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RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS IN KADUNA STATE, MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS AS CASE STUDIES AND THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN THESE CONFLICTS.

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RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS IN KADUNA STATE, MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS AS CASE STUDIES AND THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN THESE CONFLICTS.

 

1.1 Background to the Study

Religion for  Nigerian people is a set of beliefs and practices based on faith,  which is sacred and defy rational scrutiny.  Therefore,  it can  quite  easily  trigger  off  emotional  reactions.  Religion  also makes  the  world  more  predictable,  the  vicissitudes  of  life  more tolerable  and  its  complexities  more  understandable.  It  provides psychological  relief  and  inspiration  for  the  individual.

At  the  social level,  it  provides  a  medium  for  fellowship  and  mutual  support. Conflicts  are  unavoidable  aspects  of  human  interaction.  They  arise  from the  pursuit  of  divergent  interests,  goals  and  aspirations  by  individuals  or  groups.

Changes  in  the  socio–political  environment  provide  fertile  grounds  for  conflicts involving  individuals  and  groups  probably  interested  in  using  these  conflicts  to achieve  their  selfish  goals.  Therefore,  the  negative  exploitation  of  ethnicity  and religion  results  into  ethno–religious  conflicts.

These  often  arise  out  of  mistrust, hostility,  polarization  of  relations  among  groups  and  at  times  in  a  competitive setting.  All  conflicts,  according  to  Elaigwu  (2004:4)  regiment  primordial identities  of  a  group  in  a  competitive  relation  with  other  groups  are  regarded  as ethno–religious  conflicts.

The  history  of  conflicts  in  the  Northern  part  of Nigeria  clearly  illustrates  the  above  point.  This  is  because,  the  Kafanchan conflict  of  March  1987  as  an  example,  started  as  religious  conflict  but  ended  up as  an  ethnic  conflict.  The  1991  market  fight  between  individuals  in  Tafawa Balewa  took  on  religious  coloring,  spreading  as  far  as  Bauchi  town.

Similarly, the  2001  Jos  fight  that  started  as  an  ethnic  conflict  ended  up  as  a  religious conflict.  The  North  has  had  a  very  large  share  of  ethno–  religious  brand  of conflicts  especially  since  the  Maitatsine  conflict  of  1980  to  the  recent  times.

Religious  experiences  are  one  of  the  most  important  experiences  of mankind  the  world  over,  and  every  religion  claims  among  other  things,  to  be  an agent  of  peace.  Such  claims  seem  to  be  true  to  some  extent.

That  is  why  Asaju (1988:128)  asserted  that,  “although,  religious  experiences  differ,  but  one  fact  is that  all  people  are  affiliated  to  one  Supreme  Being,  that  is  God  who  is  worship under  different  names  among  different  tribes  of  the  world”.

It  is  on  these  bases that  the  Nigerian  constitution  recognizes  three  religions.  These  are:  Christianity, Islam  and  African  Traditional  Religion.  The  practice  of  the  African  Traditional Religion  in  Nigeria  before  the  advent  of  Christianity  and  Islam  was  very peaceful  and  accommodating  because  there  was  no  any  external  influence  or unhealthy  rivalry  among  the  Traditional  Religious  Cults.

That  is  why  Islam which  came  into  Nigeria  at  the  later  part  of  the  14th  century,  and  Christianity which  finally  settled  in  Nigeria  in  the  middle  of  18th  century  were  both accommodated  by  the  traditional  religion.  The  toleration  exhibited  by  the Nigerian  indigenous  religion  was  not  in  any  way  reciprocated  by  Islam  and Christianity.

The  advent  of  the  two  religions  rather  made  the  indigenous religion  to  begin  to  recede  to  the  background.  As a result, most people (Nigerians)  identify  themselves  as  either  Christians  or  Muslims. Furthermore, Kukah  and  Achebe  cited  in  Achunike  (2007:3)  observed  that  “both Christianity and  Islam  today  straddle  across  the  Nigerian  polity without apologies  and  are aggressively  proselytized”.  This  has  led  to  a  serious  rivalry  between  Christians and muslims.

1.2 Problem Statement

Like it has been rightly observed above,  the increasing rate of ethno–religious  conflicts  in  Nigeria  in  the  past  and  in  the  recent  years  shows that  the  adherents  of  the  two  major  religions  (Christianity  and  Islam)  are not in good terms. Nigeria has witnessed  several  ethno–religious  conflicts.

1.3 Objectives of the study

Theajor objective of the study is the religious conflicts in Kaduna state and the role of religion in these conflicts.

1.4 Research questions

(1) what is conflicts?

(2) what is religion and what are the types of religion?

(3) what is the causes of religious conflicts in Kaduna state?

(4) what is the effect of religious conflicts on the country?

(5) How can these conflicts be managed for the purpose of peace and harmony?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Teachers,  students  and  researchers  of  religion,  economics,  sociology  and history  in  Nigerian  schools  will  find  the  work  benefiting  to  them  as  it  furnishes them  with  current  information  on  the  country’s  social,  economic,  political  and religious  development.

The  research  shall  be  useful  to  politicians  and  political leaders  in  decision  making  on  issues  that  affects  religion  directly  in  the  country. It  will  help  in  the  provision  of  relevant  data  on  the  genesis,  effects  and measures  towards  the  control  of  ethno-religious  conflicts  in  Nigeria  particularly the  Northern  part  of  the  country.

It  will  also  unravel  the  awareness  of  decision  makers  on  the  effects  of ethno-religious  conflicts  on  the  socio-economic  and  political  development  of Nigeria  as  a  country.  This  will  help  in  the  formation  of  favourable  policies  and decisions  that  will  stimulate  a  conducive  atmosphere  for  the  practice  of  religion in  the  country.

It  will  also  serve  as  a  means  towards  the  development  of  a  strategic  action plan  that  will  be  a  significant  force  in  peaceful  and  harmonious  co-existence amongst  the  practitioners  of  different  religion  in  Nigeria.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The research focus on the religious conflicts in Kaduna state, Muslims and Christians as case studies and the role of religion in these conflicts.

References

Achunike,  H.C.  (2007).  Religious  practices  in  Nigeria  as  a  source  of  social conflict.  A  Seminar  paper  presented  on  June  10th  –  13th  at  St.  Thomas  of Aquinas  Major  Seminary,  Makurdi.

Asaju,  D.  (1988).  The  Christian  position  on  the  Development  of  Ethical  Values in  the  Nigerian  Context.  Ilorin:  Amora  Press  Ltd.

Elaigwu,  J.I.  (2004).  The  Management  of  Ethno-religious  Conflict  in  “Northern Nigeria”:  Towards  a  more  peaceful  and  Harmonious  Geopolity.  A  paper presented  on  December  1st  –  2nd  at  the  Northern  Governors’  Peace Conference  in  Kaduna.

 

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