- Peter Obi ignited a firestorm among Nigerians with his bold proposal to convert traditional church vigils into productive night shifts.
- The controversy took a sharper turn when Pastor Emmanuel Iren joined the conversation, delivering a powerful and impassioned rebuttal in a trending video
Pastor Emmanuel Iren, founder of Celebration Church International (CCI) in Lagos, has thrown fuel on an already heated debate by responding to Peter Obi’s controversial church remarks.
Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, had stirred the pot in a viral interview, where he suggested that Nigeria’s devotion to night vigils could be redirected into evening work shifts to boost productivity.
His statement sparked an immediate firestorm, dividing Nigerians on social media. Supporters applauded Obi’s vision for a more industrious society, while critics saw his words as dismissive of spiritual practices deeply rooted in the nation’s cultural fabric .
On Monday, November 11, 2024, a video of Pastor Iren addressing this issue with his congregation emerged online, quickly taking the internet by storm. In the video, while Pastor Iren acknowledged his “profound respect” for Obi, his stance was unyielding—he vehemently opposed Obi’s perspective.
With the energy of a preacher defending sacred ground, Pastor Iren delved into the value of spiritual gatherings, stressing that no amount of work could replace the power of faith and community that church vigils provide.
The preacher said in the trending video:
“Everyday on the internet, you see someone say ‘having vigils everyday’. Which church do you know that has vigils everyday? Some might have vigils everyday for a season, but no church has vigils everyday.
“Please, don’t get me wrong. I have profound respect for the person who said this.
“It is part of my privileged roles in Christ, and in the body of Christ to set the record straight on some things like this. If churches don’t have vigils everyday, how often is too often? Twice a week; thrice a week?
“Do you realise, if you saw someone who goes to the gym everyday, you won’t think he is wasting economic hours? Don’t you see that the bias is hidden?
“If you saw someone who hung out with his friend thrice a week, you say ‘it is good, work-life balance’. But someone who goes to church thrice a week, we say we need to be more productive as a nation.
“First and foremost, it is the gaslighting for me. Nobody who has been in government, past or present, has the right to make such a comment. For God sake, if the people don’t go to church, have you provided jobs for them? Where are the jobs?
“I say this with all sense of humility, please don’t get me wrong: sometimes, the level of output in my life in one month, if it was someone else’s highlight for a whole year, you have tried.
“You have to understand I have like five full-time jobs. I believe in productivity, but please, don’t let anyone talk down on your devotion. your faith in the Lord. Protect it with all you have. Prayer got you here, stick to it.”
WATCH HIM SPEAK IN CLIP BELOW