Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, says Nigeria is unproductive because only politics and religion are attractive.
Speaking in a series of clips released over the weekend, Obi said divine blessings favour hard work and productivity.
“God can bless hard work; God can bless productivity; God can bless an industry, but God cannot bless someone who is sleeping,” he said.
“Anyone who tells you that he got an alert from praying should be arrested. He has stolen someone’s money. Simple!”
The former governor of Anambra asked political leaders prioritising personal profit to rethink their role.
He noted that true leadership centres on serving the people and not self-enrichment.
“Being a leader is not a money-making venture. You’re not competing with Dangote,” Obi said.
“Dangote is a businessman. You should focus on what you were elected for.”
“You must choose your lane; if you want to be in government, be in government and serve the people. If you want to be a businessman, go and trade.”
Obi said Nigeria’s struggles with poverty and unproductivity stem from prioritising politics and religious activities over nation-building and economic development.
The ex-governor opined that night vigils should be replaced with night shifts to increase the country’s productivity.
“I’m not happy in Nigeria; we can’t continue to breed poverty; that’s not leadership,” he said.
“We live in a largely unproductive society, which is why the only things that seem attractive here are politics and religion.
“We have to dismantle it. I’d rather turn night vigils into night shifts so people can be productive. I go to church; I believe in God.
“However, we cannot have people attending church from Monday to Friday, morning and night.
“If I travel from here to my house, the only signboards you see are those of churches.
“If you go to the east, it’s burials, and that’s not a country. In other countries, you’ll see products.”
Obi added that charitable acts, such as going to the hospital or helping the poor, constitute “tithing” as they demonstrate a commitment to serving others.
“If you go to the hospital, it’s tithing. If you help poor people, it’s tithing,” he said.
