Nigerian pastors are encouraging laziness, false hope — Cleric

Iyke Chukuka, Canadian based Nigerian preacher, has accused pastors in Nigeria of encouraging laziness among their members by preaching messages that give false hopes rather than inspiring hard work.

He made the accusations while speaking during an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo and Chido Onumah on the online talk show 90MinutesAfrica.

According to Chukuka, who is the General Overseer of Emblaze Ministries, some church leaders have misrepresented the Bible, making worshippers believe prayer can substitute for effort.

“Jesus came so that Christians will have life to the fullest and that the works of their hands will be blessed,” Chukuka said. “But what I see in Nigeria is people thinking they can just pray and not work.”

He argued that this mindset, encouraged by distorted preaching, has created a culture where congregants expect divine intervention without personal responsibility.

“We have replaced industry with idleness in the name of faith,” he added. “People are told to ‘sow a seed’ and wait for a miracle, instead of being taught to use their God-given talents to create value.”

He called on Nigerian pastors to take a cue from the Apostle Paul, who worked as a tentmaker to support himself while ministering, rather than depending entirely on offerings or positioning themselves as miracle providers.

“Paul was a tentmaker while he preached the gospel. He didn’t sit around waiting for people to feed him,” he said. “That’s the kind of example pastors in Nigeria should follow, work with your hands, then minister from a place of independence.”

He also warned against the selective interpretation of scripture for convenience, warning that such teachings undermine both spiritual growth and national productivity.

“When you cherry-pick verses to suit your comfort, you are not serving God — you are serving your stomach,” Chukuka said. “It’s dangerous because it keeps the people poor and the nation stagnant.”

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