society
WHEN FAITH BECOMES COMMERCE: HOW PENTECOSTAL EXCESS AND RELIGIOUS EXPLOITATION ARE DEEPENING POVERTY IN NIGERIA
WHEN FAITH BECOMES COMMERCE: HOW PENTECOSTAL EXCESS AND RELIGIOUS EXPLOITATION ARE DEEPENING POVERTY IN NIGERIA.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
“From SPIRITUAL LIBERATION to ECONOMIC ENSLAVEMENT.”
There was a time when Christianity in Nigeria represented hope, moral restraint, communal responsibility and resistance against injustice. Today, however, a disturbing transformation has taken place. What was once a faith rooted in service has, in many quarters, degenerated into an industry of extraction, the one that feeds on poverty, desperation and blind belief. Nowhere is this more visible than in the excesses of modern Pentecostalism.
Nigeria, Africa’s most religious nation by self-identification, is also one of its poorest. This contradiction is neither accidental nor mysterious. According to the World Bank, over 63% of Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty, yet Nigeria simultaneously hosts some of the wealthiest pastors in the world, many with private jets, sprawling estates and luxury motorcades. This is not merely irony; it is indictment.
From Pulpit to Marketplace. The Nigerian Pentecostal movement, which expanded rapidly from the 1980s amid economic decline and military dictatorship, initially offered emotional relief and spiritual reassurance. Over time, however, FAITH was MONETIZED. Prosperity theology (popularly summarized as “SOW A SEED TO REAP A HARVEST”) became the dominant message. Poverty was reframed not as a structural failure but as a personal spiritual deficiency.
The late German sociologist Max Weber warned that when religion becomes fused with material reward, it risks turning faith into an economic transaction rather than a moral compass. In Nigeria today, this warning has materialized. Congregants are told to ignore hunger, unemployment and failing healthcare systems while being encouraged to give tithes, offerings, “first fruits” and special donations to often at great personal cost/or encounter with the “MAN OF GOD.”.
The result is tragic: families go hungry while pastors grow richer.
Commercialized Miracles and the Sale of Hope. Perhaps the most grotesque feature of this transformation is the commercialization of spiritual symbols. HOLY WATER, ANOINTING OIL, STICKERS, CALENDARS, HANDKERCHIEFS, SALT, SUGAR (even so-called “MANTLES”) are sold in the name of Jesus Christ, who famously overturned the tables of money changers in the temple.
Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr once observed that “religion can become the most cruel illusion when it is detached from justice.” In Nigeria, miracles are marketed as commodities, while critical thinking is discouraged. Fake prophecies flourish, fear is weaponized and skepticism is framed as rebellion against God.
This is not faith. It is psychological manipulation.
Pastors as Political Power Brokers. Equally troubling is the deep entanglement between Pentecostal leaders and political elites. Many pastors now serve as spiritual LEGITIMIZERS of CORRUPTION, offering prayers instead of accountability and prophecies instead of policies. Politicians accused of looting public funds are celebrated on altars, where stolen wealth is rebranded as divine favor.
Political scientist Claude Ake once noted that African elites often rely on ideology (religious or ethnic) to mask material exploitation. In Nigeria, the church has become one of the most effective tools for this purpose. Instead of mobilizing citizens to demand good governance, many churches preach submission, patience and supernatural waiting.
The message is clear: PRAY, DO NOT PROTEST.
Church Proliferation, Poverty Expansion. Nigeria has one of the highest concentrations of churches per square kilometer in the world. In many streets, especially in urban centers, eight to eleven churches may operate within a single neighborhood. Yet the same communities suffer worsening unemployment, crime and infrastructural decay with NO electricity.
This disproves the simplistic claim that more churches automatically produce moral or economic progress. As economist Amartya Sen argues, development requires institutions that expand human freedom and not those that normalize deprivation while promising rewards in the afterlife.
Religion that discourages social responsibility, civic engagement and critical inquiry ultimately weakens society.
The Psychological Cost of Gullibility. The greatest damage done by exploitative religion is not financial; it is mental. Millions of Nigerians have been conditioned to externalize responsibility for systemic failure. Instead of DEMANDING HEALTHCARE, they pray for HEALING. Instead of ORGANIZING for JOBS, they FAST for BREAKTHROUGHS. Instead of CONFRONTING INJUSTICE, they wait for DIVINE INTERVENTION.
This learned helplessness sustains poverty.
