Abstract
Background: Prayer and political participation are two important elements of the Christian faith and the state. However, the importance of prayer in democracy-building is one that is widely misconstrued among Christians in Nigeria. Lack of adequate knowledge of the role of prayer and political participation often generates false traditional conceptions that undermine democracy-building through collective political participation.
Objectives: The study aims to clarify the misconceptions surrounding the role of prayer in democracy building and to awaken the consciousness of Christians to their civic responsibilities. It also seeks to highlight the importance of prayer and political participation for the consolidation and growth of democracy in Nigeria.
Method: Descriptive and analytical methods are employed in the study. Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s paradigm on prayer and protest formed the theoretical framework.
Results: The study reveals that while prayer is important, it cannot replace the role of active political participation in electioneering and other civic responsibilities.
Conclusion: Active participation in political processes and related civic duties in addition to prayer is crucial for democracy building and sustenance in Nigeria.
Contribution: This study adds novel insights by addressing the misconceptions surrounding the role of prayer and political participation in democracy building among Christians in Nigeria.
Keywords: Christianity; church; myths; democracy-building; political participation.
Introduction
The church in Nigeria has become an increasingly popular feature of Nigeria’s democratic landscape. According to the 2019 Pew Research Centre, Nigeria has the sixth-largest Christian population (87 million) globally. Nevertheless, over 56% of Nigerians are practicing Christians (Akanbi & Beyers 2017). Nigeria is a plural society with diverse religions and multiple sociocultural values and views. Every true democratic society is characterised by leaders, the led and institutions situated in it that share a common vision of a thriving democratic society. The government, as the machinery that oversees the affairs of the state, recognises the shared diversities of the people and allows each to contribute to development through their unique legitimate elements. Olakunle (2018) noted that ‘Given the genesis of the account of creation, government is the oldest institution God bequeathed to mankind’. This is a reflection of the biblical mandate of dominion, which is the organised governance of society. Within Nigeria’s religious diversity, the church mutually coexists with the government. Enemali (2022:177) pointed out that ‘the church cannot be delinked from the state since they need each other for the peaceful co-existence of various groups in society’. As a non-governmental institution, the Church has unique ways of promoting the state of affairs in Nigeria. This uniqueness manifests in the use of its elements to establish, promote and sustain democracy. Two of these common, but invaluable, elements are prayer and participation.
In Christianity, prayer is an effective tool in every engagement, capable of changing both the government and the governed. However, many Christians seem to misconstrue complex mechanisms that can accelerate democratisation in Nigeria. Thus, many Christians solely rely on prayers for societal transformation, usually during elections. This is an obvious misplacement of priority. The tasks of problem-solving and societal advancement require every citizen, regardless of religious affiliations, to actively engage in the task of governance. Christianity teaches the moral consciousness of patriotism (Grudem 2010:109). Invariably, this patriotism is portrayed by individual Christians engaging in prayers for the country and sociopolitical activities to reflect sincerity in prayer wishes for Nigeria. It is on this point that the former vice president, Professor Osinbajo, noted during the 2022 APC Convention that according to Osinbajo, 2022:
We are a religious nation. We believe in the power of prayer. We all pray for a country that is peaceful and prosperous. But God allows us, through our voting, to show him whether we mean the prayers we pray or not. You cannot wish this country well and vote for someone you do not believe in. (p. 1)
This is a correlation between faith and work, as written in the Christian Bible (Ja 2:14–26). The myths surrounding prayer among Christians in Nigeria have caused many to forget its limited contextual application. Many literatures have discussed on Christian political activism, televangelists and sociopolitical agender and election prophecies (Adefisoye 2017; Ikem, Kingsley & Ononogbu 2021; Orogun 2023; Uchegbue 2013). This reflects diverse means through which Christians participate in politics in Nigeria. Political prophecies have also raised Christians’ political consciousness. This underscores why Orogun and Pillay (2023) highlighted that ‘persuasive voter education and inspiring citizens’ ballot power can be the game changer’. Social media campaigns remain one of the Christian tools in educating and engaging in electioneering process. This was also observed in the ‘Church must vote campaign’ during the 2019 general elections (Nwalaka, Nwala & Amadi 2020). In foreign nations, the church is critical to long-term democracy, which leads to better political stability and a better quality of life. For example, in the United States, there is observance of National Day of Prayer for the nation. It is based on the ‘understanding that the country was birthed in prayer and reverence for the God of the Bible’. The advantages of the church extend beyond the individual and have a societal influence (Enemali 2022).
