The Founder of Christ the Light Gospel Church, Reverend Solomon Olusegun Aremu, has revealed that the intervention of politics in matters pertaining to religion is responsible for the religious intolerance and religious crisis experienced in Nigeria.
Making this observation during a media chat with CEOAfrica on its online television programme Community Today, Rev Aremu noted that religious intolerance in the country was aggravated by the intervention of politics in religious affairs as well as the insatiable thirst for wealth and power.
Noting that Nigerians had once lived harmoniously with one another despite the country’s religious diversity, Rev Aremu explained that disharmony and religious fanaticism began to take root among Nigerians when religious leaders began venturing into politics which inadvertently introduced politics into religion.
He said “Thirty or forty years ago, Nigerians lived peacefully. Muslims and Christians intermarried and even those that practiced the traditional religion accorded respect to every other religions. Then, there were no religious intolerance. However, things began to change when people took religion into politics and brought politics into religion.”
Rev Aremu (R) with Mr Cletus Ilobanafor (L) at the Media Chat
Rev Aremu explained that the love of money and power lured some religious figures into politics, adding that many ministers of God are serving the interest of politicians by ignoring the truth and praising their actions. He said “Many people were not called but because of their love for money, they started carrying flags for political parties.
“Also, those who claim to be men of God and are supposed to be guiding the politicians to do the right thing are now being controlled and directed by the politicians. This is happening because everybody seems to be concerned about financial gains. A lot of Christians have lost their focus and rather than serving God, they are serving man.”
The Cleric further stated that the country’s leaders are also indirectly responsible for the religious resentments among Nigerians as they introduced religious bias and sentiments in making political appointments and governmental policies. “Our leaders can also be faulted in the issue of religious intolerance because they sometimes use religious sentiments to award political appointments,” he said.
Reacting to the recent policy to expunge religious knowledge from school curriculum, Rev Aremu expressed displeasure at the policy, stating that the teaching and learning of religious knowledge in schools would help bridge the gap between the two religions and ensure a more harmonious relationship among practitioners of the two religions.
While he noted that proscribing the different religious bodies from Nigeria is not the best solution to religious crisis, Rev Aremu urged Nigerians to turn to prayers in order to restore the nation back to its peaceful state. “We need to go back to prayers and to preaching the gospel. Religious leaders should also check themselves. God will renew the nation if religious leaders refocus their vision on pleasing God instead of man,” he advised.
