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University of Nigeria Research Publications

UGWUJA,GODWIN JOSHUA

Aut

hor

PG-P.HD-99-26196

Title

CHURCH AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Facu

lty

EDUCATION

Dep

artm

ent

RELIGION

Dat

e

NOVEMBER 17,2003

Sign

atur

e

U C W UJA, GIOI3'5,VIN JOSHUA ( I M . , ILTII., b4.A; IJC/Ph.D. 09/26 196)

A rz-rr:srs 5U13hlfTTKD TO T H E UNIVERSITY OF NIGERFA,

NSUKKA FOR THE DEGREK OF DOCTOR OF I'HILOSOI'NY

IN 13ELIGlON

LJgu i~ j+ (iod\ti11 Joshua, a post. gl-acli~atc sludcr~t in thc

I )cp;:~.I I I I C I I ~ ol' Iicl igion a ~ c i will1 thc I<cg. No. l'Ci/fll~.l)/

09/20 196 !us satislixtvrily coruplctcd l!ic rccli~i~-elncnts !'or t l~c

I<cscat-ch \i,url; i i ~ r the Dcgrce of' DOC"I'OI< 0 1 : PI III,OSOI'I JY

1 N ItlII ,lC;ION. '1-l~c \\lurk c m bodiccl i l l this tl~csis is 01-igiml m c l

has ]:or bccn submitted i i i part or f i l l1 lor ;my otlicr diplo~na or

dcgrcc ol'this or any other University.

play ill socio-poli t ical dcvclop~nc~t , lkom tlic pcriod of t l ~ c carly

C.'3!APTI'IC SIX: MIITUAL INTI<I<ACTIVIi EFFECT

C'lliiPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION

1 . I Statement of P1.oblein

1.2 Objective of Study

1.3 S i g ~ i f l c a ~ ~ c c o f Study

I 4 I<cscarch blct l~od ant1 Scopc of Sludy

1.5 Dcfiniiion oSrI'cl-nls

1.6 Lin~itations o t' S{cdy

1 .7 Orgau i~a t ion of Slutiy

xii

as t l ~ co l~sc ic iw 01' t l~c nation? How would the cl~ul-ch bc

cdigJitc~iud towards its civic rcsponsibilitics? 1-11~ chill-ch

cannot distancc itsell' from political activities which arc the

way to tllc 1017 in tlic ladricr orlcadcrsl~ip without complaining

as t l~c 11on-church mcmbcrs havc a field day in tlic corridors

of po5vc.r as it has h e n the case will1 Nigerian poli1icd life.

I t is dcvclop~i~ent which church activities cnhanccd,

diciwton~y ~ C ~ W C C I I thc C I I L I ~ C I I i l ~ l ~ i state, the church's solc in

~ncdiating the political conllicts in Nigcria, slid tllc

I-clationships bctrvcen the church and other religious trxlilions

tiiat this worlc itlvestigatcd.

~ ~ i ~ f i v t l f ~ d to l x ~ i d o ~ w a schoI;~rly ~ O C L I I ~ I C I I ~ ; I ~ ~ O I I of' t l l ~

c l ~ ~ ~ r c l i c s ' I - ~ C i n 1lario11iil dc\;clolmcnl and political slabilily.

h~lo!.cwct-, tlic :tir!I~or wisl~cs to ]?I-tscl~~cc a doct1111~11r h 1 1 ~ v i l l

ili-ousc pcoplc7s i~~lcrcst politically mid religiously.

IIc also clcsircs to sct a pncc ibr I-efercricc ~ L I I ~ ~ U S C by

pvsrcril~ I pi-ovidi~lg fi)r a scIioliuIy documctila~iorl on

. 8 .

ciit~l-ch aotnwcs in OM- socicrv.

l ' l ~ objccrive oi'thc study 11lercS01.e i~lclucic:

I . '['o c x a l ~ l i ~ ~ c [tic rcl:r~ionship bctivccn chutch slid

politics in Nigcria.

" ! ,s IJcf'ini t Isri of Tcr+rm

' I ' l l ~ key ~l:ltccf Lcrli~s dcfitlccl i l l thc lvo1-k ijicl~idc:

3 ~ r ~ i - l 'hc passing fin111 onc I'ul-m, phasc, placc or st;itc

10 anohcr. ' fo bccomc altcscd, lo taltc on'(clotl1cs) and p ~ ~ l 011

t l i !'lkr.cnr oncs. To abandon jo11c thi11g or person) Tor alwther.

. . Io Ix 01. to lxcomc difY'c~*ent. 'I'o transfer l'ronl one to

The cliurcli is local and i t i s i ~ n i ~ u - s a l . 'l'llc cll~t-cli is

prolcstant and c l i c ' l l ~ c church is thc pcoplc oS God in

I)otll r h t : Old ;I! lrl New ' ~ ' C S ! ~ ~ ~ I U I I ~ S .

111 ihc c f h i l to deli~ic church, we discovcr rlloi spacc

\voi~ltl 1101 w11.1.;:1it u s to go oli and on rcprcseliting difkrent

sclloois of t110ugllt 011 f l ~ c s ~ l l > j ~ c t 111iltf~r. rI'hct.cfo~-c 10 s ~ l m i t

up, \ve subnlit that the cl~i~l-cli as a social institi~tion is a

sl~cciirlizcd and \;crsatilc wti ty. I n tIic simplcst h r n i Iiawcvcr,

thc c l ~ u r c l ~ is a peoplc fiom evcl-y lnnguagc. cu l t~~rc , saw,

1' 1' O#ltic21 J>C$ c f q - J r ~ w ~ l t :

'h of' undergoing sc\~c~-;ll puli[ic;ll ~ l - a n s f ~ l - m o t i o n s ,

I k Nipcricl that I - rro\vn ~ I - O I ~ ,>,.c,\,illccs t o

S ~ ~ I C S :111d tc) tllc idea o!*sis gco-poIi~ic;il c~1lt~11.c ~ 0 1 1 ~ s .

I .5 L i ~ n i t ~ t i m s ot' Sf U C ~ V

A n cslwtst ivc .job can11o1 1x2 c:~~.~-icd o ~ 1 1 i 1 1 t l is work by

111c ~cscr~r-clwr I'or lack of' l i i l~c and Iii~lc!. 'l'r-avcli~~g to solnu

Lll.L3i\ll ;111d I'cIIIO!C al'eils for. I ' C S C ~ I - C ~ ~ is \/Cl->j ~~ lX i l~ i i ' c t . ~ ~ c s L !

do! s uwiily 10 lilt skyrockclctl ti-ansporl ihre ill the country

and gcogrnpllical dislnncc of somc J I J ; I C C S .

