the origin of tribalism - one tribe against the other.

The activities of these BIG and CORRUPTING master that we called government is what what corrupted our society. It was made easy with the Big Financial Resources at their disposal. The Big Military force at their control made it a fait accompli.

The only solution is to "SOMEHOW" take over these government and change the society with the resources at its disposal. This "SOMEHOW" is the big issue here.

There are only two way to it. A military intervention plotted by people who understand the issues at stake and ready to drive the solution. Honestly, though this is risky, it remains the easiest path.

A second way out is when the difficulty that our rotten situation will create will make the land unbearable and force people to the street or create the condition that will make the "unlearned" run away from Power at the center. If we are lucky to have the "learned" as leaders after these events (which must come to pass at some time according to laws derivable from nature), the recreation can then start.

The last option is when the very unpredictable nature of politics prompt up a "learned" who can then go on to recreate our country. Though the Western Neo-colonial interventionists have build up a great Spynetwork always intervening to eliminate Leaders who can Liberate us. They do this in several ways which I can go into here for lack of time and space.

So my submission is that the Churches lack the ability to Control the Society or the Government. The Churches can only mobilise the people for a mass action. That is where their power ends.

Only the government can change the society. Taking Control of the Government is another big Headache. When we do this, our Society can begin to change.

It is only the understanding of these that my interest in politics came to be. Politics shapes the society. These same politics have become a field where the unholy tread. What is the way out?

Blackteeth: If Nigeria is bad because our leaders are bad then it means the masses are bad because the bad leaders came from the bad masses.
If we must have good leaders it means the masses should be made good first. Then good leaders will emerge from the good masses afterwards.
The churches and mosques has the bulk of the responsibility to influence the masses to be good. But it seems they are not passing the right message across. We can image the 95% of Nigerian listening ears that the churches and mosques controls. Why is this not an opportunity to send the right message across to influence the masses for good from which good leaders will emerge from?

Religious Institutions are not compelling agents. They can only appeal to members conscience and not mandate them to act in a desired way. We all live in a world of choices and selective obedience......

234GT: Religious centers cannont change nigeria. They are actually one nigeria's problems, especially churches. I am a christian, so dont think I am attacking christianity. A lot of churches preach concepts that make their members look for money at all cost. I listen to islamic sermons on radio too, and I must confess that, while they are not 100% good, they are fairly better than christian sermons.

WHY HAVE NOT BECOME A MUSLIM THEN? Useless christian!

free2ryhme: it is only Jesus than can change this country !

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You talk like Ajasco and Boy Alinco. You dont know what you are saying