Even medium-sized towns (20,000 persons or more) with an established southern enclave had local churches, especially in the middle belt, where both major religions had a strong foothold. Visit to Jos / Plateau State. Tags: Religious Crisis In Nigeria Solutions and Causes of Religious Crisis In Nigeria. Causes Of Religious Conflicts In Nigeria And Possible Solutions ALSO READ: Corporate beggars: Tactics, likely places to encounter them. [76][27] The majority of Nigerias approximately 70 million Christians are either Catholic (at least 18.9 million) or Anglican (18 million), but a diverse group of Protestant churches also claim significant members, including Baptists (the Nigerian Baptist Convention claims 6 million worshipping members), Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, Methodists, the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ, and what are known as the Aladura churches (Pentecostal and Spiritualist independent churches which emerged out of the Anglican Church during colonialism). [68], During the 1980s, religious riots occurred in and around the five cities of Kano in 1980, Kaduna in 1982, Bulum-Ketu in 1982, Jimeta in 1984 and Gombe in 1985. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said of it: I lend my full support to this call and we, at the UN, are proud to be the platform for its launch. In hearing the pain of those who have spoken to us we also caught a glimmer of their dreams, and the hopes of many, both religious leaders and ordinary people, that a transformed reality is possible. Historically, these two major religions have coexisted The majority of Nigeria's population of about 182 million follows either Islam or Christianity. 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These states are the food baskets of the nation where most agricultural products are produced and distributed to other states. After several attempts to make the government stop, the crusade failed, and a riot was instigated that led to about 500 to 2000 lives lost and many properties destroyed. 2. Islam in Nigeria has witnessed a rise in the numbers of Islamic extremism notably among them, the Boko Haram, Maitatsine, Darul Islam[62][63] among others. . Their projections predict Christians at that point will make up on 48% of the population and Muslims at 48.7%, both growing at the expense of ethnic religions, down to 2.9% of the population. African beliefs that sorcery and witchcraft are malevolent forces against which protection is required are accepted; rituals are warm and emotional, stressing personal involvement and acceptance of spirit possession. Mass Unemployment:Idle educated youths are also used as tools to wreak havoc. A police officer stands guard inside the St. Francis Catholic Church, a day after an attack that targeted worshipers in Owo, Nigeria, Monday, June 6, 2022. Religious intolerance, causes of conflicts in Nigeria - Bayelsa Deputy Crutches and turbans were discarded on the open grounds for the crusades as thousands were converted to Christianity and abandoned Islam. It publishes analyses of contemporary and historical religious groups involved in violent incidents, as well as original work on sacrifice, terrorism, inter- and intra-religious violence, mass suicide, war and religion, and religiously-legitimated violence against women. Internal Security Crisis in Nigeria: Causes, Types, Effects and Solutions [108] It is estimated that around half the Nigerian population today are Muslim, while just under half are Christian. These sects have sometimes resorted to the use of violence in a bid to realizing their ambitions on the wider Islamic and Nigerian populations as a whole. Joshua (General Overseer)", "Site of the Nigerian Baptist Convention", "RCCG The Official Website Of The Redeemed Christian Church of God", "Living Faith Church Worldwide - Official Website", "Home - First Pentecostal Church | Christ Apostolic Church", "Deeper Christian Life Ministry your spiritual welfare is our concern", "ECWA Website Official Website of ECWA", "Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries | Deliverance, Spiritual Warfare and Prayers", "Christ Embassy | Giving your life a meaning", "The Commonwealth Of Zion Assembly The Wealthy Place". They become easy to be bribed and bought over. To learn more, visit WCD figures predict that both Muslims and Christians will continue to grow as a proportion of the population through to 2050. Leah Sharibu remains in Boko Harams custody to this day. Religious conflict is a popular menace that has resulted in millions of dead or displaced persons. Religious violence in Nigeria - ACCORD The exodus of Igbo from the north in the late 1960s left Roman Catholic churches poorly attended. Most of these pitted Muslims against Christians and, in some cases, the conflicts were . [144] In some parts of Nigeria, there are even anti-blasphemy laws. There were also breakaway, or Africanized churches, that blended traditional Christian symbols with indigenous symbols. "[149], In 2020, research stated that Nigeria was one of the five most populous countries with the highest levels of social hostilities involving religion. Judge Prince Bola Ajibola, Inadequate depth of understanding of both Christianity and Islam within and without these two