By Bayo Fasunwon

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Religion has existed from the ancient times. To many, there seems to be a little dichotomy between religion and culture. Often times, especially in the Middle East, it becomes hard to determine which came first – religion or culture?  Sometimes, when dressed in certain beautiful attires, the public is skewed to assume that one is the adherent of that faith. One thing remains constant though, and that is that religion is man-made methods and procedures of interacting and getting the attention of a Supreme Being who ‘interferes in the affairs of men’. Amongst the Koma people then, wearing of clothes was alien to them. They still lived in the Edenic times, while being in the 20th century.

Meanwhile, the church and other religions frown at nudity as being tempting and thus sinful. For the traditionalists, men and women may tie a wrapper and expose the upper torso as a form of worship. While it is forbidden for some to eat certain animals for religious reasons, some animals are forbidden for cultural reasons. The Viper which is food amongst the Yorubas in Nigeria, is a sacred deity amongst the Yorubas in Dahomey. So, religion has intermingled with culture and vice versa. The funny thing however is that while Nigeria Christians frown at women wearing trousers to church; American women wear trousers (even jeans) to preach. Have you also observed that when Africans die, and come back to life, most of them relate stories of being taken to visit hell; while the near-death experience of most whites re-tell their journeys to paradise? Are visions racial in nature?

One beautiful thing about religion is the fact that the true history of any group of people is preserved, told and transferred via religion. Through Islam, Christianity and Judaism, one is brought abreast with the history of most of the middle east. For the Yorubas, Igbos and even Hausas, their indigenous religion have become the history books of their origin, challenges and triumphs. It is these religions that eulogise the heroes and demonise the villains. One common feature of these religions is that they all believed in the recycling of people and even events.

So, despite our technological development and differences in time and space, there are part of the histories that address both national and personal challenges, and also prescribe solutions. The claim of superiority and sole access to the Almighty God has been the bone of contention between the various adherents of the different religions. This has become the basis of the ‘poaching’ of many ‘souls’. It may seem hilarious, but it is the fact that those who ‘work at the altar’ have been eating at the altar since time immemorial, while most of the members grope in darkness, laboring to get their ‘daily bread’.

The ‘Isese Day’ declared by most of the South West States reveal a lot about our crave for religion. The way and manner in which people thronged out for the festival of the gods reveal that many people in this region loved their culture and have refrained from public admiration possibly due to their adherence to other religions. Also, it showed that many perceive the Isese as a carnival and are willing to observe the procession. On the other hand, the hypocritical nature of many Africans was revealed. It shows that while they publicly declare to be either Christians or Muslims, they have secretly engaged in the traditional rites of their fathers.

The religion they practice therefore becomes a means that justify their ends.  With ‘Isese’ gathering much followers signify the need for the leaders of other religions to come to the understanding that their soul winning and soul retention strategies have not been as effective as the days of their ‘founding fathers’. It seems therefore that beyond the quest for eternity, which most of those religions preach, the quest for the quenching of immediate thirst and hunger seems a catalyst helping in decision making of choosing ‘this day whom they would serve’.

Religion to many is seeking for the assistance of the esoteric to live and excel in the physical. The supernatural therefore acts as the centrifugal forces that keep the material, body and soul to the man while the devil and mostly the challenges of life are perceived as the central forces that seek to ensure that things fall apart. But in most cases, this perception that beguiled many is wrong and misleading. The major centrifugal forces in Nigeria are the selfish people in power.

Most of the efforts of the law-abiding citizens are wasted and nullified by intentional corruption, inaction and lackadaisical attitude towards the welfare of humanity. Many of the things we actually ask God or the gods to achieve are in the hands of the rulers. We should rather disturb them with everything possible rather than asking the Almighty and the deities to give us light, good roads, working health facilities, build our refineries, destroy corruption and give us good education. God has given to us ‘all things that pertain to life and godliness’ and the ‘blessings of the Lord is given to all to enjoy’.

Government is just creating an illusion by making Nigerians feel that God is our problem. Of a truth, it is a risk being God(s). Religion, according to Majek Fashek is politics, and is a ploy to take from those who do not have and give to those who already have. It was quite appalling to see a man standing trial for his sins carry a huge Bible to the dock when his activities had sent many to early graves in the past. Granting days to the worship of several god(s) is within the spirit of the Constitution, however, let us see how many would crave after the unseen when Government decides in truth and indeed that the citizens are neither slaves nor enemies, and hence must be well catered for. Nigerians have only one prayer point to Government, and that is: GIVE US THE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT TO SUCCEED. God(s) do not wish to be disturbed, except in matters for which solutions had not been provided. All God wants from man is fellowship and integration. So, let those in power fool us no further, rather they should give us our daily democratic dividends.