7. Summary
3.2 Religion in Nigeria from 1970 to the Present
Even though Nigeria is a highly religious country, the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states categorically (in part II: Powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, page LL 24 Schedule 10), that “The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.”85 Schedule 38 page LL 39 further states:
I. every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance, ii. no person attending any place of education shall be required to receive
religious instruction or to take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance if such instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own or a religion not approved by his parents or guardian, and
80 Ishaya, E.R. 1984. “A Search for Identity, Historical Review and Critical Analysis of the LutheranChurch of Christ in Nigeria.” MTh. Thesis, LNTS, St. Paul Minnesota, p. 19.
81 Barrett, Kurian and Johnson, (eds). 2001, p.549
82 Source: www.population.gov.ng Accessed August 10, 2010
83 Kurian, G., 1993., Atlas of the Third World. New York: Facts of File Publications. p.290.
84 Kurian, 1993, p.290
85 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended in 1999, Original, p. LL 24.
iii. no religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupils of that community or denomination in any place of education maintained wholly by that community or denomination.86
This constitutional provision is not completely new. The state had long maintained its neutrality when it came to matters of faith, as evidenced by former constitutions of Nigeria.
Nigeria is therefore a “secular state” and the 1999 Constitution merely affirms its secularity.
However, the people of Nigeria are religious to the extent that they greeted the end of the civil war in January 1970 with thanksgiving to God. This period also marked the beginning of cooperation among the various Christian denominations in Nigeria. Before 1970, it was generally believed that Christians were principally found only in the southern part of Nigeria, namely the former Biafra. This perception was not taken kindly to by Christians from the north where deliberate efforts were made to raise awareness among the southern Christians that indigenous people in northern Nigeria also belonged to the Christian faith.
During the 1970s Pentecostal movements in the south-western region started moving into northern and eastern parts of Nigeria. As mentioned earlier, most Pentecostal evangelists were graduates from the universities at Ibadan and Ife, who had been influenced by Pentecostal evangelists and materials from Europe and the U.S.A. The churches in the former Biafra suffered when, after the civil war, the government nationalized church-run hospitals and schools. Barrett explains what happened to the Catholic Church.
After the war in January 1970, the church in Eastern Nigeria experienced great changes. 300 priests and 200 sisters were expulsed. All the primary schools and secondary schools were nationalized. The Nigerian priests that were left were inadequate because some priests were put in charge of 5000 Christians to one priest.
Vocations, for example the Youth Block Rosary Movement expanded rapidly. The movement gathered people within their quarters for prayers, singing and Bible studies. The movement was officially recognized by the hierarchy and integrated into parish and diocesan structures. 87
The „Youth Block Rosary Movement‟ had been started soon after the civil war ended, with the sole aim of encouraging spirituality among Catholic youths in the eastern part of Nigeria. The members of the movement do meet every evening to say the rosary together. In this way, they strengthen one another. The movement is still very active today and its contribution to the growth of the Catholic Church in Nigeria is immense. It has encouraged
86 Nigerian Constitution as amended in 1999, p. LL 39-40.
87 Barrett; Kurian; and Johnson, (eds.), 2001, p. 551.
many members to join the priesthood or sisterhood as a vocation, and to become models for Christian life.88
It was for reasons such as those mentioned by Barrett, that churches were forced to start working together and to, sometimes, even extend a helping hand to each other. In 1967 churches in the North had seen primary schools and hospitals taken away from them and in 1972 all secondary schools were nationalized by the extremely unpopular Government.89 Despite this, Nigeria remains fertile ground for the growth of independent church bodies. There were some 1000 distinct denominations or religious bodies registered with government in 1990. The number has been rising steadily since.90
Simultaneously, Pentecostal or charismatic renewal movements have spread rapidly.
In the mid-2000s the renewal movements boasted over 35,885,000 adherents (8%
Pentecostals, 27% Charismatics, and 64% Independents).91 Several groups of Nigerian origin are involved in the missionary enterprise. They have sent missionaries all over West Africa and to many other parts of Africa. Some have representatives working in Europe and North America. But for most the main mission field remains Nigeria.92
Through the country‟s constitutional provisions, all religious groupings enjoy a semblance of religious freedom and seemingly have equal rights and an even playing ground.
The charts below reflect religious adherence in Nigeria from 1900 to the present day as analysed by Barrett in the second edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia. Barrett‟s work is based on some 40 major surveys and atlases of Christianity and of the missionary presence. It covers scholars from AD 535 to 1968 and it presents publications as well as comprehensive information on all types of activities of organized Christianity with data on interdenominational or ecumenical events.
The work is deemed reliable in missiological circles. It is primarily based on information provided by the respective churches on their membership. Barrett states that his work is based on, inter alia, over 5000 statistical questionnaires that were sent to and returned by churches and their national offices, interviews conducted in over 200 countries, unpublished and primary published documents from many countries and a survey of 8000 dissertations.93
88 Eze, Chika, Sister Chika, a Nigerian nun who had been a member of the Youth Block Rosary Movement during her childhood, was encouraged to take up the vocation through the movement. Interviewed at Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal, South-Africa, 8/8/2010.