religions, Lack of knowledge and information on a popular level, particularly in local languages, of the scriptural-based condemnations of violence and terrorism in both Christianity and Islam, Statements and actions of a number of religious leaders, both Muslim and Christian, which could be understood as condoning or encouraging violence, Tensions arising from well-funded and organised foreign Christian missionary activity, and well-funded and organised foreign Muslim missionary activity. We look forward to the day when the Christians and Muslims of Nigeria may offer an example of working together to the international community. Lack of education:Where the people are not educated, they can easily be brainwashed into causing religious conflict. The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has identified religious intolerance as a major causative factor of conflicts, wanton . US environmentalists call in the G.O.A.T.s, Slow post-Covid recovery for Cuban tourism, At Toronto tech show, second thoughts emerge over AI, Brandon Flynns biography: age, height, sexuality, relationships. WCC and RABIIT also plan, God willing, to try to ensure that these texts make their way into Nigerian school and university religious curricula. In 1996 it had about 710 conclaves/Lodges or Iledi in Nigeria and overseas. The extremist group has been ranked the 4th deadliest terror group in the world and aims to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria. Also the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement [91] was formed during this period with branches all over Nigeria. Princeton Law and Public Affairs Working Paper, 14 Pages [50][51] Ibrahim Zakzaky introduced many Nigerians to Shia Islam. Religion in Nigeria - Wikipedia This specifically refers to the imperative for partners in dialogue to be empowered to join in a common pursuit of justice, peace and constructive action for the good of all people. Since its Assembly in Porto Alegre in 2006, a particular focus of the inter-religious work of the WCC has been in the area of peace and reconciliation. Problems arising from President Goodluck Jonathan continuing as President during the Northern unofficial quota of office (in the PDP ruling partys agreement) after the premature death of President Umaru, and the disputed question as to whether he is constitutionally allowed to seek a further term in elections in 2015. %PDF-1.5 Most Revd Dr. Robert Aboagye-Mensah, formerly Presiding Bishop Methodist Church of Ghana; and Vice-President of AACC for West Africa; currently Director of Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation, Zambia, 6. However Christianity cannot be done with traditional practices because Christianity is the belief in the existence of the Holy Trinity(The father, the son and the Holy Spirit) while African Traditional Religion deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society, and so these two religions are entirely different from each other with different scope and vision so they cannot both be practiced together because that would be against the rules of either, so a mixture of the both of them neither Christianity nor African Traditional Religion. In particular, it observes that the The riot lasted two weeks, from September 7 to September 17, and about 1000 people were killed, with at least 50,000 persons displaced. God is not to be portrayed as a God who delights in the death of his creation. Within the cities and subethnic groups of Yorubaland, traditions differ widely, but all are closely connected with nature, music, and historical roots of various towns. Following Maitatsines death in 1980, tensions between Christianity and Islam increased. Free Essay: causes of religious crises in nigeria 2022-11-18 Causes of religious crisis Rating: 9,2/10 1470 Religious crisis refers to a situation in which there is widespread conflict or disagreement within a religion or between different religious groups. the immediate cause of the mayhem was attributed to an attempt by some Islamic zealots worshipping in a mosque at Congo-Russia to discipline a lady. [9] Nigeria is divided roughly in half between Muslims,[10] who live mostly in the north, and Christians, who live mostly in the south; indigenous religions, such as those native to the Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities, are in the minority. The Aladura, like several other breakaway churches, stress healing and fulfillment of life goals for oneself and one's family. 1 The Amman Message was then distilled into three essential questions that would address and safeguard the fundamentals of Islamic thought and judgment: What constitutes a Muslim?; Who has the right to issue a fatwa (juridical ruling) and under what conditions?; Does anyone have the right to pronounce takfir (declare a person to be an apostate) and under what conditions? These Three Points of the Amman Message were, over the course of one year, endorsed by over 500 leading Muslim scholars all over the world in a unique, historic and unanimous international Islamic consensus (see: www.ammanmessage.com). ", "Nigerian Baptist Convention Entering Into Newness through Love and Unity", "Home - The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations - SCOAN - Prophet T.B. PDF Ethno-Religious Crisis in Nigeria: Causes and Remedy from Islamic [67] The rise of these sects has also been linked to the increase and aiding of religious extremist by politicians for their selfish ambitions. 