For clarity of concepts and scope, this study is a study on democracy building. It covers only political processes like elections as part of democracy-building. This study also covers the entirety of Christian Pentecostal denominations in Nigeria. This is important because prayer is also a common element among other religions in Nigeria. In pluralistic societies like Nigeria, the prayers and participation of other religions also contribute to promoting the principles of democracy. Participation in this study is interchangeably used with political participation. Political participation here covers the act of voting or being voted for. Furthermore, the church is also used interchangeably with Christianity. Given the foregoing, this research aims to dispassionately discuss the intricate relationship between prayer and political participation in building democracy. The results of this discussion are objectively adopted to dispel false traditional assumptions about prayer and political participation and serve as a recommendation to the Christian community in Nigeria. The study also swiftly looked at the history of Christianity in Nigeria. Various means through which Christian prayers and political participation contribute to democracy building are discussed. The study also discussed the myths and critiques the myths. Drawing from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s model of prayer and protest, this study concludes that prayer is a vital tool but cannot take the place of active participation in electioneering and other civic responsibility.
Christianity and the Nigerian society
Extant literature and narratives show that Christianity has a long history in Nigeria. Its emergence dates back to the 15th century, with the arrival of European explorers, primarily the Portuguese, on the country’s coastal lines. Christianity at this time had a transactional outlook. Mbachirin (2006:98) noted that it is impossible to talk about Christianity in Nigeria without referring to European trade and exploitation. This is because these early missionaries were mainly explorers and merchants.
A substantial phase in the history of Christianity in Nigeria began in the 19th century with the British missions. Notably, the Church Missionary Society (1844) and the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (1842) were the two instrumental organisations in this phase (Kitause & Achunike 2013:47). Through a number of factors, like the industrial revolution, cultural assimilation, revival in Europe and colonialism, Christianity was effectively introduced in Nigeria (Babalola 1976).
Presently, Christianity has become a tool for rebranding social and political spheres in Nigeria. Nigerian society has encountered significant changes and developments with the arrival of Christianity in the areas of establishment of schools, building of hospitals and other related community development projects. Christianity expresses love for man and concerns itself with the current needy condition of human society (Asadu 2021:6). On Christianity and politics, Asadu (2021:6) noted that ‘the two related concerns in mind are religious understanding and political awareness’. Lack of proper awareness on the need for political participation in addition to prayer makes many Christians to neglect political participation. Archbishop Tutu’s paradigm is a template for Christians to understand the importance of prayer while also engaging in civic duties. Many resort to praying, as echoed by many church leaders during elections. Christianity proposes that it is capable of the positive transformation of any society as a religion and social organisation (Akanbi & Beyers 2017). Evidently, Christianity has a good track record of instituting development in Nigeria. Developments include investing in the health and education sectors. In addition, it has also had a significant impact on Nigerian politics (Ndiokwere 1981:1–3). These and more are the significant impacts of the church.
Prayer as a democratic tool in Nigeria
Prayer is one of the most common features of religions. Prayer is a means through which adherents of a particular religion communicate with transcendence, or what they regard as divine. Onah and Ugwu (2008:1) say that it is a means of having conversation with the Supreme Being. It is classified as central to redemptive praxis and, thus, a weapon of warfare in Christianity (Marshall 2016). This is to say that prayer is an intangible asset of religions. In African religion, it is a means through which a religious man, interiorly or externally, interacts with God, as well as all super-sensible beings of the invisible world (Ekwunife 2007, cited in Onah & Ugwu 2008). Thus, the common meaning here shows that prayer is a two-way communication between man and what he considers divine (Jaja 2009; Spurgeon, 1998; Stamps & Adams 1992; as cited in Saale 2014).
