THE OPENING:
Religion is one strong blessing the Nigerian State is known and associated with, this I what defines Nigeria as a multi-religious state. The existence of Christianity, Islam, Traditionalist, and even Budhist in Nigeria justifies this definition and the fact that adherents of this religions live together in different communities as next door neighbors makes the whole issue interesting and religion beautiful.
Basically if anything good exists in the world it should be with the religious communities, if there are values to be taught the school of values should be these communities. This is true if religion is ...
It is against this background that...
The issue of religion has turned a different leaf in the Northern part of Nigeria. Religious crisis has engulfed the better part of Northern Nigeria causing set back in development in all sphere of life. The crisis has set brothers against each other. Going down memory lane some religious crisis that came to mind are: The Maitatsine crisis in Kano, 1980. A man who claimed to be a spiritual leader by name Marwa incited his followers to inflict havoc on the inhabitant of the town both Christians and Muslims. Hundreds of lives were lost and properties worth thousands of naira were destroyed. In 1984, another crisis erupted again, this time in Yola, Adamawa State North Eastern Nigeria, it was another Maitatsine crisis, hundreds of people killed and properties destroyed. There were minor crisis here and there after the Yola crisis. In 1987, Kafanchan, Kaduna State, North Western Nigeria witnessed a religious crisis as a result of a Christian cleric who was accused of quoting from the Holy Quran. This resulted in places of worship torched and people in their hundreds killed. Zaria residence in Kaduna State of a particular religion were not comfortable with the outcome of the report of the Kafanchan crisis decided to retaliate, hence another outbreak of hostility claiming lives and properties.
Zangon Kataf is a Local Government Area in Kaduna State. An issue concerning siting a market led to disagreement and the result was a religious crisis. The natives wanted the market at a particular place without the interferrance of the Hausa tribe whom they claimed to be settlers. The crisis in Zangon Kataf spread to other parts of the State and neighbouring States where places of worship were burnt, hundreds of lives lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
Bauchi town in North Eastern Nigeria suffered a set back resulting from a religious crisis in 1991. In the same year a renowned German preacher Reihard Bonke was to visit Kano State in North Western Nigeria for a crusade, there was a protest against his coming; this protest resulted in a religious crisis leading to lost of hundreds of lives and places of worship torched. A quiet town in Bauchi State North Eastern Nigeria called Tafawa Balewa was engulfed in crisis as a result of a misunderstanding between a Muslim and Christian. The Muslim claimed the Christian sold pork meat to him instead of beef. Though the claim could not be ascertained as the whole town was engulfed in religious crisis with religious places burnt and hundred of people killed. The crisis spread to neighbouring towns and States. With the return to democracy in Nigeria in 1999 many States in Northern Nigeria made effort to introduce the Sharia legal system, there was resistant by the Christians who claimed the legal system will not favour them. The Governor of Kaduna State then was pressurized to implement it, his delay in implementing resulted to a protest by some adherents of a religion, resulting to one of the worst religious crisis in the North where thousands were killed, hundred of thousands were rendered homeless. Places of worship were also burnt down with theological institutions inclusive.
Jos, the capital of Plateau State in North Central Nigeria regarded as the “Home of Peace, Unity and Tourism” lost this status when in 2001 a disagreement resulting from a political appointment engulfed the town in one of the worst religious crisis in the North claiming thousands of lives with hundreds of thousand rendered homeless. The indigenes of the State claimed the Hausa –Muslims who are settlers are the cause of the crisis, while the Muslims are pointing accusing fingers on the Christians. The crisis spread to other Local Government Areas in the State, the crisis was so tensed that the Federal Government of Nigeria had to declare a State of Emergency on the State thereby suspending the State Governor. The ‘Miss Universe Pageant’ that was supposed to be hosted by Nigeria in 2002 attracted the wrath of followers of a particular faith who were fighting against an article written in one of the dailies linking the pageant with a great Prophet. The adherents of this faith believed it was against their belief and the tenets of their religion for women to display their nakedness in the name of beauty pageant. Kaduna town once again boiled with places of worship torched and hundreds of lives killed.