1.7 Orgitnization of Stttdy

'i'lic sr11,jcct lnattcr of this thcsis i'ocuscs o n ~ l lc

c l l L l l lu ] l l i ~ i rcligion 11;ls made so l i r i l l thc

clc\ clopllicnl of?!igcri;~

,j.jlc M,C!J.I( SCVCJI c ~ ~ ; I ~ ~ c I - s in its 01-gnniza!ion:

r&'LPTER L/ ,. . TWO

C h p l t r u!lc has t l~c gcncsal i ~ ~ t t d u c t i o n \,+/it11 tn;~lcrials t h a l

. . cnc~scd 111c I!ICY~S [o ~ O S S C S S sn1oot11 ; I I I C ~ easy I~g~l l l l l l lg . 111

~hilptcl- tvt.0 1 1 1 ~ S C V ~ C C V of' ~c!:I[c'cI w ~ . r l i ~ of' 0~11cr a~1t11~1.s i i ~

r l~c llclrl w x cart-icci out. -l'lic ~ m c c s s of' I-clicio~rs &. :111(1

~wl i~ica l char~gcs il l Nigeria is ~ ~ S C L I S S L ' ~ i l l C ' I I I - I ~ ~ C S I! 11-CC. 1,

In chapters fbur and Ilvc, c h ~ r ~ ~ u h c s am1 politics in

C O I O I ~ i;i! and pos~-~oIunial Cl.il C L I ~ CII I ITCII 011d p o l t i ill

igcl-ia arc carried uut ~c-qacclivcly.

is 11as tllc ~ n ~ ~ t ~ l a l i~itcraclivc cf'l'ccl of' tllc

X ~ L I I I I C I I ~ S it1 Nigerian socio-political cnvirontnent down

through the years. Various contributions have bccn

clocunicntccl rcgrdil lg tlic role religion plays towurcfs t l ~ c

I-calization oi'political stability in this country.

i v l u t aITccts the pirblic lik of' tlic society on daily basis is a

cndurc \:list i t entails to strugglc for pcacc and justice utldcr a

wl-iling on this idc~ltificd thrcc distincl levels on how religion

]:it-st is the Icvcl i~l\:olvi~lg thc cscrcisu 01' a1 ~thority bct~~ec.11 the ir~sliti~liolls or' government and the S~I.LIC~UI.CS 01' rcligion. 'l'hc sccond is tllc persistence of rcligiorl us political influcncc in itsclC as apposcii to IIICI-cly appearing as a cfcpet~dcr~t variable, a sul-I-ogalc f'or sotnu other n1odct.n fi~ctoi'; tlic third clcals with ~Iic iLilclarl~ct~taI ordcring of' society or thc cult~lral

4 balancc of ti-adc.

tlcvcloprllent. How are thc cspcctntio~ls of thc pcoplc as thc

politics nncl rcligion in Nigeria'!

i n t o i t by not bcinp apathetic but by beil 0 ~ I ~ ~ C I I V C C I .

Christim rlssociation ol' Nigcria (CAN) i l l Kadun;~ on

October 1 1: 1987, i t was ~*cllccted that:

M k (Christians) must be griclcd by a sct of'\wll thought ob-jcclives \\ hich \~~oitlcl direct ~Iic al 'h i rs of' tlic comity of Christians i n a manner that would rcilcct horlous to our rcligio~i and also 1naIte us to contsihtc mc:uningfiilly to the social and spirit~ral wcllbcing of our Scllo\v 111211.

I I

political t i~s~ i~o i l , ethnic ivars and rcligioirs violcncc, i t is

clcarlv sl~own that our li~turc as Cl11-isticms dcpcnds on thc

continue to rcvcal 1Ile cstcnt church lias tal.rc11 too lllatlgl

things ibr granted whcn i t said tlint:

Thc cl1~1rcI1 has not ctonc enough to present hersclf as the co~wiei lcc of thc statc itislcatl wc h a w bccome too co~nplaccn 1 and wc acq~~icsce \villi sitxitioils which arc morally ~~nlcuabic, ancl

I' spii.ituiilly L I I ~ C ~ ~ k ing to Christianity.

i t t ? Christian psincijslcs i t i t o the Nigerian socio-

Clisis~inns c.:u~noi aXwd to Sold their hand mur-2. 'l'hcrc is the burdcn to ~ t n k a s h our I

fio:n pnlit icd quagmire. Ministers and C h i L, T nl l standards Ilasie now takcn a rnissionaq into the political scene. 'There are Chr . . candidates nsprrlng for seats at evcry level.20

opportunity for snciatizntion. Onc of'the church's prior?

hi- i t and survival of our society. Contributing tc

Only an edap~ively flexible and sensitive cl cxn adeq~rately, Iegitimtcly and compel 1vc11k for the wclf~lre of' society in the pol dorn3in: file church as a sensitively dyr socicty \rill do ail it can to socialize individual, to promote social solidarity, f stabilily i n society, establish personal right: s!ztr~s, nnur-ish fellowship, support mor C):L'i-" ,;, I"' - ~ o i n l control, meet social werare ! I * needs, and piwvide cstl

ul' thc rlnlionalists was mainly to grapple ~ v i t h the nation's

problems of apparcnt lack o S unity and how best to

'i 'hc objcctiucs thc nation sct f'or Ilo-scl f d t ~ r i n g iicr

~ 1 ' p c ~ ~ ~ ~ i l a i - democratic power f b r the cxcrcisc thc right to sclf'

Ti1 tllc iiclil of polity o l i c ~ . tlic i~itlcpendencc thus:

fdc ra l Ewi" - natio~~al, zotial, s tatc, and local govcrn~llcnt.

'E'l~csc cvrnpo~rcn! LOIIL'S, staks and ImaI ~ O ~ ~ T I I I I I C I I ~ Y have

cci-tai~l c~11tt:ral char.:ic.~cristics illat Iuvc gr-cat impact i n llcr

sll-l~x[e C L ibr ugity and demc~cratic lcndcrship.

7 p . p 4, ~ T ~ T V S ..,C,I A ~n . L LY CHAPTER TWQ I 1 . Yingcr. Rclicion Socic~y and the individual.

Obcrlin: Ohio, (nd)., pp. 553, 268.

' S ~ w a c h ~ ~ k w c ~ i k c S.S. Irvc. CIiristial& C u l l u r c and Coloninlisln in Al'rica. Dcpt. ul' Religion Studies college of Eciucntio~~ I'orl I Inscourt. ( I985), p. 88.

