In a statement marking Nigeria’s 64th Independence anniversary, Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, expressed strong disapproval of the celebration.
He voiced his dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, stating that there is no reason for celebration.
The cleric pointed out that Nigeria has failed to make any significant strides in key areas of development such as human capital, governance, and leadership.
In his independence message, Primate Ayodele expressed his concern that despite the country reaching 64 years of independence, there has been little to no progress.
He lamented that Nigeria remains stagnant, struggling with critical issues such as leadership failures, an underperforming judiciary, and a deteriorating economy.
The religious leader also mentioned the failure of the country’s democracy, labeling it “a democracy of failure, starvation, bondage, and difficulty.”
“I have not seen anything special in Nigeria at 64,” Primate Ayodele remarked, “because there is no serious improvement in terms of what the government needs to do. In terms of human capital, everything is on standstill. In terms of the judiciary, it’s something else. We are still witnessing things that we cannot be proud of despite being 64 years old.”
He continued by describing Nigeria’s current state of democracy as broken and ineffective.
He noted that instead of true freedom, the independence many Nigerians hoped for has turned into a form of bondage.
He also attributed the country’s woes to the poor choices made in leadership, suggesting that those in power lack the moral compass necessary to steer the nation toward progress.
“Our democracy has been destroyed,” he said, emphasizing that “Nigerians have voted for leaders with no conscience. We have been praying, but it doesn’t look like this country will get better.”
Turning his attention to the current administration, Primate Ayodele was critical of the government, accusing it of being directionless and lacking the fear of God.
He outlined seven key areas that the government must address if there is to be any hope of real improvement: stable electricity, educational reform, restructuring, judiciary reform, economic reform, security, and a complete overhaul of the petroleum industry.
“The present government is confused; they don’t have the fear of God and don’t understand why they are ruling,” the Primate stated, insisting that “Nigeria at 64 is nothing to celebrate.”
He further criticized the government’s tolerance for mediocrity, arguing that a serious administration would immediately dismiss underperforming officials. In particular, he singled out the oil sector, calling for the removal of top figures like the NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari, and the Minister of Petroleum.
In his critique of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Primate Ayodele condemned the agency for its selective justice, criticizing its failure to apprehend the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, while quickly pursuing ordinary Nigerians accused of lesser crimes.
“A serious government leading a nation that is 64 years old would sack people in the oil sector, including NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari, Minister of Petroleum, and others in the sector,” he said. “For months, EFCC has been trailing Yahaya Bello all to no avail, but if it is an ordinary Nigerian, he or she would have been arrested and paraded.”
Primate Ayodele also directed his criticism towards the National Assembly, accusing lawmakers of failing to contribute meaningfully to the country’s progress.
“The national assembly has also failed,” he declared. “They are just going there to relax. President Tinubu should improve and enhance workers’ welfare. Our sectors are not doing well, including communications. We don’t have anything to celebrate at 64. It’s a period to evaluate what we have done so far. It’s a time of sober reflection.”
Further emphasizing the struggles faced by ordinary Nigerians, the cleric highlighted the rising cost of living, noting that even basic food items such as rice have become unaffordable. He described Nigeria’s 64 years of independence as “64 years of sadness, without achievement, and failure.”
In a surprising turn, Primate Ayodele did not spare the religious sector from his harsh criticism. He expressed disappointment in Christian leaders, accusing many pastors of turning a blind eye to the harsh realities faced by the people.
“The religious sector too has failed, all the pastors have failed. We have been compromised and all we know how to say is ‘All is well,’ but it is not,” he said, adding that “We only have fashion pastors. They don’t talk when they are supposed to, apart from saying: ‘All is well.’”
Primate Ayodele’s message serves as a stark reminder of the challenges Nigeria continues to face, even as the country marks its 64th year of independence.
His remarks echo the growing frustrations of many Nigerians who feel that the country’s leaders have failed to deliver on the promise of a better future.
