PASTOR POJU OYEMADE SPARKS DEBATE OVER HIS COMMENTS ON NIGERIA VS. AMERICA
A viral video of Lagos-based clergyman, Pastor Poju Oyemade, has sparked mixed reactions online after he claimed that Nigerians are being “programmed” to hate their country.
While preaching in church, the senior pastor of Covenant Nation argued that despite the challenges, living and doing business in Nigeria can be more favorable than in the United States. He attributed the growing negativity towards the country to self-hate and a lack of understanding of Nigeria’s unique opportunities.
In his words:
“People are being programmed to hate their country — that’s self-hatred. I was in America, seated with some Nigerians, and they started complaining. I told them, in Nigeria, someone can become a medical doctor and spend just N500,000, and they are working. Meanwhile, in the US, you spend $200,000 to graduate from Johns Hopkins. Are you okay? Do you know how much that is?”
Pastor Poju went on to contrast the work ethic of Nigerians at home and abroad:
“In Nigeria, ask someone to do two jobs and they’ll curse you out. But once in America, the same person will do job one, job two, and even drive Uber. If they put just a fraction of that energy back home, they would have blown. They kept quiet.”
He also shared a success story from his church’s Yaba branch, where a trade fair organized for members produced surprising financial results.
“They set up tents in the car park. I thought it was a waste of time. But a lady sold three wigs at N250,000 each — that’s N750,000. No business registration, just raw hustle. In America, you do that, the IRS is coming for you. Here, it’s a land of opportunity — know how to play your terrain.”
The pastor concluded by urging Nigerians to shift their mindset and see opportunities rather than always speaking negatively about the country.
“Nigeria is a land where good cometh! Stop saying ‘Nigeria happened to me.’ Nigerian-Americans are the second most successful group in the U.S. after Indians.”
His remarks have generated mixed reactions on social media. While some Nigerians agree with his perspective, others criticized his comparison and questioned the realities of living and working in the country.
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