As philosopher Karl Marx famously argued (not to mock faith, but to diagnose suffering) “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the opium of the people.” In Nigeria, religion has increasingly become a sedative that numbs political consciousness while enriching a powerful clerical elite.
Christianity Was Never Meant to Dehumanize. It is important to state clearly: this CRITIQUE is not an ATTACK on CHRISTIANITY. It is a DEFENSE of it.
Jesus Christ preached humility, service, justice and sacrifice. He lived among the poor and condemned religious leaders who exploited them. The EARLY CHURCH SHARED RESOURCES AND CARED FOR WIDOWS, ORPHANS AND THE SICK. Today’s celebrity pastors, guarded by armed security and insulated by luxury, resemble corporate executives more than servants of God.
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian executed by the Nazis, warned: “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church.” Nigeria today is drowning in cheap grace and abundant promises with no moral cost to those in power.
Where Are We Headed? If this trajectory continues, Nigeria risks producing generations conditioned to believe that salvation lies not in education, innovation, accountability or civic duty, but in prophetic declarations and financial offerings to religious strongmen.
NO SOCIETY CAN DEVELOP THIS WAY.
Faith must return to its moral foundation. Churches must be places of conscience NOT consumption. Pastors must be servants, not gods. And citizens must reclaim their agency from politicians and from pulpits alike.
A Final Reflection.
Nigeria is not poor because God abandoned it. Nigeria is poor because responsibility has been outsourced to heaven while earthly injustice thrives unchecked. Until religion stops anesthetizing the masses and starts empowering them, the cycle of poverty will persist.
True faith should awaken the mind, strengthen the conscience and demand justice not silence hunger with promises of miracles.
The question is no longer “WHERE IS GOD?”
The real question is: WHEN WILL NIGERIANS/AFRICANS STOP ALLOWING GOD’S NAME TO BE USED AGAINST THEM?
society
Stop Means Stop”: Legal Experts Warn Ignoring ‘Stop’ During Intimate Acts Can Be Criminally Punishable
“Stop Means Stop”: Legal Experts Warn Ignoring ‘Stop’ During Intimate Acts Can Be Criminally Punishable
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG
“Grounded in international law and consent principles, legal authorities stress that continuing sexual activity after a partner withdraws consent may constitute sexual assault and lead to imprisonment.”
A growing body of legal interpretation and expert opinion reaffirm that consent in intimate encounters is not a one-off event but an ongoing requirement; withdrawn at any time by either participant. Legal practitioners and rights advocates are increasingly warning that if one partner clearly says “stop” during sexual activity and the other continues, this conduct can constitute a criminal offence with significant penalties, including imprisonment.
Consent must be “a voluntary agreement to engage in the sexual activity in question,” and crucially can be revoked at any stage. Once a partner expresses withdrawal of consent (by words like “stop” or by unmistakable conduct) the other party is legally obligated to cease all activity immediately. Failure to respect this is widely recognised in multiple legal jurisdictions as sexual assault or rape.
Professor Deborah Rhode, a prominent authority on legal ethics, has stated: “Respect for autonomy and bodily integrity lies at the core of consent law. Ignoring a partner’s withdrawal of consent undermines basic personal freedoms and is treated as a serious offence in criminal law.”
According to experts, this legal principle is not limited to strangers but applies equally to long-term partners and spouses. The Criminal Code in many countries explicitly rejects implied or blanket consent based on relationship status.
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has similarly emphasised that clear communication and mutual agreement are essential, and that “once consent is withdrawn, any continued sexual activity crosses the line into criminal conduct.”
This means that in places where consent law is well-established, ignoring an explicit “stop” can lead to charges of sexual assault, with courts interpreting such conduct as a violation of an individual’s autonomy and dignity.
The issue has gained media and legal attention in recent years across numerous jurisdictions (including Canada, parts of Europe, and reform discussions in U.S. states) as courts and legislatures clarify that sexual consent is continuous and revocable at any time. Although no globally consolidated database exists of individual cases tied specifically to a news report on this warning, reputable legal frameworks consistently reinforce that continuing after “stop” is unlawful.
The subject engages legal scholars, criminal law practitioners, human rights experts, and statutory bodies advocating sexual violence prevention. Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors may pursue charges when clear evidence shows that consent was withdrawn and ignored.
In practice, consent frameworks require that the person initiating or continuing sexual activity take reasonable steps to ensure ongoing affirmation of willingness. Silence, passive behaviour, or failure to stop when asked cannot substitute for ongoing consent.
