[OPINION] Religion In Nigeria: How Safe Or Safer Are Nigerians?

According to the latest count by World Health Organisation, the global infection figure was put at a total number of three hundred thousand cases with over forty thousand deaths globally at the end of the first quarter under review.

With the United States of America also affected by total lockdown as announced by President Donald Trump, life equation in all its ramifications has turned upside down for most people in that country. Experts had already predicted that the world may experience a global recession if the pandemic persists further for some months in the current global economic meltdown that may place Africa at the most receiving end.

A church in Texas in the United States of America in the ongoing global crisis recently gathered its worshippers together and distributed out of charity, a huge sum of money ranging from $250, $300 and $500 dollars to fellow members of its congregation. From the spoke person, the money was raised from three different sources to discharge beneficence to the members to safeguard their well being.

Nigerians currently observing precautions stipulated by the National Centre for Disease Control couple with total Lockdown by some state governments including presidential order for a total lockdown of Abuja, Lagos and Ogun State,  religious leaders are the first estate of society espected to identify ninety percent of people that are vulnerable within their various congregations in the present moment of our national crisis.

The beneficent spirit of the religious leaders in the Texas church is really commendable and least expected from capable religious leaders in the country with a conglomerate of followers in a country internationally acclaimed to be ” home to the poorest people on earth.” The same country where God has blessed many spiritual leaders for global recognition needs to reciprocate the gesture on many who are vulnerable and may be subjected to untold hardship at this national period of confinement. Because, the peak of religious teaching is to apply it to promote the perfection of man,  in which his happiness came first, followed by promoting the good of the state.

Religious leaders with opportunities to amass wealth in the country have developed shortcodes and internet apps for their members to make different forms of payments including donations different from the usual conventional methods. So, it may not be out of place if religious leaders at this time donate medical equipment to state governments. However, the puritanical questions that should be asked now is: What provision have they made for deserving members of their folds that are less privilege to sustain themselves with the stay at home order of different governments? Simply put, how safe or safer are all worshippers in a time of needs and crisis? What is the most religious act or duty that can be emulated by worshippers from their religious leaders in a modern and contemporary state? Is religion, to self or towards God and fellow man?

The role of Nigeria faith-based organizations is necessary to help governments to achieve absolute stay at home order by discharging the act of giving to vulnerable members in their midst as a virtue of beneficence. Displaying this act ameliorates the pathetic conditions of poor members from aggravating.

With a total restriction of movement in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, and some other State, concerned governments in their palliatives and economic stimulus-response provision have not identified with more serious cases of both young and old people that are unemployed, and those who eke out their living from daily work that would have to bear the brunt of stay-at-home order.

Therefore, refusal of the nation’s spiritual leaders to show an example of the practice of beneficence to followers is the neglect of deep religious practice that can redevelop the leadership and the followers of the country to the right path of patriotism, greatness, and prosperity that is conspicuously missing in our national life.

It is now more of concern to the souls of several worshippers at this moment of exigency to find out, if religious teaching and practice in Nigeria still rest on religious practice from religious leaders, especially among those that are fully capable? Or, how do we claim that they are molding the souls of their congregations and that of the country from a societal level, considering their eminent position as the first estate of society?

With more people in the country likely to face tougher life challenges with the current global infection due to hunger, temporary job loss and permanent increase in unemployment, insolvency, and default in bank loans that may trigger serious health challenges and impulse to commit crimes.

religious leaders should provide the lead for the country to re-cultivate a renewed mind for government and the governed to imbibe virtues of love towards God, the country and fellow citizens with integrity. True religion inculcates both virtues and duties; opinions and actions. It is time to allow good examples to follow all precepts in other to guide the future of our country and the life hereafter.