Religion in Nigeria
Encyclopedia
Several religions in Nigeria exist, helping to accentuate regional and ethnic distinctions. All religions represented in Nigeria
were practiced in every major city in 1990. However, Islam
dominated the north and had a number of supporters in the South Western, Yoruba
part of the country. Protestantism
and local syncretic
Christianity
are also in evidence in Yoruba areas, while Catholicism
dominates the Igbo
and closely related areas. Both Protestantism and Catholicism dominated in the Ibibio
, Annang
, and the Efik kiosa lands. The 1963 census indicated that 47 percent of Nigerians were Muslim, 35 percent Christian, and 18 percent members of local indigenous congregations. If accurate, this indicated a sharp increase since 1953 in the number of Christians (up 13 percent); a slight decline among those professing indigenous beliefs, compared with 20 percent; and only a modest (4 percent) rise of Muslims. There has been growth in the Christ Apostolic Church
(the first Aladura Movement in Nigeria) and the Aladura Church, an indigenous Christian sect that was especially strong in the Yoruba areas, and of evangelical
churches in general, spilling over into adjacent and southern areas of the middle belt.
In general, however, the country should be seen as having a dominant Muslim north, a mixed Christian and Muslim Southwest and Middle belt, a non-Muslim, primarily Christian South East and South-South, with each as a minority faith in the other's region.
In terms of Nigeria's major ethnic groups religious affiliations, the Hausa
ethnic group in the North is 95% Muslims and 5% Christians, the West which is the Yoruba tribe is 60% Christians and 30% Muslim with 10% going to adherents of other African religions while the Igbos in the East and the Ijaw
in the South are 98% Christians (Catholics) and 2% practice traditional religions. The middle belt
of Nigeria contains the largest number of minority ethnic groups in Nigeria and they are mostly Christians and members of traditional religions with few Muslim converts.
is one of the religions practiced in West Africa
.
Nigeria has one of the largest Muslim
populations in West Africa, 50.4% of Nigeria's population. Islam was introduced to northern Nigeria as early as the 11th century and was well established in the major capitals of the region by the 16th century, spreading into the countryside and toward the Middle Belt
uplands. Shehu Usman dan Fodio
established a government in Northern Nigeria based on Islam before the advent of Colonialism. The British Colonial Government therefore established indirect rule in Northern Nigeria based on the structure of this government. Islam
also came to South Western Yoruba
-speaking areas during the time of Mansa Musa
's Mali Empire
. The Yoruba colloquially referred to Islam as "Esin-Mali" or some will say "Esin-Mole", which means religion from Mali. Muslims in Nigerian practice the Maliki
school of jurisprudence and are mostly Sunni Muslims, The Shia Muslims of Nigeria are primarily located in the Sokoto State
.
Nigerian Islam has become heterogenous with the springing up of many islamic sects.The notable examples are the Izala movement , the Shite movement,and many local Islamic sects that have limited expansion.This new sects are opposed to the traditional Nigerian Islamic teachings of the Sufi brotherhood and are gradually alienating themselves from the main Islamic body.
, Maitatsine
, Darul Islam
among others.
These sects have sometimes resorted to the use of violence in a bid to realizing their ambitions on the wider Islamic and Nigerian populations as a whole.
The rise of this radical movements has been attributed partly to the poor socio economic infrastructures and poor governance in Nigeria.
Secondly,the rise of these sects has been linked to the increase and aiding of religious extremist by politicians for their selfish ambitions.
The activities of some of these sects has in recent times led to the loss of lives and properties as they move about destroying government facilities which they see as legacies or replica of western cultures in their various communities. These religious campaigns has seen an increase in gun battles between the members of these sects and security forces with loss of lives witnessed on both sides.
States to contain with the activities of these militant Islamic sects.
Poverty
has been seen as the major catalyst leading to the rapid increase in the membership of these religious extremist groups.
Christianity
is one of the two main religions in Nigeria
, Christians make up 48.2% of the population.
The ecclesiastical provinces of the Church of Nigeria
are:
Lagos, Ibadan, Ondo, Bendel, The Niger, Niger Delta, Owerri, Abuja, Kaduna and Jos. Its primate is Peter Jasper Akinola.
The Church of Nigeria has about 17 million members.
The Nigerian Baptist Convention
has about three million baptized members.
The Archdioceses of the Roman Catholic Church
are: Abuja, Benin City, Calabar, Ibadan, Lagos, Onitsha and Owerri. It has about 39 million members in Nigeria. Cardinal Francis Arinze is a Roman Catholic Cardinal from Nigeria.