Also, democratisation refers to the introduction and promotion of a democratic system or democratic principles. In government, it has come to mean government instituted by the people. It has the principles of consultation, freedom of expression of opinion and association, rule of law, public accountability, human equality and representation as its basic elements (Enemali 2022). According to Adejumobi and Kehinde (2007:99):
[D]emocracy is sustained as a form of government through participation in competitive and periodic elections on the platform of political parties. The conceptualization of democracy, whether theoretical or practically, with reference to the atmosphere for participation is difficult. (Agbaje 2004)
Nigeria is one of the countries that practice a democratic system of government. This allows the government to organise periodic elections that allow adult citizens to choose their leaders.
Various churches like the Love of God Generation Church, Jesus the Ocean Divider and Healing Ministry, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, etc., in Nigeria organise their members to pray for the country’s peace and progress. Aransiola and Burgess share the view that Nigeria has witnessed the proliferation of national prayer groups that address political issues, including Nigerian Prays, intercessors for Nigeria, etc. A major objective of Nigeria Prays is to mobilise all Nigerians to pray regularly, in a result-oriented manner, for the transformation and healing of Nigeria through prayer seminars and rallies, and to promote incorruptibility and patriotism (Aransiola 2008; Burgess 2014). Nigerian Prays is thus an exemplary project that reflects the relationship between prayer and political participation. This is so because the founder, General Yakubu Gowon, was a former head of state in Nigeria, 1966–1975, who used his political position to take the prayer project to all the states of the federation, praying for government officials, politicians and organising pre-election prayers (Church Times 2015). During elections, prayers are also offered at a private and collective pace. Whether there is an immediate answer to these prayers or not is not necessary. What matters is that God regards the phenomenon of prayer in everything (Monroe 2002). It shows a sense of passion and patriotism for the citizenry. Saale (2014:112) noted that Leaving prayer out of Nigeria’s transformation agenda is tantamount to ignoring the latent functions of religion in human society. This shows the importance of prayer. Citing Archbishop Tutu, Dami (2021:179) stated that is why Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa has argued that ‘when people tell me that the Bible has nothing to do with politics, I ask them, ‘Which Bible are you talking about? In addition to Archbishop Tutu’s paradigm on prayer and protest, the Christian Bible also gives a model through teaching on faith and work (Ja 2:14–26) which encourages engaging in responsibilities while also praying.
Referencing a 2011 Nigerian survey, Burgess shares the view that it would be incorrect to assume that such endeavours are irreconcilable with more traditional forms of political participation. ‘In the Nigeria Survey, 89% of Pentecostals and Christians stated that Christians should combine prayer with participation in electoral politics’ (Burgess 2014). However, Danfulani differed by pointing out that:
Major research findings show that the Church in Nigeria encourages good Christians to stay away from the murky waters of politics, leaving it for the ‘wicked’, thus making ‘the people to mourn’ rather than for them to ‘rejoice’ when genuine Christians are in power. (n.p.)
While Burgess may be right, my view differs from the survey. Firstly, the gap between the survey and the recent or current state of affairs gives room for questions on what is obtainable now. Secondly, as a member of Corps Peer Educator Trainers (C-PET), a community development service group under the auspices of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ondo State, I observed that seven out of every ten people we talked to about the 2023 general election were uninterested. Ninety percent of these people were Christians, across denominations. After interactions, many vehemently maintained that they would only pray on election day for God to choose the leader by himself. Some others believed that ‘they’ (politicians) had already known the winners; hence, there was no need to participate in the election. Such thoughts were also observed in places like Imo, Enugu and other states. The Muslims showed much interest in the sensitisation programme and willingness to participate in the election. This shows how Muslims respond actively to political participation (Akwara & Ojomah 2013). This does not speak well about Christians’ readiness to build democracy in Nigeria.
