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By Oscar Okhifo
Senior Pastor of the House on the Rock, Paul Adefarasin, has sparked widespread reactions after declaring that “Nigeria is dead” and that anyone still counting wealth in naira should consider themselves poor.
The cleric made the remarks earlier in the week while addressing members of his congregation during a sermon centred on Nigeria’s worsening economic realities, the steady decline of the naira and the growing hardship confronting millions of citizens across the country.
“Nigeria is dead, let’s not deceive ourselves. Once you are counting in Naira, you are poor.” he said.
The statement, which has gone viral across social media platforms, has generated mixed reactions across the country, with some Nigerians agreeing with his assessment of the economic situation, while others described the remark as overly harsh and pessimistic.
Adefarasin’s lamentation adds to a growing wave of similar concerns expressed by both ordinary citizens and members of the elite class over the state of the economy.
The presidency is yet to react to the comment.
Adefarasin further explained that the continuous depreciation of the naira against major foreign currencies has significantly weakened the purchasing power of many Nigerians, deepening the cost-of-living crisis affecting millions nationwide.
According to him, despite hard work and daily struggles, many citizens are finding it increasingly difficult to meet basic needs as inflation and broader economic instability continue to erode incomes and savings.
He added that concerns over rising inflation, escalating food prices, fuel costs and sustained pressure on the naira have further worsened the financial burden on households across the country.
“People are suffering. The economy is not just bad, it is broken,” he added during the sermon.
Economic analysts have consistently warned that the persistent fall in the value of the naira, coupled with high inflation, could further deepen poverty levels if urgent and effective policy measures are not implemented to stabilise the economy.
Meanwhile, supporters of the cleric argue that his comments reflect the frustrations of ordinary Nigerians facing economic hardship, while critics maintain that such sensitive national issues should be addressed with more caution and constructive engagement.
A social media user reacting to the comment wrote: “He just said what many Nigerians are thinking but are afraid to say.”
Another one said: “This one has a lot of sense and pays attention to the harsh realities. He is not like the other pulpit old men who use to criticise Jonathan administration and even protested. Today, they no longer talk, they sip wine and keep saying we should pray. God bless pastor Paul.”
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Federal Government nor relevant economic authorities had issued an official response to the comments.