Apostle Arome Osayi has taken action on social media after a sermon he delivered triggered intense reactions among Nigerians online.
The cleric reportedly disabled comments on his social media page as criticism over his remarks continued to spread.
Apostle Arome Osayi’s sermon sparks debate
The controversy followed a sermon in which Apostle Arome Osayi spoke about what he described as Nigeria’s greater purpose.
Rather than seeing the country’s future primarily through industrialisation, manufacturing or technological development, the preacher argued that Nigeria has a significant spiritual role to play globally.
He encouraged Nigerians involved in Christian ministry to remain committed despite the economic and social difficulties confronting the country.
According to the cleric, the daily struggle for survival has become so overwhelming that many Nigerians may be losing sight of what he considers their broader spiritual calling.
VDM, Solomon Buchi react
The sermon attracted criticism from several social media personalities, including Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
VDM challenged the emphasis on miracles and religious activities, arguing that Nigeria’s development challenges should not be separated from the country’s need to encourage innovation, technical expertise and productive thinking.
He also argued that Nigerians have the intellectual capacity to compete with people from technologically advanced countries and defended those who travel abroad to acquire technical skills before bringing their knowledge back home.
Social commentator Solomon Buchi also weighed into the debate, raising questions about the impact of Christianity on the moral conduct of Nigerians.
Buchi questioned how a country with a large number of churches could continue to experience problems such as corruption, dishonesty and poor civic behaviour.
He further recalled a period when Christians were widely associated with integrity, suggesting that the perception had changed considerably.
Apostle Arome takes action amid criticism
As reactions to the sermon intensified online, Apostle Arome Osayi reportedly restricted comments on his social media page.
The move meant that members of the public could no longer freely respond to his posts through the comment section.
His decision itself became part of the online discussion, particularly because it came as criticism surrounding the sermon was gaining momentum.
The controversy has continued to generate different opinions, with Nigerians debating the place of religion, technological development, national identity and the country’s social challenges.
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