ATERM PAPER

ON

HIS 623: CRISIS OF POST COLONIALITY IN AFRICA

TOPIC: RELIGION AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA SINCE 1999: IMPLICATION FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

WRITTEN BY

NSEK, UDUAK OKONREG. NO: 13/PG/AR/HS/006DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIESFACULTY OF ARTSUNIVERSITY OF UYO

SUBMITTED TO

DR. E. N. OTALECTURER IN CHARGEDEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIESFACULTY OF ARTSUNIVERSITY OF UYO

MARCH, 2015

ABSTRACT

Nigerians have been observed to be more loyal to religion than politics or the state. This is manifested in the growing trend of religiousity, the phenomenal rise in the number of worship centres and influential clergies in Nigeria today. In this regard, this academic discourse examines religion and politics as well as its implication for national development from the inception of democracy in Nigeria. It describes the concepts and identifies the theoretical framework associated with the exercise. This academic article approaches the subject by operationalizing through the content analysis paradigm and submits that two greatest tolls of national development in Nigeria remain religion and politics. It posits that since the inception of democracy, the inter-play of religion and politics in Nigeria has had substantial influence in national development given the measures outlined in the section. However, this academic discourse identifies some factors of religion and politics in Nigeria which has impeded national development. Inspite of these, the paper expresses the optimism that the introduction of certain norms and values as well as strict adherence by all and sundry would certainly give propensity for national development.

Keywords: Religion, Politics, Democracy, National Development. INTRODUCTION

History is replete with how religion and politics have shaped and heightened the tempo of national development in Nigeria. The significance of religion to the formation of political parties, political mobilization, political legitimacy and voting behavior of the people has been previous democratic experiments of Nigeria. Since the inception of a renewed democratic regime in 1999, religion has continued to surface in the political sphere of the country; and the dramatic and dynamic changes religion has taken in the contemporary global political space has further given much impetus to the implication for national development in Nigeria.

The need for religious and political stability in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized. Indeed all segments of the Nigerian society are interested in the implications for national development given the inter-play of religion and politics. The Nigerian society is religiously pluralized and this significantly influences political decisions and policies of the nation. On the other hand, there are people who hold strong opinion that this relationship should not be stressed; rather religion and politics should be allowed to operate separately without one interfering with the other. Those who hold this view argued essentially from the position that religion mixed with politics has a propensity to imbibe various vices associated with politics. Also, that politics may not be properly and dispassionately played if mixed with religion.

However, scholarly focus has again begun to expatiate on religion and politics in Nigerias new democracy. Although noteworthy, but it is duly observed that not enough has been done to this phenomenon in recent times, most especially on its implication for national development. Therefore, this academic discourse is conceived to provide an analysis of the nexus between religion and politics and its implication for national development within the present democratic era.

A theoretical discourse as well as conceptual issues of religion, politics, democracy and national development will be presented. Other relevant issues such as historical background of religion and politics in Nigeria, factors of religion and politics affecting national development will receive cursory mention. In conclusion, the paper asserts with optimism that there is a possibility of effective positive relationship between religion and politics in a pluralistic, homogenous as well as a heterogeneous society.

A THEORETICAL DISCOURSE: RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE STATE.Contrary to the assumptions of the modernization and secularization theorists who suggested the decline or insignificance of religion in the modern politics of the state (Deutsch, 1953; Almond, 1960; Smith, 1970), religion has not ceased to occupy a significant position in the political configuration, and thus, it has resurfaced dramatically and virulently in recent times. Huntington (1993), consciously observed this trend and theorized that religion including its cultural composition will be a major drive of contemporary global politics.

In this regard, Fox and Sandler (2003), suggested that an important area where religion takes a central stage in the politics of the state is in its ability to bolster or undermine political legitimacy. Religion can, thus, be a viable instrument to legitimatize or illegitimatize political regimes.This occurs mostly in a country where it is legitimate to invoke religion in political discourses and where there is diversity in the religious population of a particular country (Fox, 2001).

