Sunday is a solemn day in
Lagos. For Lagosians, the day ”is a Sabbath
day” that must be kept holy. The day also
offers the best time to be close to God. But
Lagosians attend church for different reasons.
However, the irony of the pious church-going
Lagosian will make a good topic for research.
The question is: how come your average
Lagosian, who is aggressive on weekdays
acts saintly in church on Sundays only to fall
back to his or her old ways thereafter?
1. For prosperity and financial break through:
People attend church for different reasons.
But to many Lagosians struggling with their
finances, church offers the best assurances
to get out of financial challenges. There is
the belief that giving one’s tithes and
offerings in church according to biblical
injunctions will open the gateway of financial
blessings to the giver. People actually go to
church to ask to be blessed financially by
God.
2. Networking : One major reason why some
Lagosians flock to church on Sundays is to
network and met people they would ordinarily
not meet in their everyday life. For them,
meeting these people can improve their
chances of doing business since different
people of different status attend church.
Networking is one of the major reasons for
attending church in Lagos.
3. Forgiveness of Sin : I have heard some
funny stories of Lagosians attending church
to ask for restitution of sin or for offences
committed the previous week. Lagosians by
nature are aggressive people. Even the nicest
of people become pugnacious when they
relocate to Lagos. It is the way this city is
wired. There is no way one can live in Lagos
without getting into an argument or a fight
with somebody. The church offers the
sanctuary to ask for forgiveness for one’s
brashness. It is a sanctuary to keep one’s
sanity at least for the period the service will
last.
4. To Make Heaven : Lagosians in spite of the
intense hustling to make it in this world still
want to make heaven. You will often hear a
typical Lagosian say’ ’what does it profit a
man to gain the world and lose eternal life’.
Yes, the average Lagosian has an eye for the
good things the city offers but still keeps an
eye on salvation.
5. To have a sense of belonging: Church gives
a sense of belonging, that you are not alone
in the harsh and lonely life of the city. By
going to church and belonging to the sub-
groups and departments, you get a sense that
you belong in the community of humans not
the impersonal and aloof people you meet in
everyday life.
6. To fulfill all righteousness : For some
Lagosians who have a busy life, Sunday is the
only day they have for their faith. They go to
church on Sundays to purge any sense of guilt
they might have for not attending church mid-
week or performing other church duties.
7. Healing: We are all humans and many of
us have health challenges. By attending we
have the faith that our inadequacies and
physical challenges will experience healing
8. Miracle Seekers: Lagosians are daily
looking for miracles in their everyday life.
They want to live their dream. They expect
things will happen and the church will hasten
their miraculous encounter with God. The
dream job; the dream house and the lovely
partner will appear in a miraculous way. It is
hope rooted in faith.
9. To Keep Enemies at Bay: Many Lagosians
believe that whatever they are experiencing in
the physical is a manifestation of what has
transpired in the spirit. They believe nothing
happens in their lives that have not been
written. They also believe there are enemies
out there who may be wishing them evil or
behind their travails in life. The belief is that
attending church shield them from the evil
machination of enemies.
10. To search for Future Wife or Husband:
This may appear funny but Lagosians
especially the young unmarried ones attend
church with the possibility of finding a future
partner. it could be a future husband or a
future wife. That is why many churches
organize ‘Singles Fellowship’ where potential
bachelors or spinsters could meet. This is
actually one of the main reasons why young
Lagosians attend church.
Wishing you all a happy Sunday.