Kano State in 2003 and 2005 suffered religious crisis resulting from some people kicking against sell of alchohol in the State and the siting of a place of worship. The resultant end was people killed and places of worship torched. Election everywhere in the world is a period of selecting leaders that will rule people. In 2008, a Local Government election in Jos plateau State turned into a religious crisis that hundreds were killed and properties destroyed. Bauchi town came into the news again in 2009, when a religious scholar’s sermon resulted in a religious crisis because of two worship places built side by side. The scholar believed it is improper, his followers decided to act according to his sermon. Bauchi town was on fire with lives lost, places of worship and houses torched, while hundreds were rendered homeless.
Apart from the religious crisis listed above, there are many other religious crisis experienced in Northern Nigeria with less casualties below hundred. There are crisis such as the Denmark Cartoon and any Western World policies that are detrimental to any of the countries in the Middle East. Such situation result in crisis where places of worship are torched and people killed.
Causes of Religous Crisis in Nigeria
Having looked at the history of religious crisis in Northern Nigeria one will be prompted to ask the question ‘What is the cause of the crisis?’ before now it was believed that followers of each religion are fighting to protect their faith and being loyal to her. Recent survey proved otherwise.
The research conducted by this centre revealed that there are many causes of religious crisis, but these causes are man-made as they can be averted. One of the causes is as a result of incitement from the clerics who in the course of their sermon used provocative and inciting words to the hearing of their disciples against the other religion. Another reason for incitement playing a significant role in fuelling crisis is illiteracy and ignorance. The literacy rate in Northern Nigeria is low compare to other regions in Nigeria. With illiteracy at high rate many of the disciples relied on what the clerics passed on to them.
Some of the literates amongst the disciples are not better off as the level of ignorance of the other faith in their community or as neighbours, hence the hostility towards them. The orientation from homes and some schools contribute as well to hatred for other faith. The lack of awareness in the media for peacefull co-existence and enlightenment at religious gathering contribute to the ignorance of the adherents of the two religion.
the sin of El Rufai Nasir is in not creating awareness on the issue at stake. be that as it may, while Rufai must redirect is capitalist and some sort of 'milit-monarch' leadership orientation. The church and the rest of us too must see beyond the nose. I feel this is a controversial issue. with most of the christian clerics who have been on track and obeying both moral, civil, and natural codes it is an abuse of conscience. But on the other hand, with Clerics especially with the Islamic religion who would not sensor what the say and careless about what others' opinions are, this law is a most needed. we are not talking yet of the bridge of individual fundamental human rights especially of the right to freedom of movement at events where major roads are often turned worship places by some religious sects. this law on the ends is needed. Above all. we all must respect what should be against what is.
@ Potter's Hand. even before Christ the state have always regulated religion which is what gave the state power to crucify Jesus. let me quickly add that I am not talking of the rightness or wrong nature of the accusation, Christ may not have been guilty as accused, that is not our concern here our concern here is that one at that time who is guilty of blasphemy was punished by the state. We cannot shift from the fact that the state reserves the right to stop any action, inaction, words and thoughts patterns. cultures and traditions and any other practices that posses a thread to citizens and that attempt a bridge of individuals' rights. Surface therefore to say yes the state CAN regulate religious practices within her territories. the question will be to what limits? or SHOULD the state do it now, I.e has the state reasons to do that at the moment.
By the way, we should stop painting a picture that seem to say the state wants us to preach what the want. let us be objective and constructive as Christ will always be, by objective and constructive outlook at the situation at hand we would find it prevalent a thought to so the state wants us to preach what we should which has not been the case with most religions lately. Religion in Nigeria have not been able to regulate itself hence have caused us harm than good. It is only worthwhile that we accept this fact on the bases that we might not have caused reasons for this laws but another religion have caused reasons for that which the guiltless to this regard could and can not save hence the state OUGHT to strike with such laws that will regulate such adulterations.
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