89 Barrett; Kurian; and Johnson, (eds). 2001, p. 551.
90 Barrett, Kurian; and Johnson, (eds). 2001, p. 551.
91 Barrett, Kurian; and Johnson, (eds). 2001, p. 551.
92 Barrett, Kurian; and Johnson, (eds). 2001, p. 551.
93 Barrett, D.B. World Christian Encyclopaedia, First Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 45.
The statistics supplied by Barrett are confirmed by the national statistical data on Nigeria in 1921 and the Nigerian National Population Commission's projections of 2006 on the current population of Nigeria. The fact that there hasn't been any public and/or scholarly refutation of his projections implies that the work could be considered standard and trustworthy for the time being.
The charts are meant to acquaint the reader with the status of Christianity in Nigeria and to make him/her appreciate the growth of, and the challenges faced by Christianity in the last hundred years.
Chart One: Status of Religious Adherence in Nigeria in 1900
Chart Two: Status of Religious Adherence in Nigeria in 1921
st Edition, p.45.
Christians,
176000, 1.09% Muslims, 4200000, 25.93%
Traditionalists, 11824000,
72.99%
Others, 0, 0.00%
1900
Christians Muslims Traditionalists Others
Christians, 794135,
4.26%
Muslims, 7085983, 38.03%
Traditionalists , 10489619,
56.30%
Others, 16, 0.00%
Northern Cameroon, 261669, 1.40%
1921
Christians Muslims Traditionalists Others Northern Cameroon
Chart Three: Status of Religious Adherence in Nigeria in 1970
Chart Four: Status of Religious Adherence in Nigeria in 2000
Christians, 21723000, 43.81%
Muslims, 21750000,
43.86%
Traditionalists, 5970000, 12.04%
Non-religious,
100000, 0.20% Atheists, 20000, 0.04%
Others, 23000, 0.05%
1970
Christians Muslims Traditionalists Non-religious Atheists Others
Christians, 51123167, 45.85%
Muslims, 48999663,
43.94%
Traditionalists,
10963809, 9.83% Non-religious, 326339, 0.29%
Atheists, 39313, 0.04%
Others, 53804, 0.05%
2000
Christians Muslims Traditionalists Non-religious Atheists Others
Chart Five: Status of Religious Adherence in Nigeria in 2005
Chart Six: Status of Religious Adherence in Nigeria in 2006
Christians, 58123874, 46.05%
Muslims, 55492729,
43.96%
Traditionalists, 12098998, 9.58%
Non-religious,
416897, 0.33% , Atheists, 43235, 0.03%
Others, 56331, 0.04%
2005
Christians Muslims Traditionalists Non-religious Atheists Others
Christians, 59635095, 46.08%
Muslims, 56891145,
43.96%
Traditionalists, 12339768, 9.54%
Non-religious,
437826, 0.34% Atheists, 44065, 0.03%
Others, 56850, 0.04%
2006
Christians Muslims Traditionalists Non-religious Atheists Others
Chart Seven: Status of Religious Adherence in Nigeria 2007
Chart Eight: Status of Religious Adherence in Nigeria in 2008
s
Christians, 61185607, 46.12%
Muslims, 58324802,
43.97%
Traditionalists, 12585330, 9.49%
Non-religious, 459804, 0.35%
Atheists, 44911, 0.03%
Others, 57374, 0.04%
2007
Christians Muslims Traditionalists Non-religious Atheists Others
Christians, 62776433, 46.16%
Muslims, 59794587,
43.97%
Traditionalists, 12835778, 9.44%
Non-religious, 482887, 0.36%
Atheists, 45773,
0.03% Others, 57903, 0.04%
2008
Christians Muslims Traditionalists Non-religious Atheists Others
Summary of the Chart Details Described Above.
1900 Religious Group Population
Christians 176000
Muslims 4200000
Traditionalists 11824000
Others 0
TOTAL 16200000
1921 Christians 794135
Muslims 7085983
Traditionalists 10489619
Others 16
Northern Cameroon 261669
TOTAL 18631422
1970 Christians 21723000
Muslims 21750000
Traditionalists 5970000
Non-religious 100000
Atheists 20000
Others 23000
TOTAL 49586000
2000 Christians 51123167
Muslims 48999663
Traditionalists 10963809 Non-religious 326339
Atheists 39313
Others 53804
TOTAL 111506095
2005 Christians 58123874
Muslims 55492729
Traditionalists 12098998 Non-religious 416897
Atheists 43235
Others 56331
TOTAL 126232064
2006 Christians 59635095
Muslims 56891145
Traditionalists 12339768 Non-religious 437826
Atheists 44065
Others 56850
TOTAL 129404749
2007 Christians 61185607
Muslims 58324802
Traditionalists 12585330 Non-religious 459804
Atheists 44911
Others 57374
TOTAL 132657829
2008 Christians 62776433
Muslims 59794587
Traditionalists 12835778 Non-religious 482887
Atheists 45773
Others 57903
TOTAL 135993361
The charts above show a steady growth for Christianity. The greatest increase took place between 2000 and 2008 when Christianity gained over 10,000,000 adherents in just nine years. It is clear that most traditionalists converted to Christianity, while part of the growth might have been gained biologically.