18 Cyril 0. Imo, "'Thc c l u ~ ~ - c l ~ and thc Rcnlization o f thc cnnls of I Ium311 Rights a11d I)euiocracy," Jouw;~I ul' Iklipion L - ;~nd 1 1 i1i.pat.tmcnt of Religious Studics: I'aci~lty of ----- 1 lumnni~ies. University of 1'/!1; vol. 2, no. 1, (2001 ), pp. 27 -

I n i d , 0sisa - Ntn is !he grcatcsl ol'a11 thc ilcitics.

y-catest said:

\:cia)/ sc-iously ;IS thcy [a!-tc the ~sadition:il gods \vhc11 thc);

Ijiscussing on h c adven t of Islam and Cliristii lnity, Cyril 0.

Alti~ough they w r c aware of l h c csistcnce of l k n i r l fi-om a t - o u ~ d 1472, i l \+xs not u1-1li1 I486 that lhc I'ortugi~csc 1t1adc thcir first contacts with his kinptlom. The h e n Oba ( k i n g ) of I k n i n ,

9 .t Po!itjcd Situittion i ! ~ Trndition:~l R'igemqi:tn Socictics frum CoIuni;ll Il'ccl-iorl to I'rcscrlt

! ~ilimnn[io~l :tbouL oi~c 's 1 I-alitio~l o f - origin 01. lillcage 011

soii:c c i r l t ~ m l rails ~ m t i v a t c s o i ~ c lo ~-evoli~tie)~~alizc oncs

sc:cic!y \\-hen possible. .L'lic need ro cl.catc awal-cncss,

~r~iclcrstandirw, bel~veerl tlic old m c l ~ ~ c w ovcnts oil cuslo~ns

arid [I-actilior~s i r ? a C O L I I I ~ I - ~ Iikc Ligeria ariscs. i'ctcr Nwaopi

s ~ c d t t ~ i r -r 2 c i 11as 3 I I C ~ Y W I V C 01. social

.aw.arencss a11e1 somc dcgrci. of ~lntionalisrn growing gl-adunlly

l 0 31-1-1011g !he 111c1nbcl-s of'lhc socioly.

bi igm-ia st~r~ed ;is ~ I I I ~ ~ I ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I I I I I C I I ~ ~ v i i h hmil ics m c i

i'il~llic gl-i)llps b c h i - c Inany pa~riots' cllbrts to ~r ' an s l ' o~x i i l Lo a

rxtim ~1 I ~ : i l , i t ; l h l ~ ' x i d C C ~ I ~ C ~ U C ~ V C C I ~ V ~ I ' O ~ I I ~ ~ C I I ~ Ibr both the

17 citizcns aid con-ciiizcm tliat arc pattiolic, :IS ;~srcrtcd hy

S ! i ~ d a y 1 Jgv.ok.c.

I!clbl.c tilt arrival o f thc i(uiopca!~ impci-ialists, Nigeria

Iwc! kingdoms i n various ctlulic groups by whish lhil political

a c ! i l > i t ~ i s t r a i i r ) l i s \vcrz car-ricd uui I t is on rccot-d tlow thc

Obas, ClliefS and lildcrs acccp~cd r l l i s s i o ~ ~ a r i c s Tor political

I t is I . C C O L . C ~ ~ tllai \ \ . I ~ c I I fllc I ' o I - L L I ~ L I C S C ' firs[ \ isiiccl I3crii11 in 1485, t l l q crlcluir-cil isl~cll~cr a p 0 \ 4 ' ~ f i l l 1,irlg of tlic interior tlic._c. I l d hcard ol' 1,i::l:; 1112 I I I L I C ~ S O L I ~ I I ~ - ~1f i~1 - 1'1-CS~CI- 501111. '1 '11~' 01x1 of' Ucll i~i 10111 t 1 ~ 1 tl of's p~) \ \~cr l i11 ~~~~~~~~~~~CI I i n i11c lliiitcrl;r~id \\,liosc h c c \iras r ~ c \ ~ c r sccn by l~ i s

o l i i l l i c ~ d o ~ l i clic:l i t j i g i t . 'I'llc il~ilitnry l11at

SUCCHICI tcni~rc i n ot'ficc, C I C C ~ O I - ; I I atrocitics WCI-c cun~mittcd

am.1 h/!nllanladu Lhillari LO& o \ w Sor a reginlc that was SO

:~utocratic that 13abangida tiic 3"' 1 1 C O I I I ~ I I ~ I I ~ C ! ova-~IISCW i t .

; h b m g i d a rulcd fbr cight ycars, and his rcgimc collapsctl for

f';lil~~rc to hnndovcl- to a dcmocrnticiilly clcctcd president,

iLI.K.0 !lbi(il:~, i n n ~ r ~ o s t liw and ['air gcncral clcctio~l oSJunc

12, I C 9 . 3 . 'l'llc latf.t.r d i d in dctentiorl.

:!,ll?;lngicta C I - ~ ~ C L I 11itcrim N ~ l t ional G~vo-nmcnt (JNG)

~ t l ~ e i l ~ W S S U W tms too much 011 hini to Icaw tllc prcsidcntid

ai'f;ct.. C1iii.C Slwnckm hccanlc tile Icadcr duriiig h i s intcr'irn

pi'riod. Abachu tvhu t w h ovcr li-t~nl S!lonckan af'lcr filw

~rmrths ofthe in l c r in~ gr;vzmncnl promiscd nnotllcr rans sit ion

-'A SNT? A, , NOTES TO CHAPTER THREE

3..1gi~a U. Asha. Christianity and CLII~LITE: A Case Study of ~ h w x a , Ikugu: TeeMac Global Communication Ltd., - ( 1 996), pp. 9, 10.

'w. Scntczo Kajubi, African Encyclopedia. 'Islam" I ,ondon: OX~O~LL Uili\wsity I)TCSS, ( 1974), p. 275.

" ~ e t c r U. Clarke., OpCit., p. 20.

3 Kola An i~nasau~~ . "At thc ('t-oss-Roads, Y cs. No?" : I . I 23, 1 IOO63, ( J u n c 2,2002). p. 7. -

- >

!;very religion, especially Christianity, bvhich thc missionaries

Ni~,crians -_ already hail the knou'ledge of God bcfuri. gospel reachccl them. But what made thcir kno\+.lcdge of God fidsc was that thcy thought and beliwcd that t l ~ c living Sod was a Suprcnlc God who should bz \iurshippcd, nciinowlcdged, knuivn, approached7 2nd talkcd tu through the rncciium n f false gocls and gocidcsscs. 7'hesc false a i d countcrkit gods and goddesses arc nothing

involving t11cnisclvt.s i n politics as to clcansc thc dirt I I ~ hcal

t l x i!Is, blorcl, nn this concluded that:

Vlrx,t Aliican indigci~our cliul~chcs siartcd springing u p i ~ r

t l ~ l t I - I! I S I L I S ~ I I diiring tllc 1irsr A s s c ~ n b l ~ i ol' r l ~ c

our co~mtry.

