Sir: There is an erroneous belief in many quarters that corruption is the biggest problem militating against Nigeria’s progress. Although such insinuation may appear as the gospel truth, it is better to put issues in a proper perspective in order to correct such misconception.
It is true that corruption which has become quite endemic in Nigeria eating very deeply into every fabric of the society is one of the problems, yet, something which nobody seems to think about preceded it and remains the country’s number one challenge, and that is religion.
The greatest mistake Nigerians ever made was throwing away the religions of their forefathers and adopting rather the foreign ones which they hardly understand properly and which seem to water down completely their earlier very strong religious convictions, inclinations and practices. Turning our back at the religions bequeathed to us by our forefathers was like throwing away the baby with the bath water, and since then everything fell apart and the centre has not been able to hold.
In the distant past, the traditional belief patterns had a very firm grip on everybody and the fear of the gods was the real beginning of wisdom. Nobody needed to preach to anyone before each person comported himself well and do the right thing. The few who dared the gods paid dearly for it as they faced instant sanction of very stiff penalties which became lessons to others.
It was a period when cases of stealing, armed robbery, or betrayal by rulers was very rare since whenever any infraction of any kind occurred, the culprits were quickly unmasked and punished publicly which served as big deterrent to others.
But as soon as most Nigerians embraced the foreign religions, it was as if they were gradually released from the firm grip of their strict belief and convictions especially in the consequences and repercussions of misconducts since the new religions appeared too soft and with no immediate supernatural sanction for contravention of ethical standards. Then the surge towards all manners of unwholesome practices began and gradually became very pronounced until corruption infiltrated everywhere.
It was also because Nigeria missed its religious bearings it has remained difficult for the country to catch up with rest of the world as far as technological advancements and breakthrough is concerned.
Conversely, countries like China and India who never at any time abandoned their own traditional religious practices have continued to dominate the technology world while Africa in general and Nigeria in particular remain a mere dumping ground. Right now, there is proliferation of worship centres all across the land, yet, there is neither love for one another nor truth by those who hold key positions in governance, and everything has continued to nosedive because of the current religious insincerity.
Although, it is somehow too late for Nigeria to retrace its steps and return to the old traditional practices which placed a great check and value on individual’s responsibility in the society, at least everyone should have a better understanding of where the national problems emanated from, so that the positive aspects of the local religions and practices can begin to receive attention once again and there can then be a gradual movement towards the resuscitation of some of the traditional religious practices thereby bringing people especially political leaders within the ambit of true accountability, probity and rectitude.
Jide Oyewusi is coordinator of Ethics Watch International, Lagos.