Political participation as a democratic tool in Nigeria
With the military handover to civil rule after 30 years of military government, besides the 1979–1983 interregnums, democracy was born in 1999. This new political dispensation became invaluable in the nation’s political history. Citizens became directly and indirectly involved in electing political officeholders for a fixed term of office. Hence, this period allows citizens to participate in political processes. Political participation, according to Verba and Nie (1972), cited in Conge (1988:247), is a behaviour intended to influence the choice of governmental personnel and/or policies. As a sovereign state that has adopted a democratic form of government, the participation of citizens of constitutional age is important. In a democratic, sovereign state, the ultimate power resides with the citizens. This power manifests itself in the leadership recruitment process known as elections. Elections offer the people the right and privilege to actively participate in political processes that will usher in leaders to steer the affairs of the nation. Thus, political participation refers to the holistic activities or processes aimed at voting or being voted for in a democratic society. Danfulani (n.d.) captured that it is the process of canvassing for votes in a democratic setting such as Nigeria. It is also citizens’ voluntary attempts to impact public policy, either indirectly or directly via influencing the recruitment of politicians (Uhlaner 2015). This makes political participation and the entirety of politics crucial civic responsibilities. In her speech on the need to engage in politics, Sharief (2019) stated that:
We cannot afford not to be interested in or participate in politics. Politics is not only activism. It’s awareness; it’s keeping ourselves informed; it’s caring for the facts. When it’s possible, cast a vote. Politics is a tool through which we structure ourselves as groups and societies. It covers every aspect of life, and by not participating in it, you are literally allowing other people to decide on what you can eat and wear, if you have access to health care and free education, how much tax you pay, when you can retire, and what your pension is. Other people are also deciding whether your race and ethnicity are enough to consider you a criminal or if your religion and nationality are enough to put you on a terrorist list. (p. 1)
Elected leaders make binding decisions that affect the entirety of the nation. Hence, in a pluralistic democratic society like Nigeria, political participation gives every citizen the opportunity to make a choice for political officeholders during elections. These leaders make and implement policies that will be binding to all, regardless of diversity. Indifference towards political participation does not only disregard democracy; it amounts to self-denial. These According to Haruna (2009:9), cited in Danfulani:
To refuse to be actively interested and participate in politics is to assume the position of powerlessness, and that is the silly poverty-stricken condition the Church has resigned its fate and has consigned the lives of millions of Christians to in Nigeria. (n.p.)
Democracy entails collectivity and inclusion. In it, leadership or government is instituted by the people. Thus, democracy creates an atmosphere for Nigerians to delegitimise governments through political participation. Being a representative government makes democracy the best form of government globally (Mill 1996:336). This is to say that the leaders have received the people’s mandate and trust to make binding decisions dispassionately for the good of the nation. Political participation as a democratic tool allows for equitable compromise. This is so because, in a diverse society, it is usually difficult, if not impossible, to have unanimous agreement. Hence, democracy allows for the will of the majority in political participation. Through political participation, Christians in Nigeria can overcome national challenges and foster a thriving society. Dami (2021:178) posited that ‘politics is a necessity that should not be avoided or shied away from by Christians’. This remains the only practical strategy for transforming leadership failures and the democratic ecosystem. Subsequent approaches of organised religious communities like prayer may suffice secondarily. Understanding the necessity of political participation is very strategic to the development of a democratic society in Nigeria. Politics may often appear like a filthy business, and this view has often turned Christians off of it. But it is critical to recognise that the activity of politics is required to rule, and the Bible plainly demonstrates that God is highly concerned with proper governance (Dami 2021:179).
Nevertheless, the active political participation of the church in politics in Nigeria is taken for granted (Mbachirin 2006:11). Juxtaposing the Christian approach to politics, Mbachirin went further to state that Muslims in Nigeria are keenly interested in politics, and thus, they observe every government to protect their interests regardless of the religious inclination of the president. Such a level of political awareness and participation is needed from Christians. Decent political awareness and participation unencumbered by religious sentiments will drive the desired leadership change in Nigeria. Despite Nigeria’s pluralistic society, a lot of people are engrossed in preserving their unique differences as a group. This does not only cause disunity but also serves as a threat to Nigeria’s coherent and cooperative democratic process (Enemali 2022:181). From the foregoing, it is evident that democracy building demands collective participation of citizens.
The myths
When illusions, misconceptions or false ideas become widely accepted and relied upon by people, they become a myth. Cambridge Dictionary (n. d.) defined myths as ‘a commonly believed but false idea’. Within the Christian population in Nigeria, regarding political participation and the entirety of politics, there are traces of myths. Most often than not, these myths diffuse through the leadership of diverse organised Christian communities. Danfulani (n.d.) maintained that the problematic dilemma is located in the attitude of church dogma and leadership towards the state and politics. Church leaders command a lot of respect as reference points. Similarly, congregants of these organised Christian communities or denominations respect church doctrines and teachings.
