I have heard it too many times how some of pastors in the new generation churches often hoodwink some of their members with some false prophecies that are often laced with impending dangers, just like the ‘white garment prophets’ will do.


But unlike the white garment prophets who would prescribe the purchase of many items, some of which are often bizarre and strange for some fetish-like rituals, the Pentecostal Pastors will call for a dry fast. And before the member will utter any word of complaint on not being able to fast, let alone dry fast, the pastor offers to fast for the member. It comes with a condition. The member has to drop some money with which the pastor can refresh each of the times he has to break the fast. That money could be any amount. That is the commercial prophet.


I had always sworn that pastors and priests from orthodox churches, especially my Anglican Church, will never engage in such pastoral entrepreneurship. But alas, I am wrong.

Last Tuesday, I read a small story in The Nation Newspapers, where the Jonathan administration was struggling to justify how it spent N333million on Independence Anniversay. The statement from the Jonathan aides explained that in three years, (2012 to 2014), “only N70 million” was spent on prayers. The story went on to give a breakdown of the sum spent to procure the prayers both from the Christian Interdenominational Services as well as the Special Jumat Prayers of Muslims. It was revealed that usually, there is a budget for such prayers either in the churches or in the mosques.


According to the story, in Year 2014, the prayer budget was increased by 50 per cent, causing both the Church and the Mosque to receive N15 million each for the Independence prayers. I am shocked and have been waiting for a refuttal of the story, but none has come.


So, are prayers said for the nation paid for? Who exactly receives such monies on behalf of Christiandom and Islamic faithful? Are these priests and Imams also prayer contractors? Did the proceeds from the said prayers get into Church and Mosque coffers? Ain't such underhand dealings often the theme of many sermons from such priests on the pulpit, who proclaim moral codes with magisterial authority?


Why do they have to be paid for praying for the peace and growth of their nation? Are they not Nigerians? Would services in the Churches and Mosques hold if there is no peace in Nigeria? If Priests and Islamic clerics cannot pray without financial inducement, then what is left of their ecclesiastical calling?


How many people pray quietly in their own closets for the peace and unity of Nigeria without any megaphone noise?

I fear that resorting to cash-for-prayer is not only unscriptural, it vitiates the canonical aura that should be associated with the anointed men of God.


It is acts like this that make many doubt both the messengers and the messages of such characters. Pray, did the scripture not declare that freely have you received, and freely shall you give?
I am perhaps not qualified to put our MoGs (Men of God) on trial, but I dare say that accepting money for praying for the nation does not sit well and does not bode well for the body of Christ. Too deeply, the politicians are corrupting the church and mosques, as the allure of lucre is becoming too strong to be resisted by people who should ordinarily be Spartan models.


Little wonder that the religious bodies have become patently partisan in such a way that they make open political overtures to people in government.


Earlier in the year or so, one of the top officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria, from Borno State, had revealed that the Jonathan administration doled out the sum of N7 billion to the body. The same may have been done to the Islamic body, all in a desperate bid by the Jonathan administration to woo them for political support. Those are monies that are hardly accounted for.

In all, I believe that the prayer of the saints is what is seeing Nigeria through. Prayers that are not procured, but said with all piety and sincerity. I should think that the age of such financial recklessness expired last March.