In summary, the legal maxim is clear: verbal or unambiguous withdrawal of consent must be respected. Ignoring it shifts the encounter from consensual to criminal, potentially resulting in serious legal consequences including imprisonment.
Lagos Family Property Dispute Turns Violent After Death of Chief Omotayo Ojo
By Ifeoma Ikem
A festering family dispute over property has escalated into a series of violent attacks in Lagos, leaving residents of a contested apartment in fear for their safety.
Mrs. Omotayo-Ojo-Alolagbe (Nee Omotayo-Ojo) the third child and first daughter of the late Omotayo Ojo, has alleged repeated assaults and destruction of property by her siblings from her father’s other marriages.
According to her account, hostility against her began while her father was still alive, allegedly fueled by the affection and support he showed her. She claimed that tensions worsened after his death in 2019.
Mrs. Alolagbe stated that her late father had given her a particular apartment during his lifetime, assuring her she would not suffer hardship, especially after her husband left the marriage. She said the property became her primary source of livelihood and shelter.
However, she alleged that her siblings had sold off several other family properties and were determined to dispossess her of the apartment allocated to her by their father.
The dispute reportedly turned violent on Nov. 15, 2025, when unknown persons allegedly attacked the building. She said the incident prompted her to petition the Chief Judge of Lagos State and the Commissioner of Police.
Despite the pending legal proceedings, she alleged that another attack occurred on Jan. 21, 2026. During that incident, parts of the building were vandalised, including the walkway and the main gate, which was reportedly removed.
A third attack was said to have taken place on Feb.18, 2026, during which the roof, gates, and sections of the walkway were allegedly dismantled. Residents were reportedly assaulted, and some were allegedly forced to part with money under duress.
Tenants in the apartment complex are said to be living in fear amid the repeated invasions, expressing concern over their safety and uncertainty about further violence.
Mrs. Alolagbe alleged that the attacks were led by a man identified as Mr. Alliu, popularly known as aka “Champion,” whom she described as a political thug. She claimed he arrived with a group of about 50 men, allegedly brandishing weapons and breaking bottles to intimidate residents.
She further alleged that the group boasted of connections with senior police officers, politicians in Lagos State, and even the presidency, claiming they were untouchable.
According to her, some arrests were initially made following the incidents, but the suspects were later released. She expressed concern that the alleged perpetrators continue to threaten her, making it difficult for her to move freely.
She also disclosed that during a meeting on Feb. 23, 2026, an Area Commander reportedly told her that little could be done because the matter was already before a court of law.
The development has raised concerns about the enforcement of law and order in civil disputes that degenerate into violence, particularly when court cases are pending.
As tensions persist, residents and observers are calling on relevant authorities to ensure the safety of lives and properties ,while allowing the courts to determine ownership and bring lasting resolution to the dispute.
Adron Homes Introduces Special Ramadan Offer with Discounts and Gift Rewards
As the holy month of Ramadan inspires reflection, sacrifice, and generosity, Adron Homes and Properties Limited has unveiled its special Ramadan Promo, encouraging families, investors, and aspiring homeowners to move beyond seasonal gestures and embrace property ownership as a lasting investment in their future.
The company stated that the Ramadan campaign, running from January 20th to April 6th, 2026, is designed to help Nigerians build long-term value and stability through accessible real estate opportunities. The initiative offers generous discounts, flexible payment structures, and meaningful Ramadan-themed gifts across its estates and housing projects nationwide.
Under the promo structure, clients enjoy a 30% discount on land purchases alongside a convenient 36-month flexible payment plan, making ownership more affordable and stress-free.
In the spirit of the season, the company has also attached thoughtful rewards to qualifying payments. Clients who pay ₦200,000 receive a Provision Hamper to support their household during the fasting period, while those who pay ₦400,000 receive an Automated Prayer Mat to enhance their spiritual experience throughout Ramadan.
According to the company, the Ramadan Promo reflects its commitment to aligning lifestyle, faith, and financial growth, enabling Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to secure appreciating assets while observing a season centered on discipline and forward planning.
Reiterating its dedication to secure land titles, prime locations, and affordable pricing, Adron Homes urged prospective buyers to take advantage of the limited-time Ramadan campaign to build a future grounded in stability, prosperity, and generational wealth.
This promo covers estates located in Lagos, Shimawa, Sagamu, Atan–Ota, Papalanto, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osun, Ekiti, Abuja, Nasarawa, and Niger states.
As Ramadan calls for purposeful living and wise decisions, Adron Homes is redefining the season, transforming reflection into investment and faith into a lasting legacy.
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