The approach of the church to politics in Nigeria is such that it lacks seriousness as a result of the encumbrances of myths among many Christians. Some denominations, like the Jehovah Witness and the Seventh Day Adventists, do not participate in politics (Chu 2004; Jubber 1977; Knox 2011). This political apathy or neutrality is credited to myths in disguise of biblical doctrines. As apocalyptic groups with premillennial expectations, Jehovah Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists both reject political participation as polluting and deflecting from the task God gave them (Lawson 1995). While the aforementioned churches are alluded for not participating in politics, it is also important to understand their unique tool through which they also contribute in democracy-building in Nigeria. Though the Jehovah Witness church is distanced from politics, they also hide from the biblical injunction of subjecting to leaders as recorded in Romans 13:1 and praying for those in authority as recorded in 1 Timothy 2:1,2, (JW n.d.). Similarly, the Seventh Day Adventists had expressed interest in participating in electioneering and related civic duties but cited that the days for these activities always fall on the Sabath day which does not allow them to participate (Ogundare 2023:1). Like the Jehovah Witness, the Seventh Day Adventists also engage in prayers for leaders in Nigeria (Abdulgafar 2020:1). These approaches underscore diverse tools employed by churches in building democracy in Nigeria.
While these two denominations discussed earlier in the text may be regarded as minorities among the Christian community in Nigeria in terms of numerical strength, traces of myths abound in other denominations. According to Mbachirin (2006:117), generally, the Church teaches that Christians should distance themselves from politics. Within the Pentecostal setting, many rely on spiritual warfare as an ‘enchanted’ strategy in politics in which demons are blamed for bad political outcomes and thus must be shattered only through prayer (Gifford 2004:161). As a myth, many Christians have adopted a false view of politics with an indifference attitude; they see it as a mundane affair, a dirty game and unfit to solve Nigeria’s leadership problem. Sharing this view, Chibuko (2016:84) postulated that it is difficult to convince our contemporary Nigerians of the truth, that the Nigerian ills are not only political and financial but fundamentally moral and spiritual. He went further to explain that democratic governance in Nigeria cannot solve Nigeria’s problems because of ‘evils’.
Contrary to the opinion discussed earlier, Anagwo (2016) explained that the best defence against the devils manipulating contemporary Nigerian society is active participation in politics. This has caused many Christians to see Nigeria’s problems as more spiritual and prayer as the right approach to solving them. Many Christians spend their time storming heaven, expecting that God will intervene in their affairs (Nwankwo, 2023). Democratic or development problems in Nigeria require technocratic leaders. Enemali (2022:183) averred that effective political participation and the possibility of achieving a democratic nation imply that everybody must participate in projects ensuring that good governance is enthroned and maintained. This can only be achieved through a democratic election.
