Nigeria's Prayer Ritual Fails to Address State Neglect of Underclass
Premium Times columnist Chidi Anselm Odinkalu argues Nigeria's reliance on prayer to solve national problems is misguided while the state neglects its most vulnerable citizens. President Tinubu resurrected Nigeria's first national anthem in 2024, turning the country into 'prayer warriors,' with governors across states including Kebbi, Borno, Benue, and Zamfara calling for 'divine intervention' against insecurity. The author traces Nigeria's history of failed prayers and anthems that haven't prevented political instability, violence, or social problems since independence. Odinkalu warns that if Nigeria's 'excluded and expended' people demand their rights in 2027, it could create a situation 'for which there are not enough prayers or bullets,' referencing Tagore's warning that oppressors will eventually face reckoning. The author argues the Nigerian state has historically treated its underclass as 'sub-human and expendable,' creating conditions that make prayer ineffective.