Dear Fellow Africans: Open Letter to the People of Africa, A Call to Wake Up…

We must confront a glaring contradiction: Africa is the most prayerful continent on Earth, yet we remain the poorest. Let's get this straight—prayer alone does not change nations. It is people who change nations. It is the systems we build, the strategies we implement, and the quality of our leadership that drive progress. It is proper education that empowers. Until we, as Africans, wake up to this reality and accept it, we will continue to kneel in prayer while others build their empires.

Are you not tired of being the most fervent prayer warriors while languishing in abject poverty? How long will we bind imaginary demons while our real enemies—poverty, illiteracy, corruption, crime, unemployment, ignorance, and tribalism—walk freely among us? If you pay attention, you will see that nearly every street in our villages, townships, towns, and cities is lined with churches and entertainment venues. This is where we invest our time and energy, while crucial infrastructure—medical facilities, educational institutions, and business opportunities—remains scarce.

We are over-churched, over-entertained, and drastically underdeveloped. We fast, pray, cast, and bind, waiting for miracles to save us while nations that do not even believe in God are busy exploiting our resources. They are draining our land, using our cheap labor, and transforming our raw materials into quality products for their markets, all while we consume mediocre imports. Countries like America, Britain, China, Russia, and India did not ascend to superpower status through prayer; they built effective systems, embraced education, invested in science, and crafted policies that benefitted their citizens.

The wealth of the Middle East did not arise from religious gatherings or fervent prayers. Instead, they identified the riches in their lands, capitalized on them, and created policies that enriched their people. They invested in infrastructure and innovation, while we remain trapped in a cycle of prayer and entertainment, watching others reap the rewards of their hard work.

If prayer and faith were sufficient to change our fortunes, Africa would be the wealthiest continent on the planet. The stark truth is that the opposite is true. Modern African churches often operate as business centres, where leaders masquerade as spiritual figures but are, in reality, business tycoons selling faith-based products. Wake up, fellow Africans! What we need is not deliverance but discipline. We do not require prophecies; we need production. Instead of fasting for 40 days, we need a 40-year continental development plan.

Africa is rich in resources, yet we import basic goods. Look at the Congo Basin, the second-largest forest in the world, from which we still import toothpicks. We are the world’s largest producers of mineral resources such as gold, diamonds, copper, iron ore, platinum, etc. yet we choose to cheaply export all of them and expensively buy them back as finished products. This reality reflects our foolishness and complacency. Instead of building more churches or planning the next entertainment spectacle, we should be constructing schools, launching businesses, and investing in meaningful projects. Instead of establishing theological institutions, let us create technical schools that equip our youth with practical skills. Instead of spending our last money maintaining lavish lifestyles for our pastors, let us invest in our businesses and communities.

Instead of waiting for divine intervention, let us engage in business networking and contribute to strategic plans that uplift our economy. If we desire good leaders, we must become them ourselves. Rather than casting out demons, let us cast out ignorance and take responsibility for our destinies. God is not the problem; our mindset is.

Stop clapping and shouting in worship; use your voice to speak the truth. Clapping for ignorance reinforces our subjugation. Faith without reason leads to continued slavery, and any spirituality that promotes passivity while others build is not divine; it is a trap.

I am not asking you to abandon your faith, nor am I dismissing its significance. Instead, I challenge you to stop using it as an excuse for laziness, ignorance, and gullibility. God has equipped us with the tools and opportunities to thrive on this planet, yet we remain obsessed with an afterlife whose existence we cannot confirm. Meanwhile, we neglect to fix our present circumstances on Earth.

Africa does not need more churches; we need robust business infrastructure. We do not require an abundance of pastors and believers; we need thinkers and doers. Until we grasp this truth, we will continue to shout "amen," "hallelujah," and speak in tongues while the rest of the world speaks sense and uses us as their doormats.

It is time to awaken from our slumber, take charge of our destinies, and build a prosperous future for ourselves and generations to come.

Yours Sincerely,

Nixau Kealeboga Gift Mogapi

A Proudly Philanthropic African Activist