I often hear Christian individuals and preachers read scriptural prophecies about Israel or the Church (e.g. Isaiah 62) and apply them to Nigeria, as though Nigeria is God’s covenant people. This is a misapplication of scripture and it obscures its message. While it is proper to pray for our country, it is mistaken to assume that God has a redemptive covenant with the Nigerian nation as such. No. His programme is to build his Church, by drawing all nations to become his disciples (Matt. 28:19,20). And this Church will cut across every nation on earth.

Seeing Nigeria as God’s elect people or ‘our’ Zion or ‘our’ Jerusalem is theological confusion. His promises for the church will only apply to believers ‘in’ Nigeria. We should rather seek the conversion of our nation such that her people become true members of Christ’s family, and then they will partake of God’s promises. To apply God’s word otherwise is to turn it upside-down.

Nigeria will truly prosper only as she (the people and the nation) submit to Jesus as both Saviour and Lord, living faithfully by his commands.