There are about 380,000 New Apostolic Christians in entire Nigeria
.
Based on 2009 National Religious survey, Protestants make up 15% of the Nigerian population, Catholics 13.7%,and other Christians 19.6%.
, Annang
and Efik land and the Niger Delta
area and had missions in the middle belt as well. The works of the Presbyterian Church in Calabar
from Scotland by missionaries like Rev Hope M. Waddell, who arrived in Calabar 10 April 1846, in the 19th century and that of Mary Slessor of Calabar being examples. Small missionary movements were allowed to start up, generally in the 1920s, after the middle belt was considered pacified. Each denomination set up rural networks by providing schooling and health facilities. Most such facilities remained in 1990, although in many cases schools had been taken over by the local state government in order to standardize curricula and indigenize the teaching staff. Pentecostals arrived mostly as indigenous workers in the postindependence period and in 1990 Pentecostalism was spreading rapidly throughout the middle belt, having some success in Roman Catholic and Protestant towns of the south as well. There were also breakaway, or Africanized churches that blended traditional Christian symbols with indigenous symbols. Among these was the Aladura
movement that was spreading rapidly throughout Yorubaland and into the non-Muslim middle belt areas.
and Warri
, which had come in contact with Christianity through the Portuguese
as early as the 15th century, most missionaries arrived by sea in the 19th century. As with other areas in Africa, Roman Catholics and Anglicans each tended to establish areas of hegemony in southern Nigeria. After World War I
, smaller denominations such as the Church of the Brethren
(as Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria), Seventh-day Adventists
and others worked in interstitial areas, trying not to compete. Although less well-known, African-American churches entered the missionary field in the 19th century and created contacts with Nigeria that lasted well into the colonial period.
. With political independence came African priests in both Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations, although ritual and forms of worship were strictly those of the home country of the original missionaries. By the 1980s, however, African music and even dancing were being introduced quietly into church services, albeit altered to fit into rituals of European origin. Southern Christians living in the north, especially in larger cities, had congregations and churches founded as early as the 1920s. Even medium-sized towns (20,000 persons or more) with an established southern enclave had local churches, especially in the middle belt, where both major religions had a strong foothold. The exodus of Igbo from the north in the late 1960s left Roman Catholic churches poorly attended, but by the 1980s adherents were back in even greater numbers, and a number of new churches had been built.
and witchcraft
are malevolent forces against which protection is required are accepted; rituals are warm and emotional, stressing personal involvement and acceptance of spirit possession. Theology is biblical, but some sects add costumed processions and some accept polygyny
.
was usually a gathering of the elite of the entire country, and of Lagos and Yorubaland in particular. Such families had connections to their churches going back to the 19th century and were generally not attracted to the breakaway churches. All major urban centers, all universities, and the new capital of Abuja
had areas set aside for the major religions to build mosques and churches and for burial grounds.
in southern Kaduna State
in a border area between the two religions.
In the city-states of Yorubaland and its neighbors, a more reserved way of life remains, one that expresses a theology that links local beliefs to a central citadel government and its sovereignty over a hinterland of communities through the monarch. The seat of the king (oba
) is responsible for the welfare of its juriisdiction, in return for confirmation of the legitimacy of the oba's rule over his subjects.
is practiced by about 40,000 people (about 0.02% of the Nigerian population), mainly members of the Igbo tribe in eastern and the Ibibio
, Annang
, and Efik southern Nigeria. Judaism is believed to have an ancient presence in the country, and in the region as a whole (see Jews of Nigeria).
spread to Nigeria mainly by immigration of Hindus from India
and of Hare Krishna
Missionaries. Many Nigerians have converted to Hinduism mainly due to efforts of ISKCON Missionaries.
ISKCON has inaugurated the Vedic Welfare Complex in Apapa.
Altogether including Nigerians of Indian origin and NRIs there are 25,000 Hindus in Nigeria. Most of them live in Lagos, the former capital of Nigeria
in Nigeria begins with pioneering
Bahá'ís coming to Sub-Saharan West Africa
in the 1950s especially following the efforts of Enoch Olinga
who directly and indirectly affected the growth of the religion in Nigeria
. Following growth across West Africa a regional National Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1956. As the community multiplied across cities and became diverse in its engagements it elected its own National Spiritual Assembly by 1979 and Operation World
estimated 1000 Bahá'ís in 2001 though the Association of Religion Data Archives
(relying mostly on the World Christian Encyclopedia
) estimated some 34,000 Bahá'ís in 2005.
is a blend of Christianity and Islam that takes practises from both the Bible
and the Quran. It hopes to quell religious feuds among Nigerians.
