Religion not divisive, by David Mark

• On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of The Sun Newspaper, I invite us all to ponder on the theme of the occasion: “Religion, Strife and the Future of Democracy in Africa”.
• An important question we must all answer is: will religion impel or impede democracy in Nigeria?
• Religion and politics have always had an important relationship.
• However, religious authorities can also undermine the political order by challenging their legitimacy.
• On this occasion therefore, we must ask: is religion compatible with the modern secular democratic state?
• Also, what relevant role does religion have to play within a democratic political system like ours?
• Most of us will agree that religion by its very nature is not divisive. After all, all the major religions preach peace. One of the most abiding religious principles is “do to others what you want done to you”.
• The challenge therefore seems to be religious fundamentalism – fundamentalism refers to a religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism.
• In Nigeria, especially the North, religious violence has become more commonplace in the towns with mixed populations.
• However, religious fundamentalism poses a great threat to our democracy as seen in the rise of Boko Haram in Nigeria. [Effects of BH].
• In order to properly respond to the challenges posed by religious radicalism, we must first of all understand the factors that lead to it.
These include:
• Reaction to feelings of marginalization.
• Reaction to modernity.
• A worldview that considers reality to be “uncompromisingly divided into light and darkness. The world outside the group is therefore contaminated, sinful, doomed; the world inside is a pure and redeemed ‘remnant’”.
• Absolutism- fundamentalists share a belief in the inerrancy of their sacred texts, and no dialogue or interpretation.
12. I should point out that there is a chance that religious fundamentalism will thrive more in a democratic regime due to opportunities as free speech and civil rights movement.
13. In general however, recent public opinion polls show that both Muslims in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Nigeria overwhelmingly support multiparty democracy, freedom of speech and the press, and religious freedom.
14. I want to emphasize that although fundamentalism can undermine democracy, religion in general has the potential for reducing the intensity of conflicts and promoting good citizenship and democratic cultures.
15. There is need for dialogue. Christians and Muslims must engage in interfaith dialogue.
All faiths must work with each other with respect and amicably resolve inter-ethnic and inter-faith conflicts.
16. All religious leaders (Muslims and Christians) should increasingly include popular sovereignty and defense of human rights as part of their message.
17. Equally important, our attitudes as political leaders should be guided by basic religious moral principles which are pivotal for democracy and better initiative for good governance to thrive.
18. Religious moral principles are inevitable for our nascent democracy.
19. Our attitude as Nigerians towards money, fame and leadership is sometimes questionable. These values are often constituted into ends rather than means to the end. Consequently, it becomes a case of “the end justifies the means” (Kukah, 1999).
20. The Nigerian political game and leadership crises, therefore, is a reflection of the cultural and moral situation which hinders political leaders from meeting up with the demands of an authentic good governance in Nigeria.
21. Many Nigerians have a deep conviction that you must be a cheat in order to succeed or bribe your way to get what you want. The philosophy prevalent in Nigeria today is that “if you cannot beat them, then join them” (Akintola, 2005).
22. Religion (Christianity, Islam and African Traditional Religion) can all help consolidate sustainable democracy and good governance in Nigeria through the following ways:
• Provide support for social norms in the society.
• Enhance social integration in the society.
• Provide stability in the society and
• Provide motivation and interpretation of important life-cycle in the society. These roles help the citizenry to define what democracy is and help in sustaining good governance (Goring, 1992).
(i) Democracy and good governance can be viewed as two sides of the same coin. Nigerian society needs democracy and good governance to function effectively.
(ii) Religion in that sense can be the glue that binds together these two sides: Religion is a potential force for mobilizing, reshaping and inducing moral actions which guides people to define democratic values and good governance in Nigerian society.
Being the remarks of the President of the Senate, Senator David A. B. Mark, GCON, fnim, as the chairman of the 10th anniversary lecture of Sun newspapers in Abuja on Tuesday.