1.1 Background to the Study
Religion for Nigerian people is a
set of beliefs and practices based on faith, which are 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.