Archbishop Josef Bassey, Presiding Priest of God’s Heritage Centres Worldwide, has declared that Nigeria’s challenges are not merely political but deeply spiritual, warning that unless prophetic voices take responsibility for the nation’s spiritual governance, cycles of failure and affliction will persist.
Speaking at an intercessory gathering earlier this week, the outspoken cleric stated that the country is under the influence of “invisible thrones” and spiritual forces that no political reform can address without corresponding spiritual intervention.
“Nigeria is not just broken politically; it is invaded spiritually,” he said. “This nation is under siege by ancestral thrones and blood-drinking altars. What we are facing is a spiritual occupation masquerading as politics.”
His comments come amid growing concern over widespread insecurity, ritual killings, youth unemployment, and ongoing corruption across both political and religious institutions.
Referencing data suggesting that more than 63,000 Nigerians lost their lives in violent incidents between 2015 and 2023, and Nigeria’s recent ranking among the top five countries with the worst youth unemployment globally, Bassey lamented what he called a “recycling of godless structures.”
“You cannot cast out demons by forming committees,” he said. “The altars in Aso Rock, in state houses, and even in some pulpits, need to be torn down. Governance must return to the righteous.”
In a rare public rebuke, the archbishop criticised high-profile religious leaders for what he described as “strategic silence and spiritual compromise,” accusing some of trading prophetic responsibility for political access.
“Some of our most prominent church fathers have lost their fire and now serve as chaplains to corrupt thrones,” he said. “Where are the Elijahs who will confront systems and dismantle altars?”
Bassey proposed the creation of a national spiritual legislative body composed of what he called “territorial, fire-tested prophetic voices” from Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT. This body, he said, would take spiritual responsibility for the nation through prayer, prophetic decrees, and moral accountability.
“This is not about religion. This is about spiritual government,” he asserted. “Until prophets return to the gates, Nigeria will continue to be governed by men driven by Babylonian ideologies.”
He also referenced a growing movement he called The God Breed—a network of young, faith-driven Nigerians emerging from churches, campuses, and prayer networks, whom he described as “governors in training.”
According to Bassey, Nigeria’s future leaders will not emerge from political caucuses or manifestos, but from “the wilderness of prayer and national groaning.”
“God is bypassing the old order,” he declared. “He is rejecting Eli and raising Samuel. He is silencing Herod and commissioning John.”
The address comes ahead of the Fire World Conference, a global convergence of Christian leaders, intercessors, and reformers scheduled to take place in Calabar from 18 to 22 June 2025. Themed “Govern the Earth”, the event is expected to draw attendees from across nations to discuss spiritual strategies for global and national transformation.
