Cameroon is shutting down thousands of churches around the country as illegal enterprises that prey on the poor. They also regard these churches as a nuisance to their neighbors. Cameroon requires churches be registered and licensed by the state. Nigeria should take a clue from our neighbor, in Nigeria where every other living room, bar, buka or cybercafe is a church. Growing up in Nigeria I enjoyed the melodic calls to prayers by the mosques, then christians had bell ringers.

Back then the Christians felt the muslims were crude and a nuisance with the calls to prayers and praying 5 times a day wherever it was time for prayers. Nigerian churches now believe it is a shouting contest whomever makes the most noise gets the attention of God. They steady prey on the poor and uneducated population made possible by corrupt state and church institutions.

A pastor in Cameroon believed the government was persecuting them for praying too much, really, he probable does not understand that too much of a good thing can be bad for you and pulling God’s coat 24hrs a day isn’t going to get your prayers answered any faster. | Ogbeni Ayotunde