CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Since independence in Nigeria, attempts to entrench democratic rule and good governance have been truncated prematurely over the years. The reasons are not farfetched. For instance, the attitudes of the political class are often devoid of basic religious moral principles which are pivotal for democracy and better initiative for good governance to flower. Religious moral principles are inevitable for or present nascent democracy and good governance to strive as it is in advanced democracies of the world (Akintola, 2007). Democracy and good governance have become a household name in Nigeria but it is very clear that our understanding of the concepts is very narrow. Orhungur (2005) opines that a civilian government cannot claim to be a democracy unless it produced truly good leadership that offers freedom for the citizenry to elect their leaders. When this is denied, any nation that truly aspires to practice democracy must, as a matter of urgency, revisit its religious values to make sure that it is in line with the dictates of democracy. In other words, without these religious values and conditions, the dream of free and fair elections, justice and the rule of law will remain a distant illusion (Ekpo, 1999).
Religion is a difficult subject to inquiry due to its complex nature. The attempts made at defining its conception have not been easy. However, Egwu (2001) sees religion not only because of the problem of objectivity one encounters in defining but is emotion laden, even more so because of the difficulty of penetrating the “inner essence” of religion.
Democracy may be a word familiar to most, but it is a concept still misunderstood and misused in a time when totalitarian regimes and military dictatorships alike have attempted to claim popular support by pining democratic labels upon themselves. Yet the power of the democratic idea has also evoked some of histories most profound and moving expressions of human will and supreme power vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. Lincoln, in (Diamond, 1999) defines democracy “as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people”.
One can adequately discuss the role of Traditional Religion in sustainable democracy and good governance without first treating the place of Traditional Religion in Nigerian society. This is because religion and democratic leadership has to be established before one can talk of the contributions traditional religion can make in sustaining democracy and good governance in Nigeria. Traditional religion is a phenomenon that resides whenever people are found (Ushe, 2010). It is a phenomenon that is vital for social maintenance and regulation of life-style of members in Nigerian society. O’Neil (2006) posits that the tendency of traditional religion has opened many fields of study that correlate the human behaviours with the value system of the society. This correlation is dependent on shared system of governance that reinforces, reaffirm and maintain moral development of any nation. Traditional religion performs major functions in sustainable democracy and good governance in Nigeria.
These functions include:
(1) To provide support for social norms in the society
(2) To enhance social integration in the society
(3) To provide stability in the society and
(4) To 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). Warren (1998) posits that traditional religion possesses moral authority and ethical sensitivity which complements the role of good governance for effective national development (Ikenga-Metuh, 1985). It enables citizens to exercise stability and conserving functions which make them to resist change both in their doctrines, policies and secular affairs, having relevance in development of moral standard approved by the society.
Ethnic and religious prejudices have found fertile ground in Nigeria,” p. xx. declared Karl Maier (2000), who had lived in Nigeria for two years, 1991-1993. Although one may not agree with the later conclusions of Karl Maier concerning the imminent disintegration of Nigeria, his remarks about ethnic and religious prejudice in Nigeria cannot be swept under the carpet. Recent events in the country, especially the incessant attacks on Christians and bombings of churches tend to lend credence to Karl Maier’s observations Peace is globally a very elusive commodity; and harmony, therefore, has taken flight in individuals, communities and nations. The global crises of terrorism, disease, poverty and natural disasters unequivocally query the presence of peace and harmony. Nigeria has experienced serious security issues since the onset of democracy. A few years ago, the Niger Delta reverberated with gunshots and bombs as militant youths attacked government and oil company installations and personnel to protest the alleged economic neglect and political marginalisation of the oil rich region. Now, the Northern part of Nigeria rocks with suicide bombings by Boko Haram (literally ‘book is bad’), an Islamic fundamentalist organisation with avowed hatred of western education and Christianity. The latter occurrences in view of their ethno-religious implications have placed the nation in electric tension reminiscent of the 1966 pogrom by the predominantly Hausa-Fulani Muslim North against the predominantly Christian Igbo of Southern-Eastern Nigeria which culminated in the Nigerian civil war. Christians and other Southerners living in the North live in constant fear. Many have relocated to the South. Northerners, especially Muslims living in the South live in fear and apprehension of possible reprisal attacks. Ethnic and religious prejudice, which has been prominent in the Nigerian polity, has grown to a new frightening dimension. One of the factors behind the ethno-religious conflicts in Nigeria is prejudice. Prejudice is not merely the recognition of difference, but the magnification and demonization of difference. Prejudice is a learned behaviour. It is coded into the history rather than the DNA of a people. It is premised on pseudo-science, myths, half-truths, misinformation, fabrications, fallacies and outright falsehood. Prejudice can be induced by deliberate manipulations, indoctrination and propaganda. At the core of prejudice is fear. Fear breeds distrust, and distrust engenders acrimony, and acrimony inexorably results in violence. Ignorance, misinformation, myths and fallacy feed prejudice. Mr. Koffi Annan, former UN Secretary General, expressed concern that prejudice would continue to ruin innocent lives and make progress with the ambitious international agenda of peace, security and development unattainable. Mr Annan consequently suggested restoration of trust among peoples of different faiths and cultures should be given the highest priority (UN Press Release, 2004).
Upon this premise the researcher seeks to evaluate religious harmony and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.
