Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria's vice-president, has brought to the fore the "deep ethnic and religious divisions" plaguing Nigeria. He was speaking at an interdenominational service held in Abuja on Sunday as part of the activities to celebrate Nigeria's 55th independence day celebrations which is officially on October 1st.
The Nigerian civil war was fought on the back of the deep ethnic divisions Prof Osinbajo talked about, and these divisions have worsened. It has been made even worse by religious divisions. Nigerians now proudly identify themselves with their ethnic origins, as well as their religious affiliations, and the pentecostal mega churches and their celebrity pastors have made identifying with them fashionable.
It is sad that Nigerians continue to encourage the divisive factors in our midst; ethnicity may be excused, but religion, especially the new prosperity preaching craze, has deepened these divisions further and has become dangerous. Nigerians should begin to look into religion and to ask critical and pertinent questions concerning the basis of their beliefs. It is our failure to do this that has made us embrace religion and give it the power to put us under its spell.
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