Station 4C – Nigerian case study

Religious groups:

• Christians – in the south of Nigeria – Igbo, Yoruba, and others
• Muslims – in the north of Nigeria – Hausa, Fulani, and others

Discussion questions:

1) What are the historical origins of difference and conflict within Nigeria?

Historically, different tribes and peoples dominated different areas of Nigeria. Eventually, the northern people, thanks to influence from Mali and Songhai Empires, became Muslim, and the southern people were introduced to Christianity from European settlers. Religions basically became associated with a power balance between Nigerians in the 1950s onwards. In the 1960s, more people lived in the north and allowed Muslims to take control of the country, but Christians were upset and decided to stage a coup d’état. They installed a Christian leader and caused religion to become the factor concerning acceptance of a president. Differing opinions caused difference and conflict over who should rule in Nigeria. It was not until 1999 when these differences were finally settled and most people got over a president of the opposite religion.

2) How were domestic religious forces and identities involved?

From 2000 through 2001, the northern states of Nigeria decided to adopt Sharia law (law based on the principles of Islam) because of the Muslim populations in the area, even if the state was majority Christian. This angered Christians because Sharia isn’t something that should apply to them, as they are not Muslim. Furthermore, the constitutional validity of Sharia law is questioned when a clause stating that states shall not make laws promoting a religion is brought up among proponents of Nigerian Sharia. Protests in Kaduna City over the implementation of Sharia law left thousands dead and thousands more displaced after they became refugees of violence and religious persecution.

3) How do issues of sharia, indigeneity, and the census intersect with religion?

Sharia is the Islamic interpretation of law that is derived from the Quran, the holy book of Muslims. Since half of Nigerians are Muslims, Sharia law is something important to these people. Indigenity in Nigeria falls almost on the lines of what religion one is; Yoruba and Igbo are Christian, while Hausa and Fulani are Muslim. The census in Nigeria does not track ethnicity or religion of people and therefore, the census has lost potential in polling the true distribution of Muslims and Christians in Nigeria.

4) Are international influences important in exacerbating or resolving tension?

Almost little international influence occurs on this conflict due to the relative lack of effect on other countries. Al-Qaeda, a terrorist organization, and peaceful non-governmental organizations (NGO), show some interest in either provoking, in the case of ISIS and Al-Qaeda, or de-escalating the conflict, in the case of NGOs and sane people. However, no passion has been taken in this conflict, so the Nigerian religious conflict remains relatively localized.