Given the above, the implication for national development becomes worrisome since religion represents a significant element of ethnicity and an important source of identity which informs the basis of group discrimination and grievances in particular nations. In this circumstance, there is a possibility of discrimination against minority religious groups by the majority based upon their dissimilar interest and goals in the society. Upon perceived discrimination or threat to the survival of a religion, religious institutions can therefore play important role in mobilization for both protest and rebellion which is detrimental for national development (Gurr, 1993).

Furthermore, religion represents a strong social force in the politics of the state given its capacity for effective political mobilization. Fox and Sandler (2003) gave six major reasons namely: one, the restriction of religious activities is often difficult for state regimes; two, religious organizations often enjoy good patronage in the media; three, religious organizations have the capability to easily unite differential social groupings in the society; four, religious organizations have the read-made platform for political meetings; five, religious organizations are often strong in weak states and six, religious organizations have strong international links and enjoy global solidarity.

CONCEPTUAL ISSUES

Most available evidences shown in the literature on religion, politics, democracy and national development portends the concepts to be nebulous, hence different meanings in different contexts. However, an attempt will be made adopting simple and straight forward definitions in the context of this discourse.Religion

A French sociologist, Durkheim (2008), defined religion as a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things. By sacred things he meant things that are set apart and forbidden belief and practices which unite into one single moral community called church, all those who adhere to them. Sacred things are not, however limited to gods and spirits. On the contrary, sacred thing can be a rock, wood, house et cetera. Religious belief, myths, dogmas and legends are the representations that express the nature of these sacred things and the virtues and powers which are attributed to them.

Politics

A political scientist, Lasswell (1986), opined that politics is the practice and theory of influencing other people; who gets what, when and how. More narrowly, politics refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance organized control over a human community, particularly a state. Furthermore, politics is the study or practice of the distribution of power and resources within a given community as well as the inter relationship between communities.

Democracy

According to American political scientist, Diamond (1999), democracy is a system of government which all the people of a state or polity get involved in making decisions about its affairs, typically by voting to elect representatives to a parliament or similar assembly. Democracy consists of four key elements namely: one, a political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections; two, the active participation of the people, as citizens in politics and civic life; three, protection of the human rights of all citizens; and four, a rule of law in which the laws and procedures apply equally.

National Development

Ogai (2007), stated that national development is the entire gamut of change in a nation by which an entire social system, tuned to the diverse needs and desires of individuals and social groups within that system moves away from a condition of life widely perceived as unsatisfactory and toward a situation or condition of life regarded as materially and spiritually better. In specific terms, national development is viewed in terms of three core values which are life sustenance, self-esteem and freedom from servitude. National development expresses gradual manifestation of positive changes in the political, economic, cultural and social life which must positively affect citizens of a nation.

A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF RELIGION AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA

In the words of Mbiti (1969), modern Nigeria emerged through the merging of two British colonial territories in 1914. The amalgamation was an act of colonial convenience. It occurred mainly because British colonizers desired a contiguous colonial territory stretching from the arid sahel to Atlantic Coast, and because Northern Nigeria, one of the merging units was not paying its wages while southern Nigeria, generated revenue in excess of its administrative expenses. It made practical administrative sense to have one coherent British Colony rather than two. It also made sense to merge a revenue-challenged colonial territory with a prosperous colonial neighbor, so the latter can subsidize the former.

The amalgamation has often been viewed by Nigerians as the foundation of the rancorous relationship between the two regions of Nigeria. Northern Nigeria, now broken into several states and three geopolitical blocs, is largely Muslim. The south, an ethnically diverse region with many states and three geopolitical units is largely Christian. The major socio-political influences are western and traditional African. These differences have been a source of political disagreements and suspicions between the two regions since colonial times.

