Why do Nigerians misuse religion?

As  i approach my golden age, I have never been so worried and scared of the critical dimension that religion is assuming in negatively affecting the health and indeed the totality of our national life. This is even more so particularly going by the events currently going on across the country where almost everyone is caught in the frenzy of defending the faith he or she professes.

The number of deaths that have resulted from defending religious beliefs, from the Boko Haram in the North-East to the killings in Agatu, Southern Kaduna, Mbatse in Nasarawa Eggon, herdsmen attacks in various parts of the country and retaliatory attacks are alarming; they do not in any way improve the lot of the average citizen or the economic and social condition of the country at large. Writing on the reasons people embrace religion, Andrew Pepper cited superstition, need for a purpose in life, belief in justice, hope of afterlife, fellowship and salvation. If these reasons are taken on their face value, none of them carries with it the need to be intolerant of one another either expressly or impliedly.

In today’s world, neither religion nor religious beliefs propel development. Albert Einstein, a foremost world acclaimed scientist and Nobel Prize winner in Physics, is not known to have been helped to achieve several successes by his fanatical practice of religion. The Wright brothers, Orville (1871-1948) and Wilbur (1867-1912); two American siblings born in Ohio and Indiana respectively, who are generally credited with inventing, building and flying the world’s first successful airplane, were not extremist adherents of any religion. Benjamin Franklin, Hans Christian Oersted and Michael Faraday, all of whom variously invented different aspects of electricity, and Thomas Edison, an American inventor who successfully produced the electricity bulb in 1879, were neither detained nor facilitated by religious beliefs in their quest to contribute to the advancement of mankind in their chosen field.

In the same view, the Briton, George Stephenson who developed and created the world’s first successful locomotive for the railroad, was not known to be a religious fanatic. In Africa, while various nations struggle to exit the colonial rule, those who fought for the liberation of their countries such as Nelson Mandela (South Africa), Kwame Nkruma (Ghana), the Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowos, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Herbert Macaulay, Chief Anthony Enahoro (Nigeria),   Nujoma, Haje Geingob (Namibia) and a whole lot of others did not use religion as a tool for liberation from colonialism. In Nigeria, even though our foremost nationalists were drawn from the different major ethnic nationalities with some from minority tribes, they were all united with the support of their people for the common purpose of attaining self-governance and self-determination for a sovereign nation, Nigeria.

Today, we are embroiled in a war of attrition in which those on the vanguard of discord are employing the instrument of religion to set the people against one another. On February 1, 2017, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo set up a Presidential Task Force to inquire into the astronomic increase in the prices of food items. Therefore, religion cannot be allowed to distract the government from looking for ways to find succour to the already pauperised populace. While our political and religious leaders appear to be opposed to this turn of events in words, a lot is still left undone in terms of practical steps to stem the ugly trend. I agree with those who opined that the beating of the drums of war by religious bigots is a lazy way of trying to explain the failure of the institutions of the State, particularly security, in enforcing the secularity of our Nation State. Our Constitution as amended in section 10 states “The Government of the Federation or any State shall not adopt any religion as a State religion.”How do we explain the colossal losses we suffer today in terms of human lives, time and resources in the aftermath of religion-induced conflicts?

How do we interpret the corrosive verbal exchanges among religious leaders currently going on? How do we guarantee the impartiality of the security agencies in the midst of this religious brouhaha? And more importantly, how does our individual faith guarantee stable electricity, employment, stable and prosperous economy, educational advancement of our country and its people, reliable transportation system, eliminate kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorist bombings, poverty, corruption, etc? These issues are weighty enough to demand our total attention rather than the use of religion as diversionary tactics. Rather than patriotically unite to tackle our problems, our religious leaders are deliberately promoting these issues in order to continue to attract large multitudes to their faith in search of miracles.

Have they therefore become religious entrepreneurs? Yes, I think so. Come to think of it, which of the two dominant religions in our country today is opposed to peaceful co-existence and harmony? So, what is the problem? Does it matter the religious or ethnic identity of a president or a minister, a governor or a legislator, if we can have stable electricity, good road networks, gainful employments stable economy and the like? Should it matter to an average Nigerian if our socio-economic and political problems are solved by a leader of any religious persuasion?

Like Senator (Prof.) Sola Adeyeye, Chief Whip, 8th Senate, said “when we board an airplane do we ask of the religion of the Pilot and the Cabin Crew? Certainly we do not. What we are concerned about is the competence of the pilot.” On the other end of the stick is the issue of militancy which has targeted national assets and impacted very negatively on the nation’s economy. When we examine the prognosis of religious crisis, one cannot but conclude that, they are all clear acts of sabotage, lack of patriotism and absence of love for one’s country which should be condemned in all their ramifications. Ultimately, Nigerians, like the Koreans must learn to love their country by down playing religious sentiments and extolling the virtues of nationalism, patriotism and upholding the spirit and letters of our National Anthem.

• Osagie is a lawyer and doctoral candidate at the University of Abuja.