iipon ones culturi.. I t was opined by Francis i that t l~c

h t f anici~tal questions since i l rctliiccs tlic dcbalr of' liSc tv

r-z~atcrial ~ v c l l beil-~g of' tllc socicty. I-lc added that:

I?oll~ i~rban ;\nil 01- I-ulal sctlings \-\;l~osc 111cinbl.r~ cannot

Su :dy you t.cr~icri~bct-, 1 ~ o r l 1 ~ . t - ~ , our toil a i d

Ilntdship; ~ v c \vorl;ccl ~iight ancl day in order not to bc a birrdc~l

to altyollc n l ~ i l e wc pr-cnclled Llic gospcl of' God to you ( 1

.! h ~ ~ s d w i i i t ~ ~ s 2:O). NI V ,

nalnbcr ol.ycars. I-?unl;~r~s 16:3,4 confir~n this. No inatlcr what

i l~c r-o!c o f thc churcli i n the society tliny bc, i l ' i t is 11ot ski l l l i~l

c ~ o ~ i g l ~ fils sclf supporling, i l riiny riot tnakc a headway. 111

c i ~ ~ ~ ! ~ ~ i l i g C O I J ~ ~ ~ I - ~ L Y :LS oiirs, S C C L I ~ ~ I . ski11s, ainong tlic clergy

. . . Wc s v a v c ~ O L I lhis I - L I I C ; "If's 1 1 m \;fill not \\/or-li,

hc s11;11i IlOt Glt," (2 -1t1css. 3: 1 O) , X IV .

jurcrcst ill the social welfare of' thc community wlicrc i t is

p:.ivilc~cs and ii~onopolics over tllcm. 'lqli:lt \\/c call rcatl and

I . . I . S t d Icicnraus. "I'lic A li-ican C'alor~ i~a[im

i\/In~~c.mciit I 8 16- I 86-5. h1c\'r J'ork: Colurn bia Univc~*si ty

I1ross, ( I 96 I )

13. 1-3.

I' Chrdoll Grce~iwood (ccl). Australia: A Social and

thiitical I-listol-y. Australia: i histcad, ( 1 9711, p. 58 .

-7 1 M;lc:u::buci~i IIu!io~ (ctl). 1~I1ilc,solA1y and I'oli tics:

I d : : ; : ~ ~ ~ ; U b ~ ~ c h L I ~ I L I O ~ b i ~ i ~ ! i ; ~ I > ~ ~ t ~ l i s l ~ c r s 1,td-, ( lCj98).p. 280, . - J' -.--. H4d., p.282.

1-3 Ihiolc. Uzcllu PC[-sonal intcwiew by author. I,agos,

h [~?/PIII~;CI. 2 5 , 2003.

CFIAPTER FIVE CHURCH AND POLITICS IN

CONTEhfPORARY NIGERIA.

'I'liis cliaptcr has l i ~ u r sub-divisions, whic l~ cxaminc

5.1 Itcliqion, . . the Military and Poliiics

in discussing this topic. wc shall briufly rcvicw rile

in!l~icncc u f the clii~rcl-I, tlic rolc of t11c 1nilit31-y a d thc

~xjliiiciens i l l Nigeria sucio-political, sociu-religious, and

: ;ocio-cco~io~~~ic c n v i ~ u ~ i i ~ ~ ~ ~ l t .

thc lilih Syllotl of thc Della i>ioccse o f tllc Anglican

11cu ~ U \ ~ C ~ I I I I I C I I ~ lo stcad), pcopic's I i i i i l l in tllc L ~ C I I I O C ~ I ~ ~ C

\ray oi' l i l i . . . . .\V"lilst tllc c l ~ ~ i r c l l pltdpcs its loyally lo, as well

cWi-loll'lic 1 ~ ~ ~ 1 s 01' i \ ' igcr ia~l sociclv wllich t l lcy dcscl-ibcti as

l iwi~ig u11h o zero I I t l ~c 1 0 01' fi,l*csc.c;lhlc

I i l l thc near I . I ( \ iwu~~i lk prcscnrctl sorx of

r lwc w t i c m l soc io - cco~~o~ l~ i c . ~voc..; ilcscribcci in thc

L b ~ I I I L J ~ L I :IS: l l l l i ' l l l / > ~ O ~ ' l l i ~ ~ l ~ ~ i~l-ld L I ~ I ~ ~ ~ I ~ C I J I ~ ~ ~ ( ~ ~ ~ I I ~ J ~ ~ .

oallopi~ig in llkition, p i l c i t y ol' basic I I L I I I I ; I I I needs like fbod, L"

I t h - anel sl~cltci,, inscctiri\), of livc :md pmpcrly,

c o l ~ ~ c s ~ i o n s r.)l'p-is011 \ l i t 11 conscclilc~~l I~callli I~w.~~nls"."

11' tltc. rcfcrc~~cc atrovc is ~~~~~~~vcct. onc \\ ! i l l discovcr

[hat t l ~ c hovk was i l~~l l t~i .cd ilurins the mili\ary rcgilllc. 7'hc

I as n clcrgy~~lan byas ~~cpt-csr.n\iny thc opin io~l of ' 1hc

Various ~*cli:iou.; organi/atio~ls Iia\ o i~ i l luc~~ccd avcl-age

Nigcrialls ailice 1970s. 111 0 all i ~ i i l o ;IS

' ~ l i c C'hr'is~inn C'oi~ncil ol' N i p - i a (C7( 'N) \v:~s 1bi~111cd. 'l'l~i!,

~ O I I ~ . allhough c o ~ ~ s c n ~ a t i \ . c i l l using l i ~ lilt- politics,

u :IS I~i$ly I-cspcc tcd owing to its I C ; I C I C I ' S I I ~ ~ tll;i( \\;IS IIIIL~C'I.

~ ~ ' I Y I I I C ~ S A L ~ I I L I llim, u I I U \\.;IS tllc (h\ ' I ~ O I - of' t l ~ c thc11

i ' l ~ ~ ~ l - ~ l ~ e s i l l Nigeria have i ~ c l p c t l a lot, i l ' not Ibr anything

God

-

A ~ ~ c s ~ c c l and

co~nr~~t in i t j , . 01. I;! ban i ) c v c l o p ~ ~ ~ c n ~ ih);u.tl i l l Knno .

I'cacclill C I I V I I . O I I I I I L ' I I I ;IIIC! ~ I ~ c c ' l l t lijk ;!IT all ~ l i c pcoplc

ol'tliis I U I ~ G I I i i l C 1oukilig rot-. Cl~risti:i~is' vision 01' P C ~ C L ' is :1

~Iil ' l 'crc~~~ order fro111 I I K S C C L ~ I ; I I . iford's ~ ~ ~ i ~ l c r : ; ~ ; \ ~ ~ d i ~ i g . 'l'lic

cll~i~.ch lil~cls i t tlil'iicult to Ircrai nn>,bocly as a x c o n t l class

citizen.