Paden (2008) also commented that, this scenario is worsened as each of the two regions contains ethnic and religious minorities who harbor grievances against ethnic and religious majorities they see as hegemonic oppressors. Given the religious composition of 50% Muslim, 40% Christian and 10% indigenous beliefs, the intensity of religious identity in Nigeria is regarded as one of the highest in the world. Relations between Muslims and Christians exhibit tensions intermittently. The relationship of religion and politics remain extraordinarily complex, with the country divided regionally, ethnically and religiously. Religion is often intertwined with regional and federal state issues. Consequently, between 1947 and 1959, Nigerian Nationalist leaders from different regional and religious communities came together in a series of conferences and parliaments to negotiate the transition to self-rule and map out a common future. These interactions ended in a fiasco as a Northern Muslim nationalist leader declared Nigeria the mistake of 1914 while a prominent Southern Nigerian Christian nationalist figure called Nigeria a mere geographic expression. In addition, the desperate advancement of religious solutions to socio-economic and political problems has deepend social fissures and spawned extremist and violent insurgencies such as the ongoing Boko Haram Islamist terrorist campaign which has killed Christians and Muslims alike (Maduagwu, 2009).

Regrettably, Uzoma (2004) observed that Christian ethnic groups in Southern Nigeria have been drawn into these religious conflicts, with their members in Northern Nigerian cities frequently targeted by Muslim mobs. Muslim Northern Nigerians have sometimes been targeted in revenge killings in Southern Nigeria. Subsequently, religion became a major topic of national political debates, with each religious community pushing increasingly adversarial agendas. In this charged environment where religions functions as the primary idiom of political identity, conflicts over resources and political offices have taken on a religious coloration, with Muslims pitted against Christians. In view of this, National inter faith dialogue takes place between the establishment of national religious organisations; the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) which consists of twenty-five Muslim and twenty-five Christian leaders, was revived in 2007, partly through the influence of the new Sultan who serves as co-chair along with the president of CAN (Chukwulozie, 2008).

The return of democracy in 1999 witnessed the victory of a southern Christian general who won the presidency with support from Northern Muslim politicians. Since then, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has maintained national control, with the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) being the principal opposition. Subsequently, the ANPP formed a coalition with other political parties to emerge as All Progressive Congress (APC). In recent times, religion has been a topic of discussion on the lips of politicians. Nwanegbo (2009) observed that, as the All Progressive Congress and the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) continue their desperate media war ahead of 2015 elections, the interplay of religion and politics continues as both political parties trade accusations. The APC has consistently been accused of having a Muslim bias and considered as the Nigerian equivalent of Egypts Muslim Brotherhood. Meanwhile, APC Chieftains have also described the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as a wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obviously, as events unfold, if significant positive orientation is not imparted on the citizens and by extension, the society, the interplay of religion and politics will have some untoward implications for national development.RELIGION AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA SINCE 1999: IMPLICATION FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The significance of religion and politics in national development cannot be overemphasized. Thorough examinations of these two phenomena have revealed that they are interrelated and are both necessary agents of change in the political, economic and social circumstances of a nation. The role of religion and politics is limited by the individuals orientation and by extension, the nature of the society. This means that religion and politics could have either positive or negative implications for national development. However, in Nigeria, the interaction of religion and politics has had negative implications for national development when viewed from political, economic and social perspectives.

No doubt, the interaction of religion and politics has seriously overheated the Nigerian polity. One can even argue that Nigeria is threatened with disintegration. Amucheazi (2008), commented that two dominant religions in Nigeria (Christianity and Islam) tries to control or shape activities of government considering the tenets of her religion. The question now becomes is he a Christian or Muslim president, minister, governor or even a local government chairman? The consequent abuse of human rights such as freedom of religion, speech, life association and movement are no longer observed. The interaction of religion and politics has caused so much enmity and conflict to the extent that national development is elusive because citizens have been internally displaced. Agi (1975), summed it up and argued that Southern (Christians) no longer settle in Northern (Muslim) Nigeria for fear of loss of lives and properties and vice versa.

Politics and religion have promoted structures of domination whereby the educated religious and political elites (class) prey upon the masses and use them as satellite to achieve their socio-political and economic objectives. This is done through orientation or indoctrination using the citizens on the already conceived stereotypes against their political and religious opponents. Right from the formation of political parties to campaign processes and voting patterns, all tend towards religious affiliations and tribalism. Consequently, the interaction of religion and politics in Nigeria portends negative implications for national development.

