The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has abruptly suspended its planned prayer and fasting program intended to combat Nigeria’s food crisis, following widespread public backlash.
The reversal comes just days after a June 11, 2025 internal circular, leaked to the public, instructed all ministry staff – including directors, deputy directors, assistant directors and value chain desk officers – to participate in weekly spiritual sessions tagged “Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development.” The sessions were scheduled for June 16, 23 and 30 at the ministry’s Abuja headquarters.
Signed by Human Resource Director Mrs. Adedayo Modupe O., the original memo stated: “This is to invite all staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food to a solemn prayer session for God’s guidance and supporting the Government’s effort to achieve food security.”
However, in a sudden about-face, the same director issued a follow-up memo announcing the prayer initiative’s postponement “until further notice,” without providing explanations for the decision.
The suspension follows intense criticism from citizens and media commentators who questioned the appropriateness of spiritual solutions to Nigeria’s worsening food insecurity crisis. Many argued the ministry should focus on practical agricultural policies rather than religious interventions, especially as food inflation continues to rise dramatically across the country.
This controversy emerges amid growing public frustration with the government’s handling of the food crisis, which has seen staple food prices skyrocket by over 300 per cent in some regions. Nutrition experts warn that nearly 25 million Nigerians now face acute hunger, with children particularly vulnerable to malnutrition.
The now-suspended prayer initiative had drawn comparisons to similar faith-based approaches attempted by other government agencies during national crises, with critics accusing officials of avoiding substantive policy solutions in favor of symbolic gestures.