Hallelujah somebody!… Can I have your attention? This sermon is about election and religion, but in the Nigerian context. We all know Nigeria is a circular state and we have three major religion; Christianity, Islam and the Traditional religion.
But most times, when it comes to politicking it’s always about the Christianity and Islam, well, with a sprinkle of traditional religion to appease the gods and make the gods favour a particular candidate.
Religion and Politics in Nigeria is one laced with a great degree of hypocrisy; Ya Allah on Friday, Praise master Jesus on Sunday and otumopo at odd hours all in the name of power, irrespective of the channel and the method, it’s still all geared towards one goal- to attain political power and acceptance.
My problem isn’t even about our political actors choice or combination of religion, far from it. It’s the way we as a nation have used and set religion as a core determinant of leadership.
We as a nation have voted all through religious and ethnic line and it’s still for zero results. Nothing has changed, corruption keeps on skyrocketing. The fear of God is far from us.
Let me borrow some few lyrics from the legend himself, Fela Kuti. We all are just “shuffering and shmiling”. You see this our suffer suffer in this part of the world it’s practically our fault. Selecting and voting political office holders based on “In Spirtitum Heavinus and Allahu Akbar” have cost us a great lot
One would really think we will change, but no, daily the situation keeps getting worse. In the just concluded Anambra pools we saw how churches were at loggerhead, soon we will not only be selecting candidates based on religion, but the kind, type and religious entity the individual belongs
Lord Hailsham wasn’t wrong after all when he said, “The introduction of religious passion into politics is the end of honest politics, and the introduction of politics into religion is the prostitution of true religion”.
Just wait for the numerous prophecies from different religious leaders as the plot for 2023 thickens. “In religion and politics, people’s beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination”. Those aren’t my words though, channel your anger to Mark Twain.
If we are to be sincere, we all will agree religion has always been manipulative for political ends in this country, it’s a willing tool the elites use to manipulate both the educated and illiterate in this part of the world.
It’s the turn of the Christians to govern… No, it’s the turn of the Muslims… Who will advocate for traditionalist? It’s just simple divide and rule tactics in action.
We need to wake up, we have tried voting on religious pattern over the years, and it has failed woefully. We’ve decided not to touch the anointed and we’ve done ourselves numerous harm as a nation.
2023 shouldn’t be the same story. We shouldn’t be swayed by this voting pattern, we’ve tried it and it has failed. We need competent hands, and if we’re not careful, religion will one day kill us all.
nigeria, politics, religion, Christians, Muslim, corruption, leader, election, 2023,
