Religious education and nation-building in Nigeria (original) (raw)
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Religious Education as a Key for Restructuring for National Development in Nigeria
UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities
The question of “restructuring” for national development has taken the central stage in the political, social and economic life of the Nigeria nation. This question hangs on the understanding that Nigeria as a nation is bedevilled with ethnic divisions occasioned by distrust, suspicion and perceived marginalization. To this end, arguments abound that the entity called Nigeria is not yet a nation but a creation of the erstwhile colonial masters, to favour a particular ethnic nationality. Restructuring therefore is perceived as the only veritable solution to the problem of ethnic divisions in Nigeria, as this would enhance sustainable national development. This research submits that religious education is a fundamental key for restructuring for the enhancement of national development that is sustainable and enduring. It further proposes true Federalism as a system of government that would work pari-pasu with religion to achieve this goal of restructuring for sustainable development.
Religion as a Barrier to Nation-Building in Nigeria
PHILOSOPHY AND PRAXIS, 2020
Religious conflicts in Nigeria have affected our national economy negatively. Any interested observer of the Nigeria socio-political structure is all too easily aware of the multiplicity of voices and the diversity of cultures within the nation. In other words, Nigeria is one of the nations that have the highest ethnic nationalities to be found in one single country of the world. Religion which is one of the human engagements, has greatly influenced the life of many nations of the world, it has made recognizable impact on the spiritual, physical, social, moral and economic affairs of the modern world. Furthermore, colonial policies towards Christians and Muslims communities have imbedded racial and religious differences with far-reaching implications before and after independence. Religious violence among Christians and Muslims emerged in the 1980s in Nigeria. In other words, religious pluralism in Nigeria has been disrupted by religiously motivated conflicts which in turn have negative consequences on the process of Nation-Building. Hence, this paper posits that religious violence has impeded Nation-Building process in Nigeria.
Religion and the Challenge of Nation Building in Nigeria Since the Amalgamation
Journal of World Development Studies, 2016
There is no gainsaying the fact that one of the most divisive and a contentious issue in contemporary Nigeria is religion. Religion is principally concerned with the supernatural but has historically been employed as a potent tool for the advancement of certain temporal human causes. In Nigeria, this phenomenon (Religion) provides the ideological underpinnings for the actions of many within the society. Though no one religion is officially regarded as the state religion, the prevailing reality is that issues bordering on religion are increasingly taking the center stage in the conduct of state affairs, posing apparent dangers to the corporate existence of the country as one political entity. Religion is arguably the Achilles heels that partly impedes on national unity. The position of this paper is that the continuous systematic and deliberate manipulation of religion for selfish ends is potentially a time bomb that has the singular capacity of causing a conflagration of unequalled proportion. Therefore, the Nigerian situation calls for a critical introspection in order to abate any impending catastrophy. This paper argues that the American model which thoughtfully separates the affairs of state and religion could be a workable solution to the incessant controversies associated with religion in Nigeria. The study adopts the historical method of research based on the political economy theory.
Religious conflict in Nigeria : a role for religious education
1989
1.5.4 Post-Independent Nigeria 1.6 Analysis and Comments 1.6.1 Problem of National Unity CHAPTER TWO : AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN NIGERIA 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Some Misconceptions Regarding African Traditional Religion 2.3 The Nature of ATR 2.4 The Main Features of ATR 2.4.1 Belief in God 2.4.1.1 Names of God 2.4.1.2 Attributes of God 2.4.2 Belief in Divinities 2.4.3 Belief and Worship of Ancestral Spirits 2.4.4 Belief in Mystical Powers and Medicine 2.5 The Worship of God in ATR 2.5.1 Direct Worship 2.5.2 Indirect Worship 2.6 Moral Values in ATR Page 2.6.1 Expression of Moral Values 91 2.7 The Present State of ATR in Nigeria: An Overview CHAPTER THREE : THE RELIGION OF ISLAM AND ITS DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Prophet and Early Developments 3.2.1 Sources 110 3.2.2 The Formative Years of Muhammad 3.2.3 The Prophetic Mission 3.2.4 Muhammad in Medina 3.2.5 The Spread of Islam 3.2.6 Groups Within Islam 3.3 The Main Belief Systems of Islam 3.3.1 Belief in the 'Oneness' or 'Unity' of Allah 3.3.2 Belief in Angels 128 3.3.3 Belief in Holy Books 3.3.4 Belief in God's Messengers 133 3.3.5 Belief in the 'Judgement Day' 3.3.6 Moral Values in Islam 3.4 The Fundamental Practices of Islam 3.5 The Origin and Development of Islam in Nigeria 3.5.1 The Origin in Northern Nigeria 3.5.2 Background to the Jihad 3.5.3 The Process of Jihad 3.5.4 Growth in Northern Nigeria: Colonial Period to Independence Page 3.5.5 Growth in Southern Nigeria 3.5.6The Growth of Islam in Nigeria since Independence CHAPTER FOUR : CHRISTIANITY IN NIGERIA 4.1 Introduction 4.2 The Life and Teachings of Jesus 4.2.1 The Problem of Sources 4.2.2 An Outline of the Birth of Jesus 4.2.3 The Main Teachings of Jesus 4.3 Origin and Development of Early Christianity 4.3.1 The Beginning of Christianity 4.3.2 Persecution of Early Christian Church 4.4 The Introduction of Christianity in Nigeria 4.4.1 The First Missionary Attempt 4.4.2 The Second Missionary Attempt 4.4.2.1 Background 4.4.2.2 The C.M.S. on the Bank of River Niger 4.4.2.3 Expeditions of 1854 and 1857 4.4.3 Origin of Christianity in SouthWestern Nigeria 4.4.4 Origin of Christianity in Northern Nigeria 198 4.5 The Rise of Independent Churches in Nigeria 4.5.1 The African Churches 4.5.2 The Spiritual Churches
The Place of Religion in Education: A Contemporary Nigerian Perspective
Journal of Cultural and Religious Studies, 2016
The Nigerian society has been plagued by persistent religious conflicts alongside the problem of insecurity for some time now. This is not a new development, but it has worsened since the last five years with the emergence of the Boko Haram Islamic group. This group claims to be responsible for most violent activities in the northern part of the country for the past few years. Judging from the nature of their activities, Boko Haram, an Arabic phrase which literally means that "western education is forbidden", is among other factors, largely rooted in religious intolerance. The challenges posed by this group since 2010 have defied all logic and rationality, leaving Nigerians with deep concerns for the unity of their country in the present era. Why has religion, albeit a formidable unifying element, become an instrument of various kinds of menace, destruction of lives and properties? It appears to have even caused many to wonder about the quality of education and expertise of the Nigerian polity and governance. It must also be noted that most of these problems with Boko Haram have their roots in the northern part of the country which is predominantly Islamic in religion. Religion has been awfully misrepresented and used as an excuse for all kinds of evil. This paper examines the place of religion in education from the perspective of the contemporary Nigerian society. It also explores how religion can still be used as a paradigm for restoring the sanctity and dignity of education, promote its morality and actualize its objectives in the society. The paper furthermore summons religious leaders to devise significant ways, such as interfaith dialogues and activities to enhance a sustained education in the country.
