Baskadia

RELIGIOUS CRISIS: A PROBLEM IN NIGERIA

By: Edigbe Nifome D

In what ways does religious crisis reflect in our society? How well do we know about it? What

are the effects and it’s causes.

Religious Crisis is a situation in which religious adherents are involved in a serious disagreement

with one religious group or another.

In Nigeria, religious crisis has been a problem, and it has affected many areas and sectors of the

country. The areas affected include: Economy, education, politics, and so on. This religious crisis

prevails among the two major religions: Christianity and Islamic religion. It is a claim that Nigeria

has about 200 million people in population, and about half are Muslims, while the remaining

percentage are Christians and Traditionalists. Islam and Christians have been in a clash for

centuries, which has caused intolerance for one another and socio-political crisis, not only in Nigeria but other political climes in the world.

The religious crisis has caused great damages, which includes loss of lives and properties, social

unrest, severed relationship with people, and so on. Religious crisis may not only be physical, it

can be expressed and shown in other ways: discrimination of one another, antagonism, or

degradation. It has shown itself in derogatory statements, political dissatisfaction, fanaticism,

intolerance, superiority complex, etc.

Christians and Muslims coexisted peacefully until the country’s independence in 1960. Suddenly,

there was war between the two religions, which also contributed to the deadly Nigeria-Biafran

civil war. It didn’t end there; it went on. Some conflicts which affected the country include the

following: The Igbo massacre of 1966, Maitasine and 1980s, Reinhard Bonoke crusade, 2001-

2002 riots, Boko Haram, the farmer-herdsmen, etc. Nigeria has been faced with lingering religious

conflicts which have gone on for long, devoid of lasting religious conflicts and crisis resolutions.

These conflicts between Christians and Muslims have resulted due to Fulani-Islamization and

expansionism agenda and not just the mere idea that the Christians and Muslims lack

consciousness of the concept of African brotherhood. In the northern part of Nigeria, for instance,

religion and ethnicity are so interwoven to the extent that conflicts between the groups in the region

tend to be simultaneously interpreted as ethnic and religious conflicts as a means over their

opponent to gain political and economic advantage. That is to say, the wrong use of religion has

resulted in grave destruction of lives and properties. Violent religious crisis has created an

atmosphere of national insecurity and uncertainty which affects economic growth and

development.

Another reason for religious conflicts is lack of security. Nigeria has no well-organized system to

maintain a safe and secure environment. Also, the fear of domination, when one of the dominant

religious groups sees another prevail within a particular area, it uses various means to draw the

share of opponent's power to a minimal amount. Religious crisis may also be caused by individuals

who are overzealous and are entirely motivated by their own psychological problems collectively

by a group of people as part of their social, cultural, national, or communal expression and dominance. Political-ideological differences may also lead to religion conflict. Other factors

include: Unemployment, poverty, struggle for dominance, politics. Politicians apply the divide and

rule strategy, instigating religious crisis in the vulnerable masses.

What are the affects? How can they be curbed?

This is the aim of this article: to investigate the causes of religious conflicts in Nigeria and to use

the principle of conflict management techniques to call for peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims. Measures must be taken to curb the danger and threat to both human and national security. An instrument of conflict resolution and management by Thomas-Kilmann can be adopted by Nigerians as an applicable solution which includes the following concepts: collaborating, forgiveness, accommodating, dialogue, avoiding, and justice.

Government should also establish or encourage bodies for equal rights for all ethnic groups and their religions where constructive dialogue can take place to move the nation forward. Government should also improve education so people can be enlightened, creation of job opportunities, improve security; the Nigerian state has the constitutional responsibility of providing security and welfare for its citizens. To this extent, the 1999 Constitution as amended stated that the securing and welfare of the people should be the primary purpose of the government. Religious crisis should be tackled before another global holy war emerges. People should realize that there’s something called religious tolerance as a condition precedent for a peaceful and harmonious co-existence of all citizens of Nigeria.

Written by Edigbe Nifome D.