One of the most popular biblical passages employed by many Christians to support these myths stems from Jesus’ refusal to rule the kingdoms of the world as offered by Satan (Mt 4:8–10). Similarly, the statement of Jesus on giving to Caesar what is Caesar’ is also another popular misconstrued passage (Mk 12:13–17). In line with these misquoted Bible verses are some others, especially those that showed Jesus’ decline in leadership position and his comments on not being of this world (compare Jn 15:16; 17:14; 18:36). Mbachirin (2006) rightly pointed out that:
Many Christians teach that we should give Caesar what is Caesar’s, and politics is a dirty game. They teach and believe that Christian religion must only occupy itself with spiritual things and hold high esteem for the song; this world is not my home; I am just passing through. (p. 117)
The compromise here lies in the fact that these Christians also live in a society and expect it to thrive. Every citizen, regardless of religion, looks up to and criticises the leaders for leadership failures and other vices. Many of these critics usually fall under the category of those who do not participate in politics. It amounts to self-deceit and insincerity for Christians to live in a democratic society without practically engaging in tasks that will yield such a desire. It is an anomaly to expect good results from leaders when we demonise, castigate and feel indifferent to the legal process that produced such leaders. According to Meyer (1998) in Burgess (2014:45), ‘popular criticisms focus on the (im)morality of power, which for many Africans is generated not through the democratic process but rather by the use of the occult’. Such conception does not encourage Nigeria’s nascent democracy, nor does it create room for societal development. Democracy and development thrive only where citizens exercise their duties judiciously. Enemali (2022) rightly pointed out that:
There seems to be a big gap between what is preached by the church and practical political life outside these church premises. The church is generally and wrongly seen as having no relevance to practical life. It is a spiritual exercise that is linked to God alone: ‘Give back to God what belongs to him and to Caesar what belongs to him’ (Mt 22:21). If this perspective were to be right for the church, then the church would have no role in community building and would not make any contribution to the democratic landscape. The contradiction between principle and application, between church and democracy, can be regarded as a false alarm because the church influences life practically in the community. (p. 181)
Problem solving demands identifying and applying the right strategy, which implies a round peg in a round hole. Burgess (2014:46) rightly pointed out that Pentecostals’ belief that they can improve society through prayer and spiritual warfare is consistent with African and biblical cosmologies and supported by anecdotal evidence, but such claims are difficult to prove. This is so important because religious practices are not empirically variable. Given the foregoing, it is noted that different Christian churches have diverse reason(s) for lack of active political participation. For example, while the Seventh Day Adventists gave reasons, Jehovah Witnesses outrightly distance themselves from active participation in electioneering process though they engage only in praying for those in authority.
Critiquing the myth
A right step in the right direction in democracy-building in Nigeria is first understanding the invaluableness of political participation. Nigeria’s myriad challenges technically have their roots in the country’s poor leadership (Ake & Olowojolu 2016; Olayiwola 2013). Technically, finding a solution to that will bring about the barest minimum of other issues. Achieving this is not rocket science, nor is it a cosmic or spiritual battle. The inclination of Pentecostals to spiritualise politics draws attention away from the normal plane in which contemporary political problems have been most productively solved (Gifford 2004). According to Kafang (2011):
Far too many Christians have, for too long, approached politics as if it lies outside their primary responsibility as Christians. When the distinction is drawn between ‘church’ and the ‘world’, for example, it usually implies that politics, economics, science, technology, and mass media are part of ‘the world’. The Christian life is thus confined to personal piety, church activities, family prayer, and Bible study. From this point of view, a Christian’s engagement in politics or business is seen as a step into the secular world, where Christian principles may apply to one’s personal behaviour but not to the structures and functions of the political order or the corporation. (p. 7–8)
It is high time the church in Nigeria understood what it has missed and what it stands to lose more if Nigeria’s democracy is not strengthened. Danfulani (n.d.) rightly pointed out that the price the Church is paying today for being in this socio-political mess came as a result of the past persistent inaction of Christians in Nigeria. Prayer as a pivotal element in Christianity is important, but that is not to say that it can transform Nigeria alone. It is the shared commitment to work that drives democratic development. Extant ancient and recent history records show how purposeful leadership can transform fortunes for the better. One example comes to mind: Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew (2012). It was not the prayer points of Singapore citizens that achieved this feat, but rather their collective commitment to electing their leaders. This can be replicated in Nigeria. While Chibuko (2016:84) encouraged Christians to be a ‘creative minority’, Dami (2021) noted that Nigerian Christians have an obligation to affect the long-term trajectory of their country; they cannot just watch events develop in their country. Citizens in a nation striving for democracy cannot be passive, dormant, indifferent, ignorant or idle (Enemali 2022:182). Christians should, as a matter of urgency, take political participation seriously in the same manner as they do prayer. Chibuko’s view of praying as a panacea to problems in Nigeria is piqued by his view that ‘the Nigerian crises can be healed only by forces not directly involved in the crises themselves’ (p. 82). This opinion is faulty because of overgeneralisation. Not all Nigerians (leaders) are involved in Nigeria’s problems.