From the economic perspective, the interactions of religion and politics have bastardized economic development. The importance of economic development and its implications for national development cannot be overemphasized. However, Amucheazi (2008), stated that since 1960 till date, so many people have lost their lives, properties worth billions destroyed, trade stifled and banks closed down in Nigeria. The interaction of religion and politics has retarded economic progress, hampered economic activities and consequently bred starvation, poverty and unemployment. In corroboration, Nwanegbo (2009), opined that the interaction of religion and politics in Nigeria has disrupted trading and commercial activities. It has claimed the lives of able bodied men and women who would have engaged in productive ventures, and contributed to national development.

From the social perspective, the interaction of religion and politics has brought negative implications for national development. The peace, unity and stability of the nation are continuously being threatened. Mutual and persistent suspicions engulf the two dominant religions (Christianity and Islam). Apart from the insecurity faced by Southerners living in the Northern part of Nigeria and vice versa, varying problems ranging from problems of job recruitment of non-indigenes are persistent. In addition, the possibility of mixed marriages or inter-marriages has been hindered. A Hausa man from the North who is a Christian cannot possibly marry a lady from the East or South due to stereotype notion of all Hausa men being Muslim despite the nationality. Regrettably, Amuchaezi (2008), observed that social infrastructure such as road construction, school project, electricity and water projects, maternity homes or health centres and other projects were either frustrated by the interaction of religion and politics or sited in wrong places where people have been displaced by conflict or utilities near zero. Recreation centres or tourist venues located in Northern Nigeria are now closed down due to unrest caused by the interaction of religion and politics. In Plateau State, Jos is the major tourist attraction but the town remains desolate either because people have been displaced or tourist safety is not ensured. This pernicious situations further breed enmity and hatred as well as frustration and deprivation, among adherents of the two dominant religion- Christian and Islam; consequently, negative implications for national development. THE WAY FORWARD

The interaction of religion and politics is limited by the orientation of the individual and by extension, the nature of the society. This suggests that religion and politics could relate effectively to bring about positive implications for national development. This is particularly so given the fact that religion in its present form represents a viable societal structure that is not given due recognition in the Nigerian constitution. This gives people the opportunity to easily twist it for personal interest which in several cases leads to severe violence. There is therefore the need for an adequate and succinct definition of the role of religion in the state and politics of the country. Religious leaders need to be constitutionally accorded due respect and assigned official responsibilities in order to give them a sense of belonging in Nigeria. It is when these clergies begin to have a consciousness of being state leaders and not outcast in the society that they would be able to sincerely work for the interest of the nation. They would be able to control their followers and caution them against acts of violence. Religious leaders should establish and sustain new religious education which would generate a culture and orientation of multi-religiousity for the youth as well as corresponding programmes of re-orientation for the adult population. Religious leaders and politicians should keep their sermons and campaigns within the realm of moderation and modesty. They will also have a sense of pride and become less dependent and attached to each other in negativity. In this light, religion and politics can be harnessed to promote peace which is instrumental to positive implications for national development.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The task of the Historian, according to Elton (1968):

is not a question of finding an answer to the future of the world. All he can do is tell them the past in such a way that they can think about the past, present and future.

This is precisely what this academic discourse has tried to do. The interaction of religion and politics has a long history. Religion and politics would interact to bring positive implications for national development given proper orientation to the citizens and the society at large. However, in Nigeria, the seeming passion and love for religion and politics shown by religious leaders and politicians have brought negative implications for national development because neither do adherents of religious faith recognize the right of citizens to freedom of religion nor do politicians recognize the right to association. No citizen should be coerced to practice a religion or belong to any association. Further, no religion should be adopted as State religion. Politicians, in their quest to acquire power should refrain from using religion as a tool of oppression, disunity and war. In view of this, religion and politics can have positive implications for national development when Christian / Muslim beliefs, teaching and dogmas are reviewed to accommodate Nigerias development objectives through a sovereign National Religious Conference with emphasis on nationality, purity, morality, love and honesty as the basis of peaceful co-existence.

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