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Religious Cleavage
Summary:
Nigeria is a religiously polarized country, with Christians dominating the southern part of the country and Muslims in the north, as well as several minority ethnic groups that practice indigenous religions. While the government has tried to unite the people regardless of their beliefs, religious cleavage is still a big impediment to Nigeria’s development. The ongoing Islamic Boko Haram insurgency in the north is currently the most prominent example of this divide.
Religious cleavage leaks to other aspects of Nigerian society as well. For example, Muslim politicians often vie for a government ruled by Sharia law, while Christian politicians strongly oppose. In fact, many states in the north impose and enforce Sharia law, which counteracts the government’s effort for unification. Religion is also the underlying reason for ethnic conflicts. In addition, the Muslim north is skeptical and greatly against Western values. This has resulted in skepticism and distrust with the south, which is accused of being “Westernized.”
Since the end of military rule in 1999, over 10,000 people have been killed as a result of religious conflict. Religion also greatly influences public policy. For example, even though the government of Nigeria accepted a polio vaccination in 2003, the Kano region influenced by religious leaders banned the vaccination. As a result, an outbreak of polio spread to neighboring states and eventually neighboring countries. Kano eventually allowed polio vaccination in 2004 (after 10 months), but by then there were 476 cases of polio in Nigeria. The government’s slow reaction to enforce the rule in Kano demonstrates the amount of influence religion has on Nigerian politics, as well as how different groups differ on certain policies.
Effects on political participation:
As mentioned, Nigeria is divided into two: Christian south and Muslim north. As with ethnic cleavage, political participation in regards to religion is also largely dominated by violence. There are frequent reports of a church bomb or massacres coming from Nigeria. Since religion is not an issue that can be voted on or a field that the government can have a specific say on, political participation is mainly characterized by violence and riots.
Nigeria is a religiously polarized country, with Christians dominating the southern part of the country and Muslims in the north, as well as several minority ethnic groups that practice indigenous religions. While the government has tried to unite the people regardless of their beliefs, religious cleavage is still a big impediment to Nigeria’s development. The ongoing Islamic Boko Haram insurgency in the north is currently the most prominent example of this divide.
Religious cleavage leaks to other aspects of Nigerian society as well. For example, Muslim politicians often vie for a government ruled by Sharia law, while Christian politicians strongly oppose. In fact, many states in the north impose and enforce Sharia law, which counteracts the government’s effort for unification. Religion is also the underlying reason for ethnic conflicts. In addition, the Muslim north is skeptical and greatly against Western values. This has resulted in skepticism and distrust with the south, which is accused of being “Westernized.”
Since the end of military rule in 1999, over 10,000 people have been killed as a result of religious conflict. Religion also greatly influences public policy. For example, even though the government of Nigeria accepted a polio vaccination in 2003, the Kano region influenced by religious leaders banned the vaccination. As a result, an outbreak of polio spread to neighboring states and eventually neighboring countries. Kano eventually allowed polio vaccination in 2004 (after 10 months), but by then there were 476 cases of polio in Nigeria. The government’s slow reaction to enforce the rule in Kano demonstrates the amount of influence religion has on Nigerian politics, as well as how different groups differ on certain policies.
Effects on political participation:
As mentioned, Nigeria is divided into two: Christian south and Muslim north. As with ethnic cleavage, political participation in regards to religion is also largely dominated by violence. There are frequent reports of a church bomb or massacres coming from Nigeria. Since religion is not an issue that can be voted on or a field that the government can have a specific say on, political participation is mainly characterized by violence and riots.
The distribution of religious groups in Nigeria
Useful Links:
http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/67.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/nigeria-1.htm
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1971010,00.html
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2013/04/23/Nigeria-Christians-threaten-religious-war/UPI-73101366742735/
http://www.cleveland.com/world/index.ssf/2009/07/poverty_graft_behind_nigeria_v.html
http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/67.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/nigeria-1.htm
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1971010,00.html
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2013/04/23/Nigeria-Christians-threaten-religious-war/UPI-73101366742735/
http://www.cleveland.com/world/index.ssf/2009/07/poverty_graft_behind_nigeria_v.html