I I Ucc. 1980 / iiprisitig (M\.laihhsinc riot) I

I

, nsllcs i t six otllcrs

I klusiims a n d C'I~ris~ians

I I as Mi!sIiiil 3 ~ 1 i v i . l ; ~ ~

P.

----I ----- -- -- 1 ~ h c i r 1ii;cs.

,- ---- - - -- i

-- -1- -- - .- -. - - - . - - -- 8?11 I I I , i< ; \ i l~111;1 Alarch rtcligious uprising I

i i > o ) ~ t c c l ~ n i c

i 1988 I f i l l i rllc [GK~LJII~

S l a k clcstt.~lc~ion oI' :I

/ C I I : I J X I i r ~ d c r I

1 I A ~ ~ I - I L I I ;IS

C ' l ~ a i i - ~ ~ ~ a ~ l of' t11c

pouws rliat 111 i J iiatc against d c ~ ~ l o c s o c y . C~hurc l~cs cantlot

'l'hcrc are bcautiii~l lioi~scs f'ot. iwl-ship by v~ir-ious cllt~schcs in

arcas, tl-~cy attract the rich and tllc poor itito i t l i ~ r \\?orship.

I:vatlpcl C'ailip SOI- pra)?crs, sigllh, u~ id wc~~it lcrs .

'I'llc voicc 01' Ihc c l ~ t i i ~ l l is 1icn1-rl i n cvcry x c a or Iiiirna~i

cnilcavour i l l Sigcria today. Ih)nifacc P. Otlockc, Obscrvcs

Illill in many inx~iiuiions ihc prcacllillg and icachi~lgs ol'thc

apart Srom lhc bl i~id swing, [ I I C cripple ~ I i ; l t ~ ~ ~ I l i c i I ~ ! t i t . i ~ ~ ~ t11c

gospcl f1)r r l ~ \ a l \ . a t i o ~ ol' souls, ~ h c p ha\,c thc l o o f

"ND NOTES TO CHAPTER FIVE ;LA

' I Siinccln 0. Ilcsa~inii. '-Rcligion ant1 l'olilics in

111cicpcnticnt Nigu-ia,"Orita ------- - I hadm Joutml of' Rclinious

S~irclic~. Xsiii iI -2, (Juric and !Icccmi-~cr., 199 I ), pp. GO, 6 I . ----.-

I I Ibid. , p. 38

I ? Paul A . Ucclicttc arid GI-a\-sf'orrl Y O L I I I ~ ((cI~).

I l i lcn~~nas of I > L ~ I I ~ C ~ ~ C V in Nigeria. I<ochcstcr: I.lnivcrsity of' ----

Rocllcstcr I'rcss, ( 11197), p. 208.

3 6 Ibid.. p. 2(!. --A

(1 3 Ndubuc/,c 0 (Xi "i\sscll~l~lics of' (;(XI, Nigcri~i ill

I 11 V//lIT)S A \.varcncss C'a~npaign," (Nov. 1 9 , 2002), pp. 2-8.

i ~ ~ s t a b i l i l y ~ i t is I W I so stsictlv. Riots or violcncc at i i ~nes arise

, . l here is thal stark reality ol' pluralism of' I-cligious hclicfk in

by rhc rcligions per sc, but by ihc ntlllercnrs ol'thcsc rcligions.

'I'hcy ilsc rcligion to achieve their cconolnic, social, polirical,

In h'igct-ia, i-clipious tlifii.t.cilccs hauc caused scrics of'

t lie

itica Ily arid dcvcluprnc~itall)~.

pwblc~ns 01' tlicliotomy i11 Nigcri311 rc1igi01-IS :lnd pulitical

aiTait-s, o t l~cr li~ctoi-s \x+l~ic l~ co~i!~-ilx~tc to the cfrects t11at

~ x o p l c workiny on a ~ s u ~ ~ i p ~ i o i l blatlic o n rcliyion include:

poiiticai vices, ctllllic b o u n d q r ad j~rstr ric~lt among otlicrs.

I<cligior~ h;~s co~ltiiluctl to gctie~xtc ;inel cnycndcr

p~.trblenls in ttlc nttcmpt to bc~ild a united Nigcrin.

1 ~ 1 x 1 1 :IS a 1~1igio11 IIC\ .CI - ;ippc;i~-s as ;I I - C S O L I ~ C C 1~111 :IS ~ l ~ ~ ~ ; ~ ~ ,

- . i11;lt i s i 1 1 I i s i ~ s and other ~loli-h,l~islinl ai~cl no,,-

Christim "i.cli yious'? groups in l l i c last Iiall' US llic 30'" ccnticry

cnpngccl in scries of ~111tolcl v,;;il-s : l g i \ i~~~t ~ L I I I ~ I C I - cxp311sion 01.

I s i m .

'l'hc C'liristi:~i~s it1 tllc n o r l l l :-;ul'lbl-cd u11[o1(1 I i r ~ n ~ i l i . < I t ' 1011s

religion, i t is not :il\\'ags casy to pcnetratc the n o n - M u s l i ~ ~ ~ s . I t

r - / \~-~lc-r icu and otllcr allicd c ~ ) i ~ l ~ t r i c s are f?gll[irlg agili~lsf. I l l i

Isiclici, bcl i c \ w that jihad crca tccl tilatiy pro blc~ns ill both

aplxw;icli lo issues ;is lo li.:nitl-~ pt-vlnincntly also. Whcn ~IICI-c

l'hc conspiracy h t i Icci to tllc f?rst coup d'ctat was bclicvccl

by solnc Muslims to have bccn puq~oscd by thc Chsistians.

cornpctition. I'his is why Allanotu citcd Zcc~iat, ihc wife oS

rnaIIam Ibrahim al-Zakzaky, a %aria based scholar and tllc

Our livcs arc yovcrncd by 1Ciili. laws so as blusli~ns, ci.t~at rolc Ilavc. wc to play in n system which is not opc~xtctl i n accosda~lcc with the laws of' AIlal~? T i c o~ily thing the Muslim community can tlo is to break away rrom this jalliliyyn and stril'e to sct up in its place the system which Allah has dcsigncd Tor us. This is what Shcllu Uth~uan did, antl llc succcetlcd i l l dismantling thc KufY

30 systcn~. . . this is what ivc arc trying to do.

locic o ~ i c clay. I-le crijoincd the

communitics in Nigeria to bc

a d d d that 1 - 1 0 body

4.; I csploclc.

