Religious Crisis May Break Nigeria – Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has warned that the gradual drifting of Nigeria towards a religious war may be very devastating for the country.

He made this statement in Osogbo at a press conference to herald a three-day colloquium organized by the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU) in collaboration with the Osun State government. Prof Soyinka noted that events in the recent past in the country were danger signals of a looming religious war.
Entitled: All comers colloquium with the theme: ‘Fundamental Imperatives of Cohabitation: Faith and Secularism’, the three-day event is expected to bring Christians, Muslims, traditionalists and the likes to together to discuss ways of preventing religious war in the country.
Soyinka, who is the Chairman, Board of Directors of CBCIU, represented by a member of the board, Prof. Wale Adeniran stated that the next war Nigeria may fight may be religious war, having survived the civil war. “I pray this does not happen because this may lead to disintegration of Nigeria as no nation in the world has ever fought a religious war and remains the same,” he said.
He blamed Nigerian leaders for consciously and deliberately using religion to divide the country for their selfish interest, adding that secular nature of Nigeria was very clear. According to him, “religious crisis in Nigeria today is assuming a dangerous dimension. The secularity of Nigeria is very clear. There is no ambiguity about it.”
Discussants at the three-day colloquium include: Professor Dawud Noibi who will speak on Primordial Spirituality as Agent of Development, while Mr. Modupe Oduyoye will handle Religion and Development.