The current state of affairs in Nigeria showcases a significant misalignment between various critical aspects of societal development. Despite grappling with issues such as dilapidated infrastructure, inadequate healthcare facilities, and widespread poverty, there exists a prevailing inclination among Nigerians to rely heavily on religion as the panacea for all challenges. This inclination towards superstition is so deeply entrenched that even a minor headache is attributed to malevolent witchcraft perpetrated by one’s own relatives; poverty as a test of faith necessitating complete submission to a higher power to overcome.
Nigeria boasts a remarkable dominance of the religious sector on the global stage, representing a distinct accomplishment in comparison to its limited strides in economic and technological advancements. The nation is home to some of the largest church auditoriums worldwide and several of the world’s wealthiest pastors. This excessive religiosity sometimes leads to violations of Human Rights, occasionally resulting in the loss of lives. The gruesome murder of Deborah Samuel, for example, serves as a haunting example where “blasphemous statements” against a revered prophet led to her untimely demise.
Undeniably, religion is an opium that hinders Nigeria’s overall development, perpetuating a cycle that diverts attention and resources away from tackling pressing societal issues. Instead of collectively mobilizing efforts to address abject poverty and improve infrastructure, the populace relies excessively on religious beliefs and practices as a shortcut to overcome the hardship plundering the country. This misalignment has left the country caught in a web of socio-economic challenges that could otherwise be effectively addressed through a more balanced and holistic approach to development.
We extensively discussed the impacts of religion in Nigeria in our Factually Truthful, The Truth Is not Biased series, a BantuPage original, where we give unbiased presentation of  socio-economic happenings around the world. Below is the video
Writers:Â – Chidimma ONWUOKWU and Ikechukwu Orji –Â
Narrator: Ikechukwu Orji
