Media personality Ifedayo Olarinde, widely known as Daddy Freeze, has made bold claims about the nature of miracles in Nigerian Pentecostal churches, arguing that they are staged rather than genuine.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Outside The Box podcast, he expressed strong skepticism, stating that he does not believe in any of the miracles performed in these churches. According to him, the so-called miracles are designed to deceive people who lack critical thinking skills.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t believe in any of the miracles in any Pentecostal church,” he declared. “I don’t have a problem with the pastors, but I don’t believe their miracles.” His remarks reflect a long-standing concern about the authenticity of religious claims in Nigeria, particularly within the Pentecostal movement.
Daddy Freeze compared these modern-day miracles to those recorded in the Bible, arguing that Jesus’ miracles were verifiable and performed on well-known individuals. He questioned why Nigerian religious leaders have not been able to perform similar acts on prominent figures.
“My IQ is 156. I would have to be pretty dumb to believe in miracles in Nigerian churches,” he said. “Christ walked into the temple on a Sabbath and saw a man with a withered hand, and Christ healed him. Christ raised Lazarus from the dead.”
He went on to highlight other biblical examples, such as Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus and reviving the daughter of a Pharisee. According to him, these were miracles that could be confirmed by the public, unlike those claimed by Nigerian pastors today.
He further challenged Nigerian clerics to demonstrate their miraculous powers on individuals widely known to the public. Using historical references, he pointed out that biblical figures healed people whose identities were not in question. “The woman with the issue of blood—there were some very prominent people who we all know were healed by Christ,” he explained. “But in Nigeria today, there’s nobody.”
He stressed that despite the numerous high-profile cases of illness and suffering in the country, no Nigerian pastor has been able to perform a healing that stands up to scrutiny.
Providing examples, he cited the case of the late Dora Akunyili, a former Director-General of NAFDAC who battled cancer. He argued that despite prayers from many high-profile pastors, she was not healed.
“Dora Akunyili was dying of cancer; every Nigerian G.O. prayed for her, yet they couldn’t heal her,” he stated. He also mentioned the late actor Mr Ibu, who suffered severe health complications that led to the amputation of his leg before his eventual passing. “Mr Ibu was deteriorating to the point they had to amputate him, and nobody could heal him. And then he died, and nobody could raise him,” he lamented.
Daddy Freeze maintained that Nigerian pastors who claim to perform miracles should provide concrete evidence rather than rely on unverifiable testimonies. He insisted that for miracles to be believed, they should be observable and replicable in a way that withstands public scrutiny.
“Don’t tell me you did miracles,” he said firmly. “I want proofs.” His remarks have once again ignited discussions about the role of religion in Nigeria and the expectations placed on religious leaders.
