The Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has cautioned young Nigerians against engaging in sports betting, labelling gambling as an unreliable path to wealth that threatens to derail their future. Delivering a sermon at the church headquarters, the influential cleric stressed that true and lasting prosperity is exclusively forged through discipline, patience, and diligent hard work rather than games of chance.
Addressing a large congregation of worshippers, Oyedepo strongly urged youths to abandon the deceptive temptation of seeking quick riches through sports wagering. He noted that relying on betting platforms for financial survival is a destructive trap that ultimately squanders human potential and personal purpose.
The cleric directly addressed the youth demographic regarding the widespread practice during his Sunday ministration.
“Young people, naija bet is not the way to financial fortune. Stop wasting your destiny, stop wasting your destiny, Stop wasting your destiny. I have never been once deceived. Stop!” Oyedepo declared.
Expounding on the principles of endurance, the bishop encouraged young people not to grow weary or discouraged by slow progress in their legal endeavours. He emphasised that legitimate success built on proper foundational values may take time to materialise, but it guarantees stability and endurance unlike fleeting windfalls.
Transitioning into lessons of gratitude, the cleric shared a personal anecdote from his own life journey to highlight the importance of faithfulness and appreciation. He recalled the pivotal role played by an elderly woman who introduced him to Christianity when he was only fifteen years old. Demonstrating long-term gratitude, Oyedepo revealed that he purchased a brand-new car for her decades later when he reached his sixtieth birthday, a gesture that brought her to tears.
“My mother of faith led me to Christ at 15. When I turned 60, I got her a car that they took to her place in the U.S., she wept. You had better wake up,” the bishop recounted.