i\' yood : )ver.imcc :jceks ihc li~vout+ aticl supports of

cob cr;lc(l 1, , I 1; m y rlnccmst itutitr~ial practices to

: ~ l s , *~dr cithw 1 . t : l . i i r ~ or [ w - t 0~111c 1a11d. shasia a ~ ~ c q l o r l

! i , y !blamI~: rclit~io~rs i i i s ! ~ r ~ h ~ c c docs nol p r u p ; ~ g ; ~ t ~ h ~

IbAigioi~s violcncc, likc othcr. forms of' violcncc, is costly in tcr~ns of human and 111ateriaI wourccs. I t is a lot beltcr ancl far more clcsirablc to avoid contentious rcliyious aclivitics than to alloic thcrii to gct 011, 01' hatict. 'I'liu cslcnt to ivliicl~ religion is ablc to stabilize the socicty and cl-caiu an c~iabling cnvi ron~nent Tor democracy 21111 gow1 pvcrnance to thrive would depciid, by and lurgc, on ivhat s tudc~~ts and thc largcr society r d e oi' it. I t will also dctcrmine in what shapc Nigci-ia usllcrs in thc Fourth ICepublic: and indcccl,

,) 4 thc ncst mi1Icnni~1nl.

c o m ! i ! ~ n c l ~ t . [Icligioll c;lu:;cs onc to gct rich in the right bvay

n : ;~! izahi l o r political stability. 'l'iie sllapc of most societies is

structured by thc u~ ldc r s t a~d ing of llaw much thc hands of

3!i!:c!-i:1 .- as :r country.

'l'hcrc lia:; ncvcr bccl~ any government in the nation that

l'llc rclatiorlship bct\~vccn rcligion and thc stdc cannot bc over

cniplinsizetl, evcu in Nigerian situation. 'l'llc religious affairs

thc stand oFNigcrian7s constitution, which dcclares thc nation

tilt cliurch will attract to Nigerians in future. For this religious

i~illucncc: oil Nigcrian socicty, rcligious pundits argoc that the

t!li~lgs that build t l m thc things t t io t divide both tllc n a h n

individuals.

( h a t Ilavc allowed ~iiany to mdce God an ally in thcir sinful

l i b s t y lc), cannot allow hcrscl f to bc iniiltrutcd or be swcpt

away li-otn hcr spiri t~~al moorings. 'l'llc church pi-caches

agaimt injustice: human rights violi~tion, tiepriviny people of

thcir ilitcyrity and applauding the so-called finallcia1 "pillars"

in the cl~i1rc1-1 or- society.

The chtrrch's leadership stops individual Christians

lSmm following the prcvailiny socictal wrongs and injustices.

I t \ \ a m s seriously against the dnngcr or allowing thc sceming

It is a divine knowledge given to t l ~ c church to

not rnatcrial things but rnoral. Shc ~lndcrstands and tcaclles

n.ca!tli, or to pursue i t rccklcssly, at thc loss of' otic's soiil.

Ulteje lias outlincd things that he Tclt would bc of' liclp in

bringing about ~lational survivnl in iliis 2 1 " C C ~ ~ I I . ) . .

'rhc survival 01' rhc peoples of the Fcticration of Nigcsia in thc 21" ccntuty can only bc assurcd on thc basis oS tllc 1:cclcration of Nigeria scrving as one of thc corncr-stoncs of rapid and systen~atic Wcst Afi-icm and ASrican intcgmtioti at the ccolozic:!l, inilitaly, cultural and political lcvc!s. 4 7

Tllcrc was no psovision ibr tlic C I I L I ~ C I I , psaycr, and or moral

instruction at icast, tl~ere fbre neglecting thc "potcnt Sorcc" for

cnervclti~lp which o n l y [he cliurcii or rcligion in gcncml can

p-ofli'r. Golie arc [he days \v he11 [lie chu I-chcs wcrc cc~~lccr-ncd

olily with the millcnnial vision o r lire aster- 1lcr.c.

I lardly :u-c cliurcllcs r l i a ~ do 1101 I-ccogtlirc lllc socio-

political aild socio-cco~ro~iiic rcalitius n l ~ c l conditioris that

sut~-ound Illem, lor a bcttcr societal life. O w ui' tlic rcasons

11 is for tllc liberation of

i n this 2 l ccntury. Illlo

I t was only 1 1 tllc sistcc~i ti1 and scvc~itccntll ccntusics that thc concepts of hi111lu11 and democracy c~ncrgcd as instruments i n tlic political struggle for tlic It'gal sccirrity of tlic individual against tllc cocrciori of slatc. 1-Iowcvcr, thc cli~rrch has strcsscd tlic conccpts niorc wilhin this t~vciitietli ccn t~11.y cvcil though churcllcs in Niqcria L arc yct to be fblly couscicntiscd in

this arca. Although thc lbrnan Catholic church n n s not ignorant or silent aboul thc problcm oS human rights in mcdicval and 17"' and 1 8'" 4 g ccnturics.

'l'hc church is protlucitig pcople who would be morc actively

i~lvolved i n tlic m:tttcrs of social ~~~~~~~~~n: pso~i~ot i~ ly Iiunian

rights :~nd polilicnl dc~nocracy. ~o

I t is the cducatcd clitc who u:ill stand boldly ro spcok

sensit i~ing and conscic~ltising tlic domin;~nt low status groups

i l l ille socicty about thc issues of lw~nan rights and propcr

clcniocrati~ation of Nigcria as a country.

Inlo wllo bclicvcs that c l c ~ w c ~ x y is thc t ~ o s t viablc

option ['or Kigcria, cited t l~c Catholic Llisliops' comt~~uniqub,

prxtiicc of human rights i n Nigcria. Thc co~nrnunicluC states

That t l~c wcakcst in thc socicty, thc very young, the

w r y ulcl and thc vcsy poor bc given voice and carc; that cvcry

N i g c r i : ~ ~ ~ bc Srec to travcl, to work, to Iivc with sccurity

anywhcrc in Nigcria and wordlip according to his or hci.

co~lscioncc; that tlivcrsc cr-ccds and tribcs bc 1.cconcilcd in ;In

instrument of understanding that our laws hvourctl status

cstablishcd scliyion and p u p i~~tcrcs[ I t t l~c charter on

hunran rights be ilccepted; that chccks of Ssce spccch and fi-cc

prcss, u~ld balance ot' indepcnclcnt judiciary 1 7 ~ C I C S ~ ~ I I C C J tu

proinote dcmocl-aric gu\lcrn~rlunt and institutions; that the ~ u l c 4 0 US law prcvail.