More so, prayer has helped in building bonds and expectations in Nigeria. It has helped in consolidating morality to a large extent. Usually, during elections, church leaders overemphasise and charge their members into prayer for peaceful elections (Akinyemi 2022; Anaba 2022; Atemanke 2022). This same enjoinment should be done not only during elections. Contrasting the overreliance on prayer, Onah and Ugwu (2008) stated that:
In addition, the major religions and denominations at various times in the past instituted various prayers to heal and save the nation, including Nigeria Prays [non-denominational], Prayer for Nigeria in Trouble [non-denominational], and Prayer against Corruption in Nigeria [the Catholic Church], to name but a few, but the problem remains persistent and rather worsens as evidenced in the activities of the 2003 and 2007 general elections in the country. (p. 4)
It is worth noting that God gave Nigerians brains and expertise like he did to other nations to put Nigeria in order. Following the last 2023 elections, Christians were charged to demonstrate greater dedication to the Nigerian struggle than just praying (Anyanwu 2022). Similarly, citing America, South Korea and other countries as countries with evidence of God’s intervention, Adedokun (2020) stated that ‘Nigeria cannot be different! However, should we just fold our arms and depend on prayers for the salvation of our country? Absolutely not’. Dike (2018) also pointed out that asking the masses to pray or waiting for God to come and do everything for you cannot yield any result because ‘God will not come down and fix our roads, hospitals, and education system. It all lies in our hands’. Juxtaposing the situation with other countries, Nigerians pray for what the government ordinarily provides for its citizens in developed countries (Agba 2022; Okeye, 2023). It is unthinkable to rely on prayer (only) for what lies in one’s hands to do. Archbishop Tutu was an example of that by praying and also participating in struggles against apartheid leadership and freedom for South Africans. This underscores the fact that praying for the nation is good but not enough.
Democratic societies and developments are created by visionary Democrats as leaders. Such leaders are chosen by the people. With the booming Christian demography in Nigeria, Christians are strategic in democratic development. Jettisoning this demographic advantage gives other religions the sole right to dominate. However, democracy does not mean that any of its citizens can be content to let other people think for them or shoulder their social and political responsibilities and duties for them (Enemali 2022:182). When this occurs, many Christians will see reasons to complain about marginalisation. Democracy in Nigeria needs to be strengthened through active political participation. Otherwise, undemocratic elements will hijack leadership in Nigeria, stifle development and create an adverse ecosystem for Christianity. By having a negative attitude towards politics, the church hindered the creation of a political unity that would put pressure on the government to distribute rewards and services in a just and fair manner (Mbachirin 2006:169). Such negative attitudes give room to yearnings and agitations that question Nigeria’s secularity.
Recommendations
- Strengthening of civic education: This might appear to be a topic that does not fall within the ambit of the church. However, a technical view of it will reveal that Christian leaders can inform and re-inform their congregants through seminars and programs. As authorities, they consider it their duty to increase the level of political awareness of the members. The justification, for instance, is the fact that active participation in politics naturally produces in us the consciousness of the citizens (Enemali 2022:182). This must not be done only during election seasons. The conditions of current Nigeria call on all of us who comprise the Christian leadership to serve as the nation’s conscience (Dami 2021).
- Preaching and teaching sound biblical doctrine: The Church owes itself the duty to interpret the Bible in its proper sense. As one body of Christ, Christian associations should seek to harmonise opinions that will project oneness. Hence, church leaders must inculcate in their members sound biblical doctrine and also dispel every form of myth or falsehood.
- Christian contextualisation of prayer and participation: Christians should be made to understand the jurisdiction of prayer and political participation.
Conclusion
In addition to dispelling myths, this study offered invaluable insights into the intricate relationship between prayer and political participation while contributing to a more informed and delicate discussion of faith and democracy. Issues and concepts in the research were examined and addressed dispassionately. Through the research, the Christian community in Nigeria is reminded that building democracy is important. Thus, in light of Nigeria’s plurality and the desire to build an egalitarian society, Christians cannot afford not to participate in politics while praying at the same time.
Acknowledgements
Competing interests
The author declare that they have no financial or personal relationship that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
Author’s contributions
C.B.A. is the sole author of this research article.
Ethical considerations
This article followed all ethical standards for research without direct contact with human or animal subjects.
Funding information
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Data availability
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and are the product of professional research. It does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated institution, funder, agency or that of the publisher. The author is responsible for this article’s results, findings and content.
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