6. Causes of underdevelopment in Nigeria, effects & solutions Improved Security: The government should work more on improving the security system of the country. What are the causes of a religious crisis in Nigeria and the possible solution? To fact-find and investigate first-hand, impartially and credibly, the situation on the ground in Nigeria, and the various factors that have led to the present tensions. Most such facilities remained in 1990, although in many cases schools had been taken over by the local state government in order to standardize curricula and indigenize the teaching staff. A fraternity incorporating references and insignia from the original Ogboni, is based on ancient rites, usages and customs. 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. There are also Ahmadiyya and Mahdiyya minorities. They commonly preach peaceful co-existence and do not sympathize with Islamic extremism. His Royal Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, Leader of the Muslims in Nigeria, graciously met with and spoke to both delegations over dinner in Abuja. Suggested Citation: should be done with a view of reducing the poverty rate. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. Introduction Religion could serve, and has indeed served as an instrument of social harmony in many civilisations. To demonstrate an international model of Muslims and Christians working together in an inter-religious engagement aimed at fostering peace and harmony between people of different religions. [7][8] The country is home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim populations, simultaneously. Religious Conflict in Nigeria: How it has Become a Threat to National It is against this background that this study intends to undertake a critical examination of the current ethnic cum religio-political climate in the country, with specific reference to the incessant ethno-religious crisis that occurred between 2001-2011. [122] Following growth across West Africa a regional National Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1956. <>>> But its definitely not okay to kill, main, and destroy a person because of their religion. The Grail Movement is not an organisation in the usual legal sense, but a collective term for all kinds of endeavours to spread the knowledge of the Grail Message and to utilise it in all walks of life. PDF Religious Conflicts and Education in Nigeria: Implications for National ", "Nigeria Must Remain Neutral When It Comes To Religion", "Is it harder to "come out" as an atheist if you're black? This page was processed by aws-apollo-l1 in 0.068 seconds, Using these links will ensure access to this page indefinitely. When . [116] After World War I, smaller denominations such as the Church of the Brethren (as Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria), Seventh-day Adventists and others worked in interstitial areas, trying not to compete. Historical analysis confirms the home-grown character of Nigerias conflicts and the complexity of their peaceful resolution. Lets find out! [150], In 2022, Freedom House rated Nigerias religious freedom as 1 out of 4.[151]. The issue has permeated the nation's political land scape since the colonial period and up till the present time, there seems to be no solution in sight to the accompanying conflicts of ethnic rivalry and religious intolerance. Regrettably, crime is in its highest peak now in Nigeria. [19][20], Nigeria is officially a secular state with no official state religion. ALSO READ: Jailbreak in Nigeria: Causes, conditions, challenges and list of prisons. [39] The majority of the Muslim population in Nigeria live in the Northern, South western and Central states. In recent times, there has been break out of religious crises in the ancient city of Kano with scores of Christians dead and their properties destroyed. Conclusion: The Potential Contribution of the WCC and RABIIT to Nigeria, as a Result of this Visit p.13. Skabash! Discourse analysis of religion and inter-communal conflicts and its They acknowledged that these in no way constitute all the exacerbating factors. Religious crisis in Nigeria: causes and solutions - Legit.ng Nigeria continues to be besieged by a religious crisis that has persisted till now. Princeton Law and Public Affairs Working Paper, Available at SSRN: If you need immediate assistance, call 877-SSRNHelp (877 777 6435) in the United States, or +1 212 448 2500 outside of the United States, 8:30AM to 6:00PM U.S. Eastern, Monday - Friday. Some conflicts are clearly related to causes arising from religious practice and identity. [109] In northern urban centers, however, about 95% of the population is Muslim. In recent times, there has been an increase in such conflicts, particularly in North-Central states like Plateau, Benue, and Kaduna. The dominant ethnic groups in Nigeria threaten each other from time to time; violent clashes between ethnic groups and religious groups in Nigeria are no longer uncommon. Reprisal attacks also happened in the South, particularly Onitsha, where 100 people lost their lives. Both