1.2. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Nigeria is populated by the adherents of Islam, Christianity and African Traditional Religion. However, the adherents of three religions, especially Muslims and Christians are often engaged in conflicts, leading to lose of lives and property. A day hardly passes without the adherents of these two religions engaging in one conflict or the other. The religious scenario in Nigeria has assumed a violent dimension, leading to suicide bombing, loss of innocent lives and property. The area that is most affected with terrorists’ attacks is the defunct Northern region. That is, the North and the area called today “Middle-Belt” of Nigeria today. Even if there is a seeming peace, the relationship between Christians and Muslims is marked with mutual suspicion and distrust (Amadu, 1989). These religious crises are more frequent in the North and they sometimes give birth to reprisal attacks in Eastern part of Nigeria. The reprisal attacks by Christians in Eastern Nigeria are directed to all the Northerners without distinction of religious affiliation. That is, both Christians and Muslims are victims of such attacks (Dzurgba, 2006). The Northern Christians particularly suffer death casualties at every twist of events. They loss lives in the Eastern part of Nigeria during reprisal attacks. This ugly situation calls for reflection on religious harmony and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.
1.3. Research Objectives
1. Examine respondents’ mean understanding of religious harmony
2. Examine the difference in respondents’ mean understanding of the effect of religious harmony on democracy sustainability
3. Find out the difference in students’ mean understanding of the impact of religious harmony on democracy sustenance.
4. Examine the difference in the mean perception score of respondents regarding the influence of religious harmony on continued democracy.
1.4 Research Questions
The research work has the following as its research questions;
1. What is the difference in respondents’ mean understanding of the effect of religious harmony on democracy sustainability?
2. What is the difference in respondents’ mean understanding of the impact of religious harmony on democracy sustainability?
3. What is the difference in the mean understanding score of respondents regarding the influence of religious harmony on democracy sustainability based on political influence?
4. What is the difference in the mean perception score of respondents regarding the influence of religious harmony on democracy sustainability based on tribe?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
Based on the problems of the study the following null hypotheses were formulated for testing.
H0: There is no significant difference in respondents’ mean understanding of the effect of religious harmony on democracy sustainability.
H1: There is a significant difference in respondents’ mean understanding of the impact of religious harmony on democracy sustainability
1.6 Significance of the Study
It is hoped that the results from this study would benefit: government; students, instructional planners; and researchers. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of religious harmony on democracy sustainability. This report should act as a reference material for scholars involved in doing longitudinal studies.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study is delimited to the respondents in Lagos state. The study also, considers variables such as gender, tribe, religious affiliation, and age
1.8. Definition of terms
Religion: is a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements
Bigotry: intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself.
Tolerance: is the allowing, permitting, or acceptance of an action, idea, object, or person which one dislikes or disagrees with
Social Change: Social change refers to changes in social organization or structure. Like a living organism, a functioning society inevitably changes as it continues to exist and function, even if it is placed in a static environment. According to Sabeth (1996): ‘Social change’ has conventionally come to mean the natural evolution of all members of the global village towards a modern state of existence. Modernity was both ontologically and teleologically subsumed in this process of change as the inevitable goal. It therefore, became the banner of secular salvation in countries with recent colonial experience, especially during the 1950s and through the 1970s
Social change as the result of significant alterations in social structures of the society can occur in groups or individuals in a society. It may include the uncertainty or generally accepted behaviors that result in change within a given society. Thus, for example, religious beliefs and norms emerge as a result of alterations or changes that occur within a particular time in that given society. As it is with society, some changes are as a result of goals, aspirations and power, and it is very clear that these changes can affect a society from the economic, political and cultural dimensions to assume a new position of existence.
Conflict: Ohajanwa (2013) argues that conflict empirically refers to a confrontation between individuals or groups, resulting from opposite or incompatible ends or means. Kriesberg in Ohajanwa (2013) defines conflict situation as “a relationship between two or more parties who feel they have incompatible goals. Boulding (1977) interprets conflict as “a goal directed activity designed to improve the position of one party at the expense of the other”.
Religious Conflict: Otite and Olawale (1999) see religious conflicts as struggle over values and claims to scarce resources, status and power in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, and eliminate their rivals. This position very much suits, or reflects the conflicts between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. Aliyu (2004) posits that religious conflicts is a process of interaction involving a struggle over claim in resources, power and status, beliefs and other preferences and desires. A religious crisis is a dispute or disagreement or disunity between two religious groups or sects within a state or geographical community. It might occur as a result of a disagreement in the hermeneutic understanding of their doctrines. It might also occur as a result of the rejection of a conversion or rebellion from one group to the other. This situation is conversant to all religions. In Nigeria, the case is mostly between Christians and Moslems, and sometimes between Catholics and Protestants or between the Anglican Communion and the Pentecostals (both Protestants). However, African traditional religions are not confrontational. They are the only non-proselytizing religions in Nigeria and do not persuade people to join their religions (Asike, 2014).
Civil Democracy: Civil relates to ordinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from military or religious matters. Democracy is a system of government in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives. Democracy also refers to fair and equal treatment of everyone in an organization etc; and their rights to take part in making decisions (Hornby, 2000). Civil democracy is democracy that concerns the citizens on civil matters as against religious and military.
National Integration: National integration most simply and briefly means national unity. It is a unity in diversity. It means unifying all the forces in the country so as to give the idea of one nation. The Indian Study Channel (2010) identifies national integration as the sentiments of nationalism; the feeling of oneness; social, political, economic, linguistic and cultural unity; common ideas of life and code of behavior; the ability to subordinate sectarian and parochial loyalties to the loyalty of the nation. Indeed, citizens of Nigeria have sharp contrasts with the above ideology of national integration.