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When Will Religion and Politics Save Nigeria? By Samuel Peter Aruwan
Today in this globalized world, no simple
definition can describe numerous religions in the world. To many people
, religion is an organized systems of beliefs, ceremonies, practices and
worship that center on one supreme God, or the Deity. For some religion
involves a number of gods, deities. While others have a religion in
which no specific God or gods are worship. There are even those who
practice their own religious beliefs in their own personal way,
largely independent of organized religion. But almost all the people who
follow some form of religion believe that a divine power created the
world and influence their lives . However from my own philosophy of
religion , it stands as guide on how to live according to the ethics of
religions , to which the end is peace and salvation in the bosom of our
creator forever.
Politics too a complex concept with too many
disputations. Politics according to some refers to a process of
obtaining power political power and how it can be exercise
satisfactorily for the betterment and good of the society or state.
Others said it is a game of who get what, when where and how. A friend
of mine once said to me that it is a game of deceit and manipulation so
as to get political and economic power. Whatever it may be to may people
. Politics of course is politics with many compartmentalization and it’s
an everyday affair for mankind.
Both religion and politics are important
institutions to mankind, it depends on how the are being used , it can
be source of joy and happiness and on the hand can be source of
miseries, and agony. To begin with South Africa and the
dismantling of the apathy government, it is a well known issue that
religious institutions were at the vanguard of the struggle along with
other political activists. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Rev Allan Bosak ,
struggle for the liberation of the blacks was via religious orbit.
Nelson Mandela Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and Steve Biko revolutionary
against the white minority government was under the spectrum of
political consciousness and political activism. Of recent one is aware
of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu’s effort towards their country
getting the hosting of the 2010 World Cup.
The same story in Poland where the late Pope John
Paul II refined their quagmire and depravation, still in the Poles trial
many priests were killed. The same in Philippines where Ferdinand Marcos
was chased out.
The negative application of both religion and
politics can be attributed to the Rwandan 1994 genocide, the Sudanese
wars. All this do led a nation to political instability, corruption,
mal-administration, religious and ethnic , and other phenomenon coming
through the wrong usage of our institutions.
In a country in which all of its people both in the
position of trust and the leads are religious, the positive significance
of the religiosity should have been reflected in the governmental life
and other sectors of the country. The president is a born again
along with governors so much so that some governors with religious
leaders were re-introducing many laws that have been with us for time,
but in their own architectural design so to say. Others governors with
their clerics too were counteracting the first one.
Within a twinkle of an eye there was tension and
war was brewing right in p orts of cheated indigents Nigerians amid the
poverty, servitude etc. Disharmony , animosity, suspicious ,
disaccord, bigotry and hatred became part and parcel of life. This
manipulations were not only played by politicians but with religious
leaders who joined suite all in the contest of power and largesse that
followed the so-called negotiation. All these to the impoverishment of
the poor unlearned masses to the leisure’s and comfort of the elites of
both institutions .
All these were orchestrated in the name of religion
and politics, Nigerians were segregated, the northerners
were told not to believe in the southerners, the same the southerners
were told not to trust in the northerners . The Muslims in the south
were told to align with Muslims in the north, the same the
Christians in the north were told to align with the Christians in the
south. While the divided poor Muslims and Christian were killing
and maiming one another the good thing the elites are doing to celebrate
and appreciate their blinding of Nigerians indigents is to be giving
themselves awards, the other time it was in Zamfara state where
some Christian clerics honored him for his contributions towards peace
and unity according to them and the day it was in Rivers State in which
the governor according to some Muslims is the most Muslim Christian
friendly governor.
This has become a national affair of celebrating
those responsible of our disunity and disintegration. In a nation
where both institutions are compendium of Rev DR Prof, Sheik Dr Prof, DR
etc this and that one still wonder how they cannot protect their
followers from being exploited by the unmindful and selfish leaders who
preached probity and accountability , but negate justice, fairness
, sincerity in their attitude of leadership. The same faction
crises we are seeing in ou r political parties are if not the same but
worse in the religion cycle, for there is even rigging of religious
elections!
It has even come to a point in which the religious
people cannot be distinguished with politicians , for they are now in
company of body guards so to say in convoys akin to selfish partisan
politicians. When they are dishing out their sermons one sees securities
operatives keeping abreast of security threat . Please where are we
going with this mentality of materialistic and worldly possessions
instead of the quest for our final peace and salvation.
Our national elections are marred with these stigma
even before time. When the president was asked some years ago, whether
he would run in 2003, he was quoted to have said until he consulted God.
After God consultations he sang a song "I have decided to save Nigeria
"One still wonder how God will endowed a nation with many of his
apostles but they are unmindful of the leads plights. It is even on this
that one is doubting the godliness of our leadership. May be it is their
own God not the supreme God. The most pitiable thing is how government
cronies are always relentlessly propagating that there is growth and
development despite what people can attest that nothing good has
actually been sown by the government.
To my mind since the leadership is so full of
godliness in governmental business, Nigeria should have become a
role models not only to Nigerians but even those of our African
siblings, but, the fact remains that Nigerians are not happy with their
government if really they have government. If we have government, what
is our national purpose and agenda as other nations do set and work
towards the realization of their agenda. One still wonder if this what a
religious nation go through in the hands of their leaders.
Our leaders with their cultivated crudity have been
using Nigerians as a tool of object ional games . While these are going
they find solace in swapping public funds to foreign lands or building
an earth-heaven mansions before our very eyes to our poverty and
languishing. While the masses are blinded in hating and chastising one
another the elites are re-united in far away Europe or America
celebrating their loot .
Today in Nigeria, the news that the health sector
has collapsed is not a hyperbole , absence of experienced medical
personnel’s and other hospital equipments attested this. The though that
education sector has fallen is not a fiction , the hand-outs saga,
lectures intimidating students for cash and sex is a fact . The fact
that social vices are rampant in the society is not a comedy . The fact
that pensioners are denied their rights after a merit able service to
this nation is true. The laziness and insensitive to duty of Nigerian
civil servant is a reality. The bustard nature of nation has even
come to a situation were Army and police are waging mini war among one
federation security outfit. All these are reflection of our country’s
leadership and followeship. The political killings, the religious and
ethnic crises, MASSOP, Nigerdelta, Middel-bellt , the nationhood crises,
etc are of course hunting the survival of Nigeria as a nation. If it is
one!
A government sensible should have given these
priorities so as to solve the scourge once and for all. An
irresponsible government is one that knows its problems and failed to
address it, for it shall multiplied in time and could pose a threat to
the survival and stability of that nation.
I still have one strong firm believe in my mind.
That one day Nigerians whether Christians or Muslims, Hausa or
Efik would rise one day not only to challenge but to crush their
oppressors, be they their tribesmen, religion people . It could be a
tall dream but would come to pass one day if things continue this way.
This piece excluded principle religious men and politicians, who are
not influenced by the sweet juices of power. Its on this that one
is asking: When will religion and politics saves Nigeria?
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