In remarks purportedly aimed at fellow clergyman Apostle Arome, prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, also known as Odumeje, challenged the notion that Nigeria’s primary calling is prayer, suggesting instead that the nation and its youth should be focused on development.
The comments were made in a video that went viral online and was covered by GistReel. In it, Odumeje bluntly refuted a pastor’s claim that Nigeria has a “calling to prayers.”
Odumeje rejected the description, querying whether Nigerians were supposed to view themselves as nothing more than prayer warriors and what the term “constant prayer” could signify.
He argued that the country’s real calling was to produce developers, and placed blame for the proliferation of churches across Nigeria on poor governance, suggesting that bad government conditions push young people toward religious leaders who, in his view, exploit that dependency.
Instead of depending on prayer or religious leadership to effect change, he went on to urge Nigerian youngsters to become more involved in the nation’s affairs by organising and working to reclaim governance for themselves.
The remarks come amid ongoing public tension involving activist Verydarkman and Apostle Arome, a dispute that has drawn wider commentary from public figures in recent days. Odumeje’s comments appear to position him within that broader argument, responding specifically to Arome’s prayer-calling remarks rather than addressing the Verydarkman dispute directly.
What Odumeje actually said
Odumeje’s comments reflect his personal theological and political opinion rather than a verified assessment of Nigeria’s governance challenges or the causes behind the growth of churches in the country. His remarks were delivered informally on video rather than in a structured interview, and the clip has circulated via social media reposting rather than a direct statement to press, meaning the full context in which he spoke including whether he was responding to a specific sermon or broader commentary from Arome has not been independently confirmed. As the underlying dispute between Verydarkman and Arome continues to generate public commentary, further reactions from other clergy, commentators, and public figures are likely in the days ahead.