'I'lic C ~ L I I - C I I is 1 1 1 x 1 ~ to bc bold errough in speaking her mind

011 political ~nattcrs, social concerns, end religious valucs in

small ~ninority in 1xgc political m c l ~nilitary Icadcsship uf this

country, i t lias produccd ycople with many religious,

philosophical, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Tlic ch~trch

can exist today within thc Nigerian political li.amc\wtbk with

cnouyh soci:ll spacc without losilly its distinctive itlcntity anti

community lik. Nigcrin of to~nornrw will not t x a battlclicld

diffcrs in vxious countries according to the soc '

and socio-cultural attit~ldcs ol'such statc towards a1

C Ir rr rrh

bct ivcc n

"Thc succcssiw cspcditiolis of' thc British, thc

thc Nigcr to bc discovcrcd. As was sponsored by thc L.onclon-

based AlYican Association h i s exploration did not only tlispcl

thc ignorance of' tllc hitltlc[l sourcc of River Nigcr bu t paved

tlic way for thc growth of thc tradc which was "lcgitimatc"

and was to [:kc thc pl:icc of slnvc tradc that had bucn

did lot spill over into another or was lot givcn any

strong influcncc aver Nigeria, did what i t liked militarily in

Nigcsia. Shc \\.as also vcry ciircful io cnsurc that n o military

111 this i i u r k thcy n.crc supporrcd by thc British goiwnmcnt \vhicl-~ not only saiv i t ;IS a way of "civiIi/ing"Nigcria~ls but also of cstcndiny Hritish inlli~cncc in the country, which. i n truth, woiild lhcilitote thc subjugatio~l of the citircns. I n attempt to acconiplish this task, thc nlissionarics built cIiiirc11cs and schools, dabblcd i l l local

Ilalting. Nigeria is yct to sirccccd in the i~~stallalion ol '~l~odcrn

vnlucs and tradition owing to tlic conqilcst 13ritain.

thcir cou~itry. Tlic Uritish govcrn~ncnt cstabiislicd contact

ahcad t c ~ asscst that:

I3cfore, lio\vcvcr, Clscat I1ritain could conrliicr Nigcria i t

had to know a grcat dc;d about tlic pcoplc and thcir country.

i s lalowlcdgc x a s lacking at tllc hcginniilg o thc

ninctccnth ccntury. Uritish slavers, of coursc, had visi~cd the

Nigcl-icln coast i'ur a long pcsiod before thcn but British-

Insread oL' prcsentitig politics to thc pcoplc or Nigcria as a

present i t as n mcnns oS PI-onioting tlic common qood or tlic L

P . common all'air.; o l ' thc public. I licy M'CSL' busy pursing tlicir

trade ~vhic1-1 only scrvccl their privntc intcrcst. When p~ l i t i c s

privatc cnd-the result lcd to John i l uun ' s nsscrtion that:

'fliis sort of politics can only tdic pl:lcc within an

np~wpria tc Tr;~~iic\w~*k. 111 Nigeria, since thc Sccond World

War, scveral items collstitutcd llii; fi.aincwork. Ni yeria

continued to dcpc~id on Corcign markcts for thc cxport of

tlic background of' our polity. I,;lior~g Etuk ~nadc a thorough

Nigeria's 11~111311 and material- rcsourccs arc i~nlncnsc

enough to translate this cuuntry into sustainnblo dcvclopmcnt

clyrlalnic, intclligcnt, a~id cllterp%ing pcoplc. f lcr pctl-olcum,

cod , rind ot11cr rilinc~-a! dcposits arc among thc richest in tlle

d llcr uyricululral potentials, l:rnd, and mfatcr rcsourccs

arc vic-tually ~~nlilnitcd. Thc co~~ntry ' s bcautili~l climatc and

topography c:su support a usidt. ragc of products from tropical 5 5 to tcn~pcratc.

l ' l ~ e soldicrs arc ;~ttrac tcd to Icatlcrship for thcii-

alnbition to test tlrc spirit of power in thc PI-ctcr~cc of

cautioning crring civilinn politicians. A s peoplc in control of

arms a n d amn~unition, tlicy claim that tlicy scizc powcr to

corrcct i~npcnclii~g national sl~ainc or crisis lion1 thc c~.ring

civilian I c r d c ~ s .

But what has tl~cir prcscncc acliicvcd i n our polity?

I-Iavc they really iiiadc ;my dcvclopincntol hcnd way sirlcc

their inany ycnrs o r dictato1-ship? Adcwalc Adcmoycg,

co~n~ncnting on tlic soci;ll ills of Nigcrin said:

\Vould thcsc Im/c bcc~i a drastic changc for bettcr in he coursc ol' Niycrinn history if tlic

I i is obvious 11131 lhc arilicd Sorccs playcd a liiaior political

7 7

111crc is cvcrylhing w~.otlg 1 1 ;I s i tuat iol l that

politically c~llpo\\~crs pcrso~i~icl o f t l ~ c ~ni l i tary i~lstitution, :IS il

sovcrcipll, ovcr anti ahovc ~l lc icgitiniatc constitutiuunl

sovcrcign of (11c slotc. I Icre, thc military institillion has over

thc pcriod bccoi~lc the prctloini~lant political party. R good

llulllbcr 01' its ~ C I - S ( J I I I ~ C I at-r c~llistcd in thc I OCC~ILISC 01'

[llcir quca fI')r polilical r , not to dcl.cnd thc tc~-r ibr id

illtcqrity L or Nigeria. fililitary ~ I I I C h;\s crcalcd its own socio-

years oSObasarljo ill illis give domcxratic era. Di~kor crediting

Military rule has left the slate of Nigeria cvcn in thc

mist ofplct~ty highly impoverished. Public institutions, postal

ayc~lcics, tllc Railway, the Water utilities, KLPA,

' ~ c l c c o ~ l i m ~ ~ n i c ~ ~ ~ i o i ~ , I'sanli i~ntioils I3oards, Pub1 ic scllools,

l<oods, Tclephoncs, Steel conlp:mics, arc all what lhcy arc,

alld :ls wc ~ I ~ O \ Y tlicm LO he thiit is the best the illilitai-)l call

0 1 o l ' h us.

political arcna. Tllcil- grip to Nigcl-iall polity lins ~-c t :~n /~ t l tllc

intcrnai aiiarchy. I t is good tbr the c i v i l i a ~ ~ to rciiiain I

politics.

