Pastor Emmanuel Iren has responded critically to Peter Obi’s suggestion to convert night vigils into night shifts, describing the idea as misguided. Iren argued that Nigerians participate in vigils due to limited job opportunities, not purely for religious reasons.

Iren questioned Obi’s reasoning, asking if he would similarly criticize those who spend “economic hours” at the gym or socializing. He called Obi’s comment “gaslighting,” especially given his governmental experience, and emphasized that if the government provided more jobs, Nigerians wouldn’t need to rely on vigils and prayers to manage economic hardships.

Obi’s initial remarks highlighted his concerns over Nigeria’s high poverty rate and low productivity, which he partly attributes to an excessive focus on politics and religion. He suggested that time spent on vigils could be used more productively in the workforce.