The issue of Islam and Christianity in Nigeria differs very well in terms of Nigerians' experience, both historically and culturally. That is to say, the two religions on arrival, sought to assert themselves by dislodging the traditional religions of the various communities with which they interacted by offering the people new gods as a basis for moral legitimation to ensure peace and tolerance. There are arguments in some areas that the attitude of the missionaries of these religions sowed the seeds for their subsequent politicisation in Nigeria. It is a truism to say that in the present day, many government appointments are made on religious or ethnic grounds by putting meritocracy in oblivion. This is not making the country to develop as it supposed to have been and do not encourage peace and tolerance, publicly and privately. Another is the phrase 'federal character principle' which General Murtala Ramat Mohammed (of blessed memory) directed the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) while addressing them on 20 Monday, July 1975 to incorporate in the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is therefore appropriate to say that the federal character principle is being practised on ethnic and religious grounds. In other words, Nigeria is not using it to get the best professional human resources to lead various establishments as is done in the United States of America. It is on record that the quest of Islam and Christianity in Nigeria for converts and subsequent expansion created various forms of internal problems for some communities with the emergence of different sects, which resulted in the killing and maiming of innocent souls. Apart from the tensions created by conversions among families, many communities used these conversions to assert their hegemonic attitude over many people. In the Northern part of Nigeria, conversion to Christianity was an attractive option for some of the minority ethnic groups, which had experienced tribulations in the hands of what some saw as Hausa/Fulani colonialism and imperialism during and after the Jihad. It is abundantly clear that the processes of conversion to different denominations within Nigeria, have made many churches to associate with particular ethnic groups. As a result, these differences within Christian communities have become deep-rooted and now create avenues for opportunists to use their differences as a means for political and other bargaining. Obviously, some missionaries tried to reinforce these prejudices as a means of containing their flock. Some argued that the missionaries, as well as colonialists did help in sharpening the boundaries of prejudices which have now come to dominate our landscape. For example in Nigeria, colonialists worked closely with the Fulani whom they thought and believed were imbued with leadership qualities. Consequently, they made the Fulanis to become unresponsive to the quest of other citizens for top leadership positions. To support this, a Sokoto Prince in 1986, Alhaji Shehu Malami, in a speech to the Youth Corps Members deployed to Sokoto State, reminded his audience of the ethnic superiority of the Hausa race, which he said had acquired their dark skins from inter-marriages with the local African populations. Again in 1996, Alhaji Maitama Sule, one of the Nigeria's respected and dedicated bureaucrats, created a storm among Southern intellectuals when he noted that various communities in Nigeria were variously endowed: the Fulani with leadership qualities; the Igbo (I go before others) with industry and the Yoruba with diplomatic skills. The author also made a fine statement, when in a newspaper interview; he boldly and proudly told a reporter that Nigeria would be a great country if it is built on some of its fine qualities: the dignity of the Fulani, the industry of the Igbo and the extravagant sense of celebration of the Yoruba. Currently, there are two dominant religious groups in Nigeria, Islam and Christianity. Almost the entire people of Nigeria revolve around these two identified religious groups. It is necessary to state that since the basis for the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate (the foundation stone of Hausa/Fulani hegemony in the Nigerian polity) was the consolidation of Islam, the preservation/purification, expansion of that religion would from then become the basis of legitimacy for the ruling class. Thus, until the British terminated their hegemony in 1903, the political and economic expansions of the Caliphate were by extension, the expansion of Islam. According to Mathew Kukah even before the British conquest, the Muslim ruling class has managed to establish a bureaucracy, economy and a polity of its own that was very sophisticated indeed and would later be offered for emulation in the modern policy. The control of this economy was the basis of the British conquest. I think and believe that the major problems confronting the nation are the lack of credible leadership and the fixing of political office holders in wrong positions as well as corruption and greed among some of the political class and some top civil/public servants. It is crystal clear that the vision of the founding fathers was frustrated and scuttled by leadership challenge that manifested itself in sincerity and greed. For the nation to grow well, and for peace and tolerance to become supreme, we need to purge ourselves of insincerity, greed and perverted notion of service. Let our leaders, including top civil/public servants handle issues with sincerity, honesty, passion, determination, and avoid favouritism, nepotism, tribalism because this will go a long way to resolve issues, conflicts and crises.For peace and tolerance to reign supreme the level of abject poverty as well as ignorance need to be adequately addressed. Writing on the level of poverty in Nigeria , Charity Adarigho Oriakpo in her book, God concern for the poor wrote thus' Many Nigerians are today living a most difficult life with basic amenities such as food, water, electricity, and security almost totally absent'. According to her, Nigeria ranks among the most resource-endowed countries in the World. Despite its enormous resources, Nigeria ranks among the 20 poorest nations of the world( UNDP, 2006). In addition to this, Dr. Magnus Kpakol, National Coordinator of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) revealed that seventy-four (74) million Nigerians are poor. According to him, the figure, which was at December 2008 dropped by one million from the 75 million in 2007. He disclosed this in a paper titled 'NAPEP Programmes as Enabler for Rapid Economic Development in the South-South Region' presented at the South-South Summit in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Refer to the Nigerian Observer of April 28, 2009 p.5.Finally, I think and believe that the real danger that lurks behind democratisation process in Nigeria remains the sustained use of language as instruments of exclusion as well as tribalism, favouritism, nepotisim, marginalisation, godfatherism, godmotherism, open abuse of policies, which lead to injustice, victimisation, and the use of 'special boys' who at the end we can no longer control and things will continue to fall apart and the centre will no longer hold. soeze wrote in via charlessoeze@yahoo.ca
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