IK , accept

S thc holy

asscrtcd that:

tllc "[+~l~lclanlc~~ta[ist" hdulillls insist ou the unitary viciv of society a ~ i d advoc:ltc maliiiig

Some til~ics a il~islcatlirlg impwssior~ is give11 in t\iscussion 01' tllc l"hird World, by lun~ping lofcthcl. Cllristian cind lsl:l~nic Siilitlarncl~ta\isn~. I t i s tl-(IC lllat ~ 1 1 ~ latter h r incrcascd c~lurmuusly in

for political t i 1 o11 t l ~ c co l i t l q i , Islanlic

wvcr~xncnt, The distinction bct\~een sccular and spiritual has b

no inc.aniny fo r tllc Musliin. I'hc o111y distinction is bc.t\l$ccn

bc\icrir io(j ( is tilt i t """c' o f

aut\lol.ilv, and [\lc Sharia i s l l ~ l imns by \vhich his u;i\l CU17

I n Islain L ~ K K is no ~loctr inc ol ' t l~c tcmponil a i d wl~icli

alo~ic belongs to tlic state and tlic ctcrnal end which bclotigs

to, and is thc prcrogntiijc o r t l~c c h u ~ d i , no haloncc bctwccn

tlic two, C ; K ~ cqu:iI to tlic otlicr \\,11511 :~clillg i l l its o w spl~ere,

each equally dcpcndcn~ on h e o ~ l ~ c r whcn nc~ing i n rhc splicre

oS the otl~cr and n o icnsion bctwccn tlic historic co~n~nunity

allL/ tlic ~ I ~ L I I ' C ~ I ;IS c1.1~1odiari ol' the ~~~~~~~~sa1 colnmon 0 7

eicmcnts in Inrmnn csistcncc.

advocatc ibr :I scciilar stale, tlic conccpl of?dluslims is Islamic

END NOTES TO CHAPTER SIX

ICsm~ctl~ L. Nolin. "1'1-uth: Clwistinnity Muslim," %lusliiji World. Vol., Iv. 03. (Ju ly lC1G5), 1311. 237-245.

"' I bid., p. 15.

pp. 27-35.

5 0 S.O. Abogclnl-i (etl), - Iluligion and Ethics i n Nigcria. I badan: Daysku I'rcss. ( 1080), p.?.

('' I h l GliSfonl. Ali.ican i a i : Its Public Ilolc. North Arinwica: I~ ld ian Univcssity I'rcss, ( 1998). 17.342.

(5 Y J x o b I<. Oluponn and 'I'o>*in Lala Id). RcIi.cion and Society in Nigeria: I lis~oricnl 2nd Socioloaicnl I 'cl-sl?rc~ii~csL I badan: Spectrum I30oks Ltcl.? ( 1 99 1 ), P. 2 1 5.

ihesc socio-poli~icul and socio- religious conllicts. Christian

a . .

of some religious loodcrs, pol~tlclal~s c d cvcn to colonial

In this thcsis, attcinpt has becn niadc to pinpoint certain

sociological, political, and religious 11-cntls h i t influenced

Nipcria's political lifc fi-om colonial era t i l l datc. Assertions

wcrc lnadc attributing to thc important role of Christian

scligion, military political intcncntions and dclnocratic

~ u l i u ~ ~ s .

3. On her I-ulc towai-ds nation-b~~ilding, tllc Christian religion

should regard ilsclr as: a conscience ol' tilt socicty,

cstablisl~cd to guidc all Cllrisriar~s, rcady to give to Caesar

(poiitics) wli:~t is Caesar's and 10 God (rcligiorl) what is

God's; arid, i t should bc rcr-~dy to sec civic education,

Iiu 11 tan r i ~ h t s abuse, crusadc a g a i ~ ~ s l corruption, po\iurty

allcvi;ltio~~, and ~ C I I I O C M C ~ ~ i t o r i g , as part o r iis

BIBLIOGRAPHY

AI~anotu, A ~ r s t i n Mctun~ara. _Kcliqion Stntc : I I ~ Sgcicty

i n Contcinporat-y Al'rica: Nigeria, Sudan, Sot1111 Afr-ica, %aria

and WIo- New Yosk, 1992.

i'lnrkc, Pclcr. 13. West Ali- ica and Christiat~it\,. I.,o~ldon:

Ldivard Amold; 1986.

l;'rcstonc, Paul , I~vangclicals :ITIC! l'atitics Asia, AIYica and Latin America. Unikd Kingdom: Cambridgc CJnivcrsity Press, 200 1 .

Ciiiflbrtl, Paul. Africa11 <'hristianity: 11s Public o c . Norill Alnericx 1 tlrfiail University I'rcss, 1998.

Ike, Obiora L:. Church and Sociclv ill Dialoauc. 1:nugu:

Lay Apostolic I ' ~ i b l i ~ a ~ i o ~ l s . 1000.

N 5 ooyi, John Palrick and Fmnanucl O'manu Edigl~cjc. T \ I ~ Church and Human Rights. Ijebu-otlc: Ijchu Ode C .nhol i~ Diocesc, October 1993.

N w s u , V.A. The Laity nncl rhc Growth Catl~olic Cl~irrch in N&xia: the Oninilsl~a Stnry 1 903 - 1 983. Ali ' i~am-FF,B Pirbliskci-s Ltd. 1990.

Oclc, John Okweze . Christians Politics and thc Nigcriatt Ililema. Abakil iki : Sntlap I'rcss, Ijtd., 1999. --

Okolo, C ' l ~ u k ~ v u t i u ~ n 13. (ccl). 'r'hc I ~ b o - Church and QLICS~ h r God. Ohus i : Ananibrn Statc, Pacific C'ollcyc Prcss, 1985.

O~i\wbiko, K.H.C. I listory o F West Africa. Ol~itshn: Af i icma -FEE3 Publishers I,tcl., 1985.

Yingcr, J.M. Relii$~n Socicty and the Individual.

Obarli~i: Ohio, IN^.), p. 557.

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Particl~lars of the lnterviewees

Olbmn, C:. ibelo. I'ersonal intcrvicw by author, Jos: Junc 18, 2002.

Omadqja, Veronica. I'csso~xd intcrview by author, IJmudim Nncwi, Dcc. 8, 2003.

O~~eneltc , Eonifkc I-'. Personal intcsview by a~~tl lor , General flospital Iyicnu, Ogidi, Jan. 4, 2003.

Otti, Dc~ljalnin. I'ersonal interview by author, Enugi~, Dcceinber 2, 2003.

Pcterside, Joseph 0. Personal intcrvicw by author, Ihisina, Dcc. 1 2, 2003.

Smart, M.J. I'crsonal intel-view by author, Abakiliki: Octobcr 17,2002

Ugwolte, Anthony. Pcrsonal intcrview by author, 1'111. July 27, 2003.

Ugwoke, Sit~~dny. Pcrsonal intcrvicw by author, Enugu, August 19,2003.

Ugwu, Francis, Pcrsonal interview by author, Enugu, Dcc. 12, 2003.

Uwurtka, Jcuhcy. I'crsonal intcrview by author, Eni~gi~czikc, April 2,2003.

Uzcllc, Emule. Pcrsonal intcrvicw by author: Lagos. Nov. 25, 2003.