A speaker argues that in parts of Africa, prayer often replaces personal responsibility. When children misbehave, parents blame the spirit Ogune instead of disciplining them; when officials neglect roads and security, they pray rather than act. This mindset lets people escape accountability for problems they could actually solve.
Chapters
You know, we don't have issues with prayer in Africa. That's what we know how to do. You don't even have to like God to be a prayer person in Africa. We pray with a mentality that all that we have been given responsibility to do, it is actually God who should do it. That's why some children will misbehave at home, and instead of disciplining them the way he should, we just say that Ogune is— they are fighting the child. And when you say that, the child no longer take responsibility because it is what? Ogune. The child is now smoking a bowie. Ogune means bottle. He will not stay in school and sit with his lecture and read. Say no, no, no. Instead of taking this child, teaching this child, if the child now needs rehabilitation, rehabilitate the child. It's our culture around here. We just— we, we don't take responsibility for anything. Even government officials will now say, let's pray for the nation, let's pray. Because they know once they bring out that card, that's you there. The fellow who should do road say, let's pray. The one who should provide security say, pray that God will secure Nigeria. God, God, when will you stop the nonsense? Even Israel, that, that