Episode 8: With God, All is Impossible in Africa

~ Edwin Okong'o
There is no continent in the world where religiosity is growing faster than in Africa. Africans have taken foreign religions that were forced on them and are practicing those faiths more zealously than the foreigners who brought churches and mosques to Africa.
Religion is big business. There are mega churches with pastors who have become insanely wealthy from money contributed by Africans, most of them poor people who believe that the pastors will pray for them to get rich. Politicians in Africa invoke religion when they are in trouble. Former South African President Jacob Zuma, who was ousted two years ago amid allegations of corruption, is one good example. He has managed to get Pentecostal Christians to defend him as he fights those allegations.

In this episode, we ask: Can religion and economic prosperity live side by side in Africa?

Published by Edwin Okong'o

Edwin Okong’o is not your typical, stereotypical African. He is a storyteller by any medium necessary™. Okong'o is an award-winning journalist, humorist, satirist and memoirist. He received his master’s degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied radio, newspaper, magazine, and online multimedia storytelling and editing. Okong’o’s journalistic work, provocative commentaries, and stand-up comedy performances have appeared in numerous media across the world. He is the winner of several honors, including a Webby Award for his short documentary, "Kenya: Sweet Home, Obama", which he made for the PBS program, Frontline.