Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

Reaction to the proposal to make religious education compulsory in Nigerian schools.

Nigerian Humanist Movement wishes to register its opposition to the move by the Federal Government to make `religious education' compulsory in schools as a way to tackle corruption and moral decay.

There is absolutely no connection between `religious education' and the moral regeneration of any society instead there is an overwhelming evidence that religious education causes hatred intolerance, honour killings, bloodletting, oppression of women, child abuse and other immoral acts.

Besides, if there is one form of education that continue to dominate child upbringing, family life and the school system in Nigeria , it is religious education. So the prevalence of social vices and general indiscipline in the country is actually due to failure of religious education, not lack of it. The proposal to make religious instruction mandatory will further corrupt our school system. It will undermine academic freedom and intellectual growth. It will turn our schools into religious indoctrination centers and breeding grounds of religious fanatics and terrorists.

Again making religious lessons mandatory will violate the nation's constitution which bars the state from interfering in religious matters. It will infringe on the rights and liberties of Nigerians - both religious and non-religious. It will undermine democratic values and make religious oppression, exploitation, tyranny and abuse a state policy.

Humanists are calling on President Musa Yar'adua to drop this dangerous idea and instead, to work towards introducing moral education and eradicating all forms of religionus indoctrination in schools.

THE SULTAN'S  ATTACK ON SECULARISM

Nigerian Humanists are deeply concerned about the recent statement by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III urging muslims to spread Islam in order to counteract the growth of secularism.

He said, "The rise of secularism and the increasing activities of Western evangelical organizations have made it all the more urgent that the message of Islam shall be heard loud and clear" This statement is literally a declaration of Jihad and an attack on the founding values of the Nigerian nation. It is a clear indication of the plan by the Sokoto Caliphate to bring Nigeria under an Islamic theocracy and Dark Age. At a time when religious fundamentalism is on the rise globally, such a statement is capable of fueling tension, hatred and disharmony between muslims and non-muslims especially in northern Nigeria with its long history of religious violence and bloodshed. Humanists support secularism and separation of religion and state.Seuularism is not anti-Islam Secularism is not anti religion. The  secular framework protects and safegaurds the society from  the excesses  and abuses by religious  faiths

The rise of secularism is good for Nigeria (and the World). Humanists enjoin every liberal progressive and open-minded Nigerian to support the growth of secularism and the secularization of the Nigerian state. As a religiously pluralistic nation, it is imperative that the state be secular - and that the public space be secularized. Because it is only a secular Nigeria that can guarantee the equal rights of all Nigerians to spread their faiths and beliefs in a free peaceful and mutually respectful manner.

 Leo Igwe
Executive Secretary,
Nigeria Humanist Movement.