organisations sponsoring the delegation have a considerable history in, and commitment to, inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. The fraternity is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. and governance factors and focus to a more holistic and practical means of providing a lasting solution to this problem. The unbridled proliferation of Churches in Nigeria has steered up concerns among adherents of religious faiths, onlookers and academics alike. How much do you know about the current religious crisis in Nigeria? We now need to digest what we have seen, heard and experienced, and we are committed to writing a detailed report of our experiences within the coming month. the Gbom Gwom of Jos; the local representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria and Jama'atu Nasr Al-Islam; Muslim and Christian victims who had been affected by the violence. PDF A Case Study on The Causes of Ethnic Conflict Within Nigeria Notable examples are the Izala movement,[45][46] the Shia movement, and many local Islamic sects that have limited expansion. Although it has been stressed that religion has the ability to bind people from different social backgrounds into a single moral community, the assertion came with a warning that, if not carefully handled, religion can equally disintegrate a society . Dr. Mustafa Ali, Secretary-General, African Council for Religious Leaders. The government can also work on avenues to create more jobs. endobj Alongside the main religious sect is the hundreds of traditional spiritualities of various Nigerian ethnic groups, that, without contradicting civil law manages to also govern ethics and morality amongst much of the population. Others are rooted clearly in socio-economic Most of the Portuguese slave traders took Nigerian slaves to be resold in the Americas and parts of Europe. Christianity in Yoruba area traditionally has been Protestant and Anglican, currently Protestant Pentecostal/evangelicals, whereas Igboland has always been the area of greatest activity by the Roman Catholic Church with current infusions of Protestantism. Its okay not to believe in ones religion. The visit was proposed in reaction to the numerous incidents of fierce inter-communal strife which have affected the lives of Nigerians during 2000-2012, and the awareness thatat least since the Bosnian war of 1993-1995Nigeria is the country in the world where the most severe inter-communal violence between Christians and Muslims has been experienced. It called for peace between Muslims and Christians by acknowledging some essential common ground and understanding among both faiths based on the Two Great Commandments of love of God and love of the neighbour. By the 1980s, African music and even dancing were being introduced quietly into western oriented church services, albeit altered to fit into rituals of Euro-American origin. [29] The 1963 Nigerian census found that 47% of the population was Muslim, 34% Christian, and 18% other. As with other areas in African continent, Roman Catholics and Anglicans each tended to establish areas of hegemony in southern Nigeria. on. Posted: 17 Apr 2012. Islam also came to South Western Yoruba-speaking areas during the time of Mansa Musa's Mali Empire.[43]. Notable among the new springs of 1930 were such Protestant Pentecostals as the Christ Apostolic Churchan offshoot of US-based Faith Tabernacle which swept through the Western Region and complemented by the likes of the Celestial Church and the Cherubim and Seraphim Church which were indigenous autonomous springs. [3], According to a 2018 estimate in The World Factbook by the CIA, the population is estimated to be 53.5% Muslim, 45.9% Christian (10.6% Roman Catholic and 35.3% protestant and other Christian), and 0.6% as other. They want to implement Sharia law across the whole of Nigeria. People should realise that theres something called religious tolerance. The Causes and Key Factors behind the Current Inter-Religious Tensions and Crisis in Nigeria p.9, 5. With the appropriate support, these networks have great potential for improving communal relations and overcoming Boko Harams narratives of hate. Conclusion: The Potential Contribution of the WCC and RABIIT to Nigeria, as a Result of this Visit p.13, 6. Every nation's educational system is to help it overcome her peculiar problems. Struggle for resources:With the same divide and rule strategy, the elite political class encourages religious crises to have the lions share of the nations natural resources. Pope Benedict XVIs Regensburg address in September 2006. [136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143], A 2010 poll by Pew Research Center showed that 51% of Nigerian Muslims agree with the death penalty for leaving Islam. Established in 1914 by the Ven. The objectives of the visit were as follows: 1. And while grappling with this we have the old conflict with the Fulani herders. [80], The Nigerian Baptist Convention claims about three million baptized members. <> Religious Intolerance and Education in Nigeria Several causes of religious violence has been identified in some literature such as (Agwu 2009; Gofwen 2004; Salawu 2010, Iwara 2006, Kwaja 2009; Omotosho 2003, Sanusi 2009). Elections have been critical moments in the evolution