SHARIA, SECULARISM AND POLITICAL MANIPULATION IN NIGERIA BY DR. AUSTIN ORETTE
Nigeria is a constitutional democracy founded on the principle of secular governance. In my view, democracy and the institutionalization of Sharia as a national legal framework are fundamentally incompatible. Those who seek to replace Nigeria’s constitutional order with a religious legal system should first confront the implications of such a proposal for our national unity.
Religion is, and ought to remain, a personal matter. Once it is introduced into the machinery of government and public administration, it ceases to be merely a matter of faith and becomes a political issue. It must therefore be debated politically and constitutionally.
As far as I am concerned, Sharia has no place as the governing legal system of a modern, pluralistic democracy. Even Nigeria’s imperfect Constitution remains supreme and cannot be subordinated to any religious code. Our nation should be governed by constitutionalism, reason, justice, scientific advancement, and the rule of law—not by religious doctrines.
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Nigeria is neither an Islamic state nor a Christian state. It is a diverse federation comprising people of different ethnicities, cultures, and beliefs. Our Constitution guarantees every citizen the freedom to practice or reject any religion without coercion.
History teaches us important lessons. Christianity underwent centuries of reform and eventually accepted the separation of religion from the state in many democratic societies. In contrast, many Islamic societies continue to grapple with the relationship between religious authority and civil governance. These differences deserve open and honest discussion without fear or intimidation.
Northern Nigeria, where Sharia operates in several states, continues to face enormous developmental challenges, including widespread poverty, insecurity, illiteracy, child marriage, and violent extremism. While these problems cannot be attributed solely to Sharia, they raise legitimate questions about whether religious legal systems have delivered the social progress many promised.
Since Nigeria’s admission into the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), many Nigerians have expressed concerns about the increasing influence of religion in national affairs. Whether those concerns are justified or not they deserve serious public debate in a constitutional democracy.
Religious extremism remains one of Nigeria’s greatest security challenges. The nation has suffered immensely from terrorism, insurgency, and sectarian violence. Any ideology that seeks to weaken our constitutional order or diminish the rights of citizens must be firmly resisted through lawful and democratic means.
Nigeria existed long before Islam and Christianity arrived on our shores. Our ancestors had their own systems of governance, justice, spirituality, and culture. Yet, despite this heritage, national recognition is overwhelmingly given to holidays associated with imported religions, while African traditional religions receive little or no official acknowledgement. This imbalance deserves thoughtful national reflection.
Neither the Nigerian government nor any public institution should promote, finance, or privilege one religion over another. Public funds should not be used to sponsor religious pilgrimages, whether to Mecca, Rome, or any other sacred destination. Such pilgrimages are matters of personal faith and should remain the responsibility of individual believers.
The role of government is not to establish religion but to protect the constitutional rights of every citizen equally. A truly secular state neither suppresses religion nor endorses it. Instead, it guarantees freedom of conscience while remaining neutral in matters of faith.
As an African, I believe our future should be shaped by constitutional democracy, equal citizenship, scientific progress, and respect for human dignity—not by religious supremacy or sectarian politics.
No Nigerian should be compelled, directly or indirectly, to live under a religious legal system against his or her convictions. Freedom of religion necessarily includes the freedom from religious coercion.
I have no objection to any individual practicing Islam, Christianity, or African Traditional Religion privately and peacefully. What I reject is any attempt to impose religious law on the entire society or to erode the secular character of the Nigerian state.
If Nigeria is to survive and prosper, we must strengthen our commitment to constitutional democracy, protect the separation of religion and state, and ensure that no group uses religion as an instrument of political domination.
Enough is enough. Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians—not to any religion, ethnicity, or ideology. Our common future depends on defending liberty, constitutional order, and the equal dignity of every citizen.
DR AUSTIN ORETTE, A DELTA SOUTH SENATORIAL CANDIDATE, WRITES FROM OWHELOGBO IN ISOKO NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER 30TH JULY)
