By Zacham Bayei
Nigeria was amalgamated in 1914 by the British colonial imperialist. Thus, this was when the Norther and Southern protectorates were brought together as one nation, by Lord Lugard. Prior to the creation of Nigeria, the spiritual arm of British colonialism had long established its foot in Nigeria through its missionary activities at the coastal areas and in the hinterland. Their mission was to caprice the minds of the indigenous people from their ancestral mode of worships, by accepting the Christianity as their savour. However, Islam had long established its foot in the Northern and some areas in South-Western parts of Nigeria, largely due to Uthman Danfodio Jihad of 1904/5. Also, the mission of the Fulani muslims and their new converts was to purge out animism among the indigenous people of the land. The two Abrahamic religions (Christianity and Islam) shared common themes of purging animism from the land.
Another irrationality common among Christians and muslims in Nigeria towards animists is the destruction of shrines and other artefacts labelled by their god’s representatives on earth as “evil”. These same artefacts Europeans today admires with a lot of enthusiasm, and some were stolen and kept is various museums in Europe has fetched good income for their governments. These converts into Abrahamic religions (Christianity and Islam) failed to create safe spaces for animists to freely express their spirituality in their country homes. Accordingly, to add salt to injury, they also lebelled these animists as witches and wizards in some communities in Nigeria: they are killed, maimed, called derogatory names and banished from their ancestral land. I had seen trees, idols and other antiquities, planted and constructed by our forefathers cut down or burnt by Christian and Muslim converts, because their religions tell them that they are “evil” items. On the other hand, the same Europeans preserves their ancestral artefacts of worship, despite the advent of Christianity for generations to see and appreciate. Likewise, the Arabs also preserves Ka’aba and other artefacts which was coopted into Islam to be visited by muslims all over the world. These serves as religious tourism for the countries and revenue are being generated for these countries. But in Africa, Nigeria by extension is never the case. Their newfound religions sees anything outside the biblical and qur’anic explanations as sin or evil. As John Henrik Clark rightly puts it, to control a people, you first demonised what they cherished as a people. When they accept it, you now have effective control of their minds and resources. This was one of the ploy Europeans and Arabs used to effectively captured the minds of Africans during their conquest.
The manner how Islam was planted in Nigeria was through violence (Jihad). Thousands of Africans were butchered, maimed and women raped. This has been similar modus oparandi the Mohammadan religion still operate in Nigeria. Thus, it is the most fearful religion in country, where some radical Islamic groups, like the Matasina that started in the late 1970s, Boko-Haram, ISWAP Islamic terrorists still operating in the country and in other neigbouring countries terrorises innocent people till date. Since violence is the propelling force that fuels Islam all over the world, the secular authorities in Nigeria often take their threats with kid glove, because some of the Nigerian leaders are their secret sympathizers. These Islamists at times, goes on air threatening non-muslims and other muslims that does not subscribe to their own version of Islam without any arrest. In the recent past they have bombed the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) multiple times and other cities times, without permanent solution from the authorities to stop the tide. It is rumoured that their agents have infiltrated the coffers of government agencies, that may be why the government lacks the political will to end the Islamist terror on citizens. Nigerian leader, whether past or present have been seen in public showing religious pieties in public. As for the Christians, President kneeling before god’s representatives, eyes closed in fervent prayers, while for the muslims, President seen performing the Islamic ritual in Mecca as a sign of commitment to the Mohammadan religion. Similarly, as shown recently, the Nigerian President pegs 90 billion naira to subsidized pilgrimage for religious faithfuls, while 50 billion was assigned to student loan scheme. This attest to the fact Abrahamic religions is elevated above secular education in Nigeria.
On the other hand, Christianity in Nigeria seem to have been tamed by the British colonialist through the renaissance era that spreads in Europe in the centuries ago. When Britain brought Christianity into Nigeria, they packaged it with western cultures and traditions. Some critics are of the view that the aim of British colonialist is to pacify the indigenous Christian converts not to carrying out revenge of the atrocities of Trans-Atlantic slave trade they actively participated. Wherever the truth lies, only time shall tell. Till date, Christianity in Nigeria remain pacified, just like the gospel of Jesus Christ that teaches its followers, “when you are slapped on one cheek, turn the other side for another slap”. It is this kind of mentality Christians in Nigeria, till date still lives in the face of terrorism from other Islamists in the country. The claws of Christianity have been declawed.
When Chrostopher Hitchen opines that “religion poison’s everything it touches”, he was not far from the truth. The two Abrahamic religions in Nigeria both conspired in areas they have strength to oppressed minorities in their domains. For instance, churches are not allowed to be built in some certain areas in Northern Nigeria, where majority are muslims, likewise applies to Southern Nigeria, where they are predominantly Christians. Aside that, other muslims and non-muslims had been killed, maimed, jailed over blasphemy in Northern Nigeria without arrest and prosecution from the authorities. As in the cases of late Christiana O. Oluwasesin, a teacher in government secondary school in Gandu, Gombe State, who was murdered by her students, when she was wrongfully accused of tearing up a Quran in March 17th 2007. Another incident happened in Kano State, when Bridget Agbaheme was behaead by militant muslim fanatics in the market over the allegation she insulted the prophet of Allah, Mohammed in 2016 (see, https://saharareporters.com/2016/06/03/nigerian-woman-beheaded-muslim-fanatics-kano-named-police). Sadly, another victim murdered by muslim fanatics in Norther Nigeria was Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, which sad event took place on 20th May, 2022
(see, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/603771-nigerian-women-and-religious-extremism-deborah=yakubu-murdered-rhoda-jatau-imprisoned-by-franlyne-ogbunwezeh.html?tztc=1), More so, an Islamic cleric Abduljabbar Kabara was sentenced to death by hanging, by a sharia court in Kano State over blasphemous statement against the dead prophet Mohammed on 18th July, 2021. Mubarak Bala, the them President of Humanist Association of Nigeria (HAN), who was kidnapped by Nigerian police on 28th April, 2020 at his resident in Kaduna State over his facebook post, that he committed blasphemy against prophet Mohammed. He was detained for over to years without trial, 5th April 2022, later sentenced to 24 years in jail without a option of fine or bail (see, https://www.uscirf.gov/religious-prisoners-conscience/forb-victims-database/mubarak-bala). There are other cases of citizens that been killed, maimed, harassed and jailed by Islamic fanatics in Nigeria.
Conclusively, what animists could not do when they were majority in Nigeria, the Abrahamic cult of religions has done them. Furthermore, violation of natural rights of its victims are increasing without arrest. Authorities that are supposed to call these religious fanatics to order often compromised. At a point one begins to wonder if leaders in political offices are members of these religious extremist groups, who violates the fundamental Human rights of their victims. Just as Chinua Achebe rightly said, when the center cannot longer hold, things fall apart.