Nigerian actress Juliana Olayode has weighed in on ongoing conversations about national insecurity and public expectations placed on religious leaders, stating that pastors should not be forced into activism.
In a post shared on her Instagram page, the actress said that while she understands public frustration over the current situation in the country, it is unfair to expect pastors to speak on every trending issue.
According to her, spiritual leaders should only address public matters when they feel led by God, rather than being pressured into taking public or political stances.
She wrote:
“I know I might get dragged for saying this, and not to deviate from the issue at hand, but I’ve been seeing a lot of videos of people calling out pastors. There’s something I think we should also take into consideration.”
Juliana noted that fear and uncertainty are currently high in the country, adding that citizens are naturally reacting to the situation. However, she emphasised that not all forms of action are visible online.
“Yes, I believe pastors should speak up more. So should imams, sheikhs, and everyone with a voice and influence. But we should not automatically assume that those who are not speaking publicly on social media are doing nothing,” she said.
She further argued that pastors are not activists, though they can choose to speak on social and political issues when they feel spiritually directed to do so.
“Pastors are not activists, though they certainly can speak on political and societal issues when they feel led to do so. Not every God-given assignment is meant to be carried out in public,” she added.
Juliana also stressed that while some religious leaders have been criticised for silence, many are still actively engaging through prayer, counsel, and private intervention rather than public commentary.
She concluded by urging Nigerians to combine civic responsibility with prayer, calling for divine intervention in the nation’s challenges.
Her comments have since sparked mixed reactions online, with some social media users supporting her stance while others argued that influential religious leaders should take a more vocal position on national issues.
