Social media activist VeryDarkMan has questioned the decision by cleric Pastor Arome Osayi and his wife to secure permanent residence in the United States, linking the development to the preacher’s earlier comments about Nigeria’s national purpose and the importance of prayer.
VDM raised the issue after reacting to a video showing Arome and his wife announcing that they had obtained permanent residence in the US.
The activist recalled an earlier teaching in which Arome discussed the different purposes he believes nations have, using Nigeria and China as examples.
In the sermon, Arome said Nigerians should not necessarily compare the country’s focus on prayer with China’s manufacturing and technological achievements because, in his view, nations have different callings.
“So the next time you see someone showing what the Chinese are doing, that they are making engine, and then showing what the Nigerians are doing, we are praying, you don’t understand that nations have callings. Our calling as a nation is revival.”
The comments have previously attracted criticism from VDM, who argued that an emphasis on prayer and spiritual revival should not come at the expense of innovation, creativity, education and practical development.
In his latest reaction, VDM focused on the reported US permanent residence obtained by Arome and his family.
He questioned why the cleric would establish permanent residence in a country he described as having developed through technological innovation, intellectual work and practical action.
“Therefore you are conditioning the minds of the youth in Nigeria that they should forget about creativity and innovation and they should rely on prayers, meanwhile you have now carried your family and taken them to America that was not built with prayer and certain calling of revival.”
VDM added that the United States was developed through technology and innovation rather than prayer alone.
He cited American technology entrepreneurs and companies, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, as examples of people whose work contributed to the country’s technological and economic development.
“You moved your family to a country that is not built with prayers, that the youths were encouraged to think outside the box. Geniuses later came.”
The activist also questioned why the announcement of the permanent residence was made publicly, particularly because Arome reportedly attributed the development to prayer.
VDM said the situation could raise questions among young Nigerians who look to religious leaders for guidance about the balance between faith and practical efforts to develop the country.
However, Arome’s publicly stated position is broader than the interpretation presented by VDM. On his official website, the cleric describes his ministry’s mandate as promoting what he calls the rebirth of apostolic Christianity, while also identifying himself as an author, entrepreneur and philanthropist. His ministry also describes innovation and creativity as priorities in its media operations.
Arome’s earlier comments about Nigeria’s calling were presented as a religious interpretation of the country’s purpose, rather than a government policy or an established national doctrine.
VDM, however, interpreted the message as potentially encouraging young Nigerians to place too much emphasis on prayer while paying insufficient attention to technology and innovation.
“But they are telling the youth of Nigeria that they should not look at China, that China is building machines. They should forget China and they should rely on prayers.”
The latest exchange has generated discussion around a broader question about the role of faith, education, innovation and practical action in Nigeria’s development.
As of Monday, there was no public response from Arome directly addressing VDM’s latest criticism of his family’s US permanent residence.
VDM uses pastor’s Arome and his Wife old US permanent residency testimony to counter his RECENT sermon where he said Nigeria shouldn’t compare itself to China building engines — that Nigeria’s calling is revival and prayers.
— You told youths to ignore innovation for prayers,… pic.twitter.com/FKwe0FtXYW
— Embuzz Blog (@embuzzblog) September 27, 2026
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