Night Vigil or Night Shift? Pastor Abel Damina Responds to Peter Obi’s Controversial Church Stance

Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, recently urged Nigerians to consider working night shifts instead of attending traditional night vigils.

Dr. Abel Damina, founder of Abel Damina Ministries and Power City International, didn’t hold back in sharing his thoughts on Obi’s suggestion. During a discussion on Your View, the popular TVC talk show, Damina joined hosts Morayo Afolabi-Brown, Yeni Kuti, and others to discuss the potential impact of Obi’s statement.

In a direct response, Damina made it clear that he opposed Obi’s suggestion to replace night vigils with night shifts. He argued that night vigils are not among Nigeria’s most pressing issues. Instead, he pointed to the government’s responsibility to create sustainable night shift opportunities if it wants citizens to consider a shift in focus.

Damina’s main concern was the government’s failure to provide stable night shift jobs for Nigerians. He emphasized that before citizens can be encouraged to prioritize work over night vigils, the government must first lay a strong foundation by offering viable employment options. Without such support, he argued, the call to abandon night vigils lacks substance and fails to address deeper socioeconomic issues.

A Different Perspective from Yeni Kuti

Not everyone on the panel was in complete agreement with Damina. Host Yeni Kuti challenged his view, noting that some night shift jobs already exist in Nigeria, even if they are limited. She suggested that the conversation should also consider the role of existing night shift opportunities and how they might contribute to economic growth.

This back-and-forth brought another layer to the conversation, highlighting the complexity of balancing faith practices with calls for greater productivity in Nigeria.

Damina Acknowledges the Importance of Practical Steps

Despite his initial opposition, Damina admitted that Obi’s suggestion about overreliance on religious practices touched on a relevant issue. As a pastor himself, he recognized that many Nigerians lean heavily on faith, sometimes at the expense of taking concrete actions toward personal and societal progress. Damina noted that while faith is vital, practical steps are necessary to achieve meaningful change.