Assessing Colonial and Postcolonial Perspectives on Religion and Politics in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper argues that there is a link between politics and religion in Nigeria because of the role religion plays in the lives of the Nigerian people. As it were, the discourse on the place of religion within politics in Nigeria predates the era of independence. Since it is difficult to examine the political situation in the country without relating it to religion, it is hard to separate religion from politics in Nigeria. This paper x-rays the relationship between religion and politics in Nigeria during the colonial period and establishes how some religious leaders in Nigeria and the citizens have generated controversy by deceptively and openly using religion as a tool for political gains. This continuing manipulation and transformation of religious identities for political ends is detrimental to the peace and development of Nigeria; hence, the paper, amongst others, recommends that the Nigerian state needs to formulate laws to resolve the contradictions of their national plurality, and to do this successfully, the country must first construct a national political identity that transcends the immediate attractions to sub-national commitments as the first order civic ethics that constitutes the foundation of democratic nationhood. Adopting both historical and phenomenological perspectives, our conclusion in this paper is that politicians have no reason to constantly use religion as a tool for polarising the nation's politics.