of religious tensions and conflicts owing to the countrys geographical demographic and history, and the popular hope of correcting injustice that they evoke. Fear of domination and intolerance are key causes of religious conflicts in Nigeria: Religious crises can also come about when it seems the dominant religious group in a particular area is afraid of domination by the other. Current religious crisis in Nigeria is possible to overcome. Such conflicts have caused many lives and properties to perish. These churches have spilled over into adjacent and southern areas of the middle belt. WCC and RABIIT also plan, God willing, to try to ensure that this common statement makes its way into Nigerian school and university religious and civic curricula. PDF Ethno-Religious Crisis as a Threat to the.Michael B Aleyomi echoed a theme consonant with my first encyclical: the unbreakable bond between love of God and love of neighbour, and the fundamental contradiction of resorting to violence or exclusion in the name of God (cf. They compete with each other for centuries, causing intolerance and social-political crises not only in Nigeria. Victims are both Muslims and Christians. In the 21st century, we have terrorist organisations who are hellbent on exacting terror in the war for their faith. Ethnic and religious crises in Nigeria - ACCORD Among the Yoruba, the traditional Yoruba belief system, known as centers around the belief in a Supreme being known as Olodumare, a complex system of divination known as Ifa, as well as deities associated with nature known as orisha. The division between indigenes and settlers is also among the major causes of religious conflicts in Nigeria: Indigenes of a particular place prefer settlers that are of the same religion to settlers of a different religion. 2 0 obj 4. ", "TRUE Africa - How social media is helping atheists survive in one of the most religious places on earth", "Muslim Publics Divided on Hamas and Hezbollah", "Laws Penalizing Blasphemy, Apostasy and Defamation of Religion are Widespread | Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project", https://humanists.international/2017/12/humanist-association-nigeria-achieves-formal-recognition-17-year-campaign/, "Nigeria's undercover atheists: In their words", "The Government has failed us in Nigeria, and the West is complicit", "Nigeria is number 7 on the World Watch List (Retrieved 2023-04-27)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Religion_in_Nigeria&oldid=1161750216, Articles with dead external links from March 2023, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from November 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2020, Articles lacking reliable references from April 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0. An example is the frequent Jos crisis between Christians and Muslims. Many of them wonder why religion which used to be the cohesive factor and core of national unity, peaceful co-existence and national development has become a tool for political manipulation, Hence, they were not fully committed to missionary work. We hope by our visit to demonstrate an international model of Muslims and Christians working together in inter-religious engagement aimed at fostering peace and harmony between people of different religions. [133][134], Irreligion in Nigeria is measured at less than one percent of the population. There was already religious tension between the Christian Igbos and indigenous Moslems in the North. It hopes to quell religious feuds among Nigerians. [79] The Yoruba area contains a large Anglican population, while Igboland is mainly Anglican and Catholic and the Edo area is predominantly Assemblies of God, which was introduced into Nigeria by Augustus Asonye and his associates at Old Umuahia. The gunmen who killed 50 people at a . Nigeria has become an African hub for the Grail Movement, inspired by the work of Abd-ru-shin, principally In the Light of Truth: The Grail Message.[130]. The Jos crisis, book haram terrorist attacks are examples of the various religious crises that have plagued the country in recent times. H.H. The WCC and RABIIT want to offerby the grace of Godan ongoing commitment to the situation in Nigeria. Both believe that theology and praxis must mutually inform each other. [15] In terms of Nigeria's major ethnic groups' religious affiliations, the Hausa ethnic group in the north is virtually Muslim[16] the Yoruba ethnic group in the west is predominantly Muslim with a significant Christian minority[17] and a few followers of traditional religions, while the Igbos of the east and the Ijaw in the south are almost entirely Christians with a few practitioners of traditional religions. Revenge killings by some Christians for the deaths caused by Boko Haram. At the same time the Joint Delegation acknowledged that it is difficult or impossible to totally separate these five areas from each other; for large problems invariably consist of many entangled smaller problems. [69] The Boko Haram movement has been connected to the Maitatsine movement. Such families had connections to their churches going back to the 19th century and were generally not attracted to the breakaway churches[citation needed].
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