Orokpo also challenged the influencer’s framing of America as a nation built purely on technology and innovation, noting that its prosperity has deep Christian roots.
By Kehinde Okeowo
A Nigerian gospel preacher, revivalist, and founder of Encounter Jesus Ministries International, Apostle Michael Orokpo, has delivered a pointed rebuke to activist and influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, following his recent criticism of fellow clergyman and founder of the Remnant Christian Network (RCN), Apostle Arome Osayi.
The Abuja-based cleric clapped back at the internet personality while speaking during a recent church service.
It all started when Apostle Osayi, in a trending video posted on Thursday, 26 September 2026, declared that Nigeria’s true national purpose is spiritual rather than economic.
He went on to push back against comparisons between Nigeria and countries like China, which are celebrated for manufacturing and technological output.
”Our calling as a nation is revival. God wants to generate something from here that he will export to the nations of the world. This is his covenant with this nation,” Osayi said.
Reacting to the sermon, which later ignited a fierce debate among netizens online, VeryDarkMan argued that the kind of preaching Osayi promotes has played a direct role in holding Nigeria back as a nation.
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He contended that both the church and the mosque have contributed to a culture of passivity, where people who could otherwise be driving innovation are instead spending their days seeking miracles.
He said: “It is this kind of preaching that put Nigeria where it is today. The church and the mosque have contributed to why we are still laid back as a nation. The people that are meant to be innovative and creative are praying every day for a miracle.”
Responding, Orokpo said VeryDarkMan lacks the moral standing to counsel Nigerians, given his utterances when addressing his colleague.
He argued that anyone who mocks another person’s physical appearance has no business positioning themselves as an adviser to the nation.
”You are making mockery of somebody’s physical issues. And then you want to advise Nigerians? If you don’t have ethical values, how can you even begin to tell us how to live?” Orokpo noted.
He went on to challenge VeryDarkMan’s framing of America as a nation built purely on technology and innovation, insisting that the country’s prosperity has deep Christian roots.
The clergyman pointed to the phrase “In God We Trust” on the US dollar and the image of Moses in the American parliament as evidence that Western civilisation was shaped by Judeo-Christian values, not secular ingenuity alone.
