The situation of the church in Nigeria

nigeria

Victory for Umaru Yar'Adua in the April 2007 presidential elections could prove crucial in determining the outcome of Nigeria's long-running religious tensions.  A Muslim, Yar'Adua was governor of Kastrina when the state adopted Shari'a Islamic law back in 2000, one of 12 to do so. But Yar'Adua insisted at the time that non-Muslims in his state would be guaranteed security and independence. Now, many expect him to uphold the rights of Christians as well as Muslims, noting how his bid for the presidency was backed by the then incumbent, Olusegun Obasanjo, a leading Christian. As President, Yar'Adua has pledged to uphold his predecessor's commitment to social and religious cohesion.

But for Nigeria's large Christian population, religious freedom in a Shari'a system is hugely problematic and as yet there is no sign that the tensions of the past will disappear. In principle Shari'a law does not apply to non-Muslims in civil and criminal matters. And yet, the lives of many non-Muslims in Nigeria have been affected in various ways. In Kano State public consumption and distribution of alcohol is banned; in other states alcohol can only be consumed inside federal buildings like police stations.

One priest told Aid to the Church in Need that indigenous people from Kano who refuse to abandon their Christian names risk losing rights and privileges. According to sources in Yobe state, a Christian name alone bars an applicant from a government post, In Zamfara State many public facilities are strictly segregated by sex. Meantime, in Maiduguri, Borno State, a source close to ACN spoke of a ban on Christian public rallies and outdoor services. The source said indigenous people in the region who had converted to Christianity risked being killed by extremists.

Christian communities in the 12 Shari'a states have experienced widespread religious intolerance and discrimination. These include Christian students and teachers facing trumped up charges for blaspheming against Islam, a court action which forced them to leave school. Elsewhere, Christians are repeatedly denied permits to build churches and cemeteries.

Church buildings are destroyed after being judged illegal. Christian teenagers are abducted and forced to convert, especially girls given in marriage to Muslim men. And Muslims who convert to Christianity are intimidated and receive death threats. In some cases, Christians are forced to go before Shari'a courts, even though they have the right not be judged by such tribunals.[i] Other reports describe how Christian girls are compelled to wear Islamic dress in public schools.[ii]

But work to ease inter-religious tension continues. Inter-faith dialogue is strong thanks to initiatives by non-governmental organisations such as Kano's Inter-Ethnic Forum and Kaduna's Inter-Faith Mediation Centre and Muslim/Christian Dialogue Forum. In Kano and Kaduna, sectarian violence has broken out periodically and was particularly bad in 2004. In June 2007 incoming President Umaru Yar'Adua pledged to set up an Advisory Inter-Faith Council to prevent inter-communal violence.

One case illustrates the extreme situation some Christians face. In December 2006, a 15-year-old Muslim named Farida converted to Christianity. Her husband immediately divorced her. Returning to her family home, she was told to revert to Islam. Matters came to a head when Farida's mother asked her to boil some water. The mother then asked her to choose between Islam and being scalded with water. When Farida refused to convert, her mother poured the boiling water on her. Farida's upper torso was seriously injured and she had third degree burns on her arm. Taken into hiding by the Church, she has since given birth to a baby girl.[iii]

[i] Compact Direct News, 10.07.2006; 28.03.2007.

[ii] Compass Direct News, 16.02.2006.

[iii] Christian Solidarity Worldwide, CSW Briefing, 20.09.2007.

 

How you can help


Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) supports several projects in Nigeria. You can support these projects by donating via their national offices.

Below you can find one or more finished projects ACN supported in the past.

  • Five mission stations in the vicariate of Kontagora
    Five Missions in areas of Primary Evangelisation: Bible study for girls @ACN

    The apostolic vicariate of Kontagora lies in the north-west of Nigeria. There are an estimated 50,000 Catholics living within this area. The original apostolic prefecture was founded by the late Pope John Paul II in December 1995 (and raised to a vicariate in 2002) in order to bring the Gospel to the indigenous tribal peoples of the region. Read more >>

  • Completion of five village churches in Koron, Tsohuwa
    Completion of five village churches in Koron, Tsohuwa @ACN

    Father Raymond Nandem is a priest of the Archdiocese of Kaduna, Nigeria. In 2007 he requested ACN's financial support to enable him to complete five village churches. His parish currently covers some 36 villages. Read more >>

Statistics

nigeria2
Population: 148.00 Million
Christian Population: 59.00 Million
Religious statistics:
Muslim 50%
Christian 40%
Animist 10%

Breaking News from Nigeria



Nigeria: Radical Islam and a search for dialogue (Short film)




Nigeria: Radical Islam and a search for dialogue (audio)




Nigeria: Radical Islam and a search for dialogue




Nigeria: Dialogue for Life