Nigeria 2023: ‘Weaponized’ Religion A Threat To Democracy -By Richard Odusanya

Nigeria is synonymous with deep divisions which cause major political issues to be vigorously and violently contested along the lines of intricate ethnic, religious and regional divisions. Therefore, the idea of a weaponized religion for political gain with incendiary rhetoric that stigmatizes and dehumanizes… in other words, spreading falsehood, hate, cajoling and deceiving innocent people based on their religion, ethnicity and nationality is a recipe for violence. Many emperors, philosophers and great thinkers, among others, have always seen religion as a popular tool in the hands of the powerful to control the populace. 

Interestingly, Napoleon Bonaparte, a French military and political leader rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte, aptly captures religion as the moral force “that keeps the poor from murdering the rich”. While religion could serve as a powerful moral force for good, those who seek the destruction of society often deploy it for manipulation. In modern democratic society, the enthronement of religion in national life has the potential of torpedoing the ship of state. I’ve said it before and will say it again, where religious champions are incapable of destroying a nation; they frustrate any attempt at managing such a nation for peaceful co-existence, as exemplified by the recent events in our dear nation Nigeria.

Unfortunately, nothing is as simple as it appears – in the current Nigerian situation, if you are a typical Southerner, you are likely to side against the average northerner. To set Nigeria on fire through ethnic profiling and hate-mongering in order to promote the “this country cannot work” mindset is not that difficult. Just craft a fantastic narrative that will sell ethnic and religious prejudice and get the hate merchants to help you nurture it. You are good to go. Sadly, Nigeria’s history is replete with inept and corrupt leadership. It is exacerbated by ethnic and religious biases, and this leadership is unconcerned with the plight of the citizens. 

Whereas history has clearly shown that ethnic and religious profiling have grave consequences for the stability of a nation. They breed intolerance and fanatical hatred, as typified by the break-up of many troubled nations where millions of lives were lost as it disintegrated. A typical example is  Rwanda where one million people, mainly Tutsi, were murdered in cold blood due to the religious bigotry and ethnic profiling by some power-hungry politicians, who are oblivious of global trends. In conflict situations, we usually take default positions, mostly in favour of our ethnic identities – no matter the facts. The irony, is that religion and ethnicity has always been an emotional thing. 

Ironically, in a Muslim populated Osun state, the PDP Governor-elect Sen Jackson Ademola Adeleke and his deputy, D-Gov-elect Kola Adewusi, are both of the same faith, “Christian-Christian” also a catholic priest Fr. Hyacinth Alia, is the APC gubernatorial candidate in Benue state and he is doing well in his campaign. Meanwhile, a former secretary of the federal government, Babachir David Lawal (BDL), years ago at a thanksgiving event in Abuja in October 2015 to mark his appointment, having benefited from his Muslim friends – he revealed that he got the post with the help of three Muslims, specifically, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) and Chief Bisi Akande, both were not related to him, but happened to be Muslims. Dramatically, the music changed, same BDL together with Yakubu Dogara and some other disgruntled elements are the latest champion of religion and ethnic politics galvanizing the northern Christians to revolt. This is certainly not how to build a nation of our dreams, using religion as a camouflage.

In Nigeria for example, we have had a Pastor and Professor of Law as a sitting Vice-President for close to eight years and that did not work magic, a Christian Vice President was unable to prevent a supposedly “Islamisation” in the same government in which he is the number two man. It is, therefore, uncalled for to continue with the gospel of anticipatory marginalisation of Nigerian Christians by a same faith “Muslim-Muslim” Ticket. In my view religion like all other personal and private convictions, are changeable and should not have any place in governance. As such, one way to correct and stop the spread of the faulty reasoning about religion and governance, is to begin to deemphasis and  not reinforce the place of such personal and changeable convictions in governance. In the words of pastor Tunde Bakare “Christians are followers of Christ not the other way round”

Therefore, it has become imperative for us, to constantly revisit and remind ourselves of the need to be proactive. That is, if you make yourself available to be bamboozled, cajoled, deceived or otherwise blackmailed into believing in the idea and imagination of a so-called marginalization, that will be unfortunate. We must not for any reason become one who is readily or easily made a victim of deception… Anyone who could be snowed by that kind of line of thoughts, is just a naive sucker and one who is readily or easily made a victim of deception; being deceived, cheated, mystified, bamboozled, ensnared, hoodwinked and mislead is a trap that we must avoid at whatever cost. Nevertheless, the verdict of history, the verdict of posterity and the judgment of God will be very harsh with as many as are cajoling, deceiving and bamboozled our innocent people with fake indices, phantom achievements and unverifiable claims.

Conclusively, permit my indulgence to share with us from the words of the holy scriptures, 2 Chronicles 7:14  “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Finally, I like to appeal to the conscience of our leaders, particularly the faith-based leaders to lead us through the  storm and navigate us to the promised land. Nigeria will be great again! The giant of Africa will rise again!!

ARISE ‘O COMPATRIOTS.

Odusanya is a Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI.