"You Cannot Pray Away Bandits": Mary Njoku Challenges Christians After Yinka Alaseyori's Advice
- Nollywood actress Mary Njoku has spoken strongly about the difference between prayer and action amid rising insecurity in Nigeria
- Her post came just after gospel singer Yinka Alaseyori advised people to pray over the Oyo school abductions and later apologised following heavy backlash
- Njoku reminded Christians that faith and action must go hand in hand, stressing that bandits, bad roads and poor healthcare cannot disappear by prayer alone
- In a chat with Legit.ng entertainment analyst Smith Adebimpe reacted to Mary Njoku's post challenging the reliance on prayers to solve national issues
Nollywood actress Mary Remmy Njoku has sparked reactions online after speaking about the balance between prayer and practical action.
Her comments came shortly after gospel singer Yinka Alaseyori encouraged Nigerians to pray in the face of rising insecurity, especially following the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo state.
Source: Instagram
Yinka Alaseyori had explained that while the government is trying, prayer is the key to freedom, but she later apologised to mothers and Nigerians after facing heavy backlash.
Mary Njoku, in a post shared on her Instagram page on June 3, emphasised that physical problems cannot be solved by prayer alone.
She explained that even food does not appear by prayer, as someone must plant, harvest, transport, and cook it, or provide the means to get it.
The actress reminded Nigerians that even in the Bible, provision often came through people, work, and practical effort.
"PHYSICAL problems require PHYSICAL solutions. Spiritual problems require spiritual solutions," she wrote.
Mary Njoku went further to say that good roads, healthcare, education, security, and economic growth will not appear simply because people pray about them.
According to her, prayer can guide and strengthen, but physical issues demand planning, accountability, and hard work.
"Dear African Christians, as we continue to pray, let us not confuse prayer with action. You cannot bind and cast away bad roads. You cannot rebuke a failing healthcare system into working. You cannot pray away the bandits who are terrorising our lives. Faith and action are not enemies. They work together."
Read her Instagram post here:
Faith without action is dead – Adebimpe
In a chat with Legit.ng entertainment analyst Smith Adebimpe shared his thoughts on the actress's message to Christians.
He stated:
"Nigerians can be too religious sometimes, and we often confuse having faith with taking action. Even the Bible makes it clear that faith without works is dead. While prayers are good, they should only be a support system for our physical actions. We need real actions, not just sitting back and waiting for God to deliver us miraculously from bandits. Mary Njoku is very right on this one; physical problems like insecurity, bad roads, and poor healthcare require physical solutions, not just endless prayers."
Nigerians react to Mary Njoku's post on insecurity
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of netizens below:
Many social media users agreed with the actress and shared similar sentiments.
@ojoemomotimi wrote:
“This is why i don’t stay close to be people who believe everything is spiritual 🤦♀️”
@geespacebabs commented:
“We often forget that even the Bible says work and pray. Faith without work is de@th!”
@realty_verse reacted:
“Well spoken! God will not do for you the things you should do for yourself, that's why he gave us hands, legs and a brain!”
@xabelpower said:
“We still need prayers 😢 for God too remove greed from the heart of our leaders bcos all the sectors are corrupted. Everyone just want to fill their pocket”
@akiddiescollections wrote:
“Someone has finally said it, Your own no loss my sister”
Source: Instagram
Mary Njoku speaks on independent women
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Mary Njoku spoke against the popular belief that women naturally prefer to be independent.
The film producer explained that independence is largely a response to circumstances, as no one truly desires to go through life alone.
She pointed out that women often learn to be strong and independent when they lack dependable people in their lives.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