The pluralistic nature of Nigeria is not contestable, and the issues of peace and morality cannot be overemphasied for any meaningful development. This pluralism is evident in diverse religions, political groups, and multiple cultures among other things that determine social cohesion in Nigeria. On the other hand, pluralism has always been one of the sources of instability in Nigeria polity, which can quickly affect development. Consequently, the fact remains that pluralistic tendency could not be ruled out in Nigerian polity, how then could we attain a sane society that can engender development in spite of this pluralism? This work investigates the hypocritical posture of so many adherents of religions who are pretending to be the most pious or the faithful using phenomenological tool to probe the faithfulness or sincerity of believers to peace as an experience which is the hallmark of any religion. It examines some religious phenomena relevant to the subject of peace and morality for development initiatives embarked upon in the society. It discovers that religious education has a vital role to play in the promotion of peace and decent for sustainable development in the Pluralistic Nigeria polity.
Journal of World Development Studies, 2017
Religion is historically concerned with cementing man's relationship with his fellowman through the instrumentality of certain well defined codes which are largely believed to be divinely sanctioned. As a highly regulated institution, the impact of religion in human affairs, at least from the point of view of history, cannot be underestimated. For it has always served a defined purpose, whether considered progressive or retrogressive. While religion is invariably taken by many to be a sanctuary for those clamoring for succor and respite from the worries of life, it is also a fact that religion is an ideological tool utilized by the privileged class to perpetuate their hold of power and temporal benefits to the detriment of the downtrodden and religiously sedated masses. The potency of religion in social mobilization and political engineering in the context of Nigeria's socio-political landscape is undeniably factual. The position of this paper is that much as religious values could precipitate national renewal and by extension deepen social integration amongst the diverse ethno-linguistic groups of Nigeria, the deliberate and systematic abuse of religion for self aggrandizement and fostering of sectional interests ultimately undermines the basis of national security and the continuous oneness of the political entity. The paper adopts the Functionalist theory of religion in its analysis.
The Place of Christian Education in Peace-building and Social Integration in Nigeria
Christian education has an important place in peace-building and social integration in Nigeria. The paper recognizes the pervasive nature of religion but argues that it can also be a resource for peace and social integration. The values in Christian education such love for neighbour, truth, reconciliation, forgiveness, abhorrence of social and moral vices in the society, hard work, accountability, etc, are sine qua non to peace-building and social integration. The paper addresses itself to the incessant religious crises in the country, rejecting religious hate language in favour of a language that promotes cordiality among the various ethnic and religious groups in Nigeria.
Social Reconstruction through Religious Education: A Survey on Nigeria
2013
There is a growing concern for social reconstruction in Nigeria where successive governments have employed various strategies in a bid to achieve social reconstruction. Yet, the rate of social malaise in the country grows at an alarming proportion every day. The implication of such an experience is that the various measures adopted by the government have neither been effective nor productive. This paper is aimed at articulating the possible role of religious education as a tool for social reconstruction in Nigeria. Using a sample of 300 teachers and students in Lagos State on a ratio of 1:2 (teachers to students) who were randomly selected, the descriptive survey employed the questionnaire for data collection and the chi-square as a statistical tool for data analysis. The study found that religious education has a place in social reconstruction of Nigeria, thereby confirming a number of earlier studies and makes some recommendations for possible implementation.
Religious Intolerance and Educational System in Nigeria
British Journal of Education, 2022
The study examines the implications of religious intolerance on the Educational system in Nigeria. Nigeria experienced a lot of religious intolerance due to its diversity of ethnic groups and religions. Due to the narrow-mindedness, misunderstanding, extremism, and zeal of religious devotees, religion, intended to be a unifying element among many ethnic groups in Nigeria, has instead turned out to be one of the triggers destroying lives and property. Several persons have suffered bodily and psychological harm due to intolerance based on religious beliefs and practices, which has caused rifts between Nigerians of various religious backgrounds. Nigerian educational system is under threat from this turmoil. Problems of religious intolerance has hampered Nigeria's efforts to establish a standard educational system.