, inspired by the work of Abd-ru-shin, principally In the Light of Truth: The Grail Message.
The Rosicrucian Order, Ancient Mystical Order Rosæ Crucis (AMORC) is a worldwide mystical, philosophical, educational, humanitarian and fraternal organization devoted to the investigation, study and practical application of natural and spiritual laws. Membership is open to both men and women of the age of 18 or older. Its eclectic character and tolerance towards all beliefs is demonstrated by the fact that adherents of various religious persuasions can be found amongst its membership.
, is based on ancient rites, usages and customs. Established in 1914 by the Ven. Archdeacon T. A. J. Ogunbiyi. Membership is open to all adults who embrace a non-idolaterous faith in God. The fraternity is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. In 1996 it had about 710 conclaves/Lodges or Iledi in Nigeria and overseas.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
were practiced in every major city in 1990. However, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
dominated the north and had a number of supporters in the South Western, Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
part of the country. Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
and local syncretic
Syncretism
Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
are also in evidence in Yoruba areas, while Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
dominates the Igbo
Igbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
and closely related areas. Both Protestantism and Catholicism dominated in the Ibibio
Ibibio people
The Ibibio are a people of southeastern Nigeria. They are related to the Anaang and the Efik peoples. During colonial period in Nigeria, the Ibibio Union asked for recognition by the British as a sovereign nation . The Annang, Efik, Ekid, Oron and Ibeno share personal names, culture, and traditions...
, Annang
Annang
The Annang is a cultural and ethnic group that lives in the Coastal Southeast Nigeria...
, and the Efik kiosa lands. The 1963 census indicated that 47 percent of Nigerians were Muslim, 35 percent Christian, and 18 percent members of local indigenous congregations. If accurate, this indicated a sharp increase since 1953 in the number of Christians (up 13 percent); a slight decline among those professing indigenous beliefs, compared with 20 percent; and only a modest (4 percent) rise of Muslims. There has been growth in the Christ Apostolic Church
Christ Apostolic Church
Christ Apostolic Church is the first Aladura Pentecostal church present in Nigeria and other countries. It has come into existence in the first half of the...
(the first Aladura Movement in Nigeria) and the Aladura Church, an indigenous Christian sect that was especially strong in the Yoruba areas, and of evangelical
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
churches in general, spilling over into adjacent and southern areas of the middle belt.
In general, however, the country should be seen as having a dominant Muslim north, a mixed Christian and Muslim Southwest and Middle belt, a non-Muslim, primarily Christian South East and South-South, with each as a minority faith in the other's region.
In terms of Nigeria's major ethnic groups religious affiliations, the Hausa
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
ethnic group in the North is 95% Muslims and 5% Christians, the West which is the Yoruba tribe is 60% Christians and 30% Muslim with 10% going to adherents of other African religions while the Igbos in the East and the Ijaw
Ijaw
Ijaw are a collection of peoples indigenous mostly to the forest regions of the Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States within the Niger Delta in Nigeria. Some are natives of Akwa-Ibom, Edo, and Ondo states also in Nigeria...
in the South are 98% Christians (Catholics) and 2% practice traditional religions. The middle belt
Middle Belt
The Middle Belt is a human geographical term designating the region of central Nigeria populated largely by minority ethnic groups and stretching across the country longitudinally. The Middle Belt is indeterminate in that it lacks designated "borders" and is charactized by a heterogeneity and...
of Nigeria contains the largest number of minority ethnic groups in Nigeria and they are mostly Christians and members of traditional religions with few Muslim converts.
| Religion | Year reported | Number of adherents (based on a 2009 survey) |
Percentage of total population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islam Islam Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~... |
2009 | 78 056 000 | 50.4% |
| Christianity Christianity Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings... |
2009 | 76 281 000 | 48.2% |
| Other Other The Other or Constitutive Other is a key concept in continental philosophy; it opposes the Same. The Other refers, or attempts to refer, to that which is Other than the initial concept being considered... |
2009 | (Not Given) | 1.4% |
Islam
IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
is one of the religions practiced in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
.
Nigeria has one of the largest Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
populations in West Africa, 50.4% of Nigeria's population. Islam was introduced to northern Nigeria as early as the 11th century and was well established in the major capitals of the region by the 16th century, spreading into the countryside and toward the Middle Belt
Middle Belt
The Middle Belt is a human geographical term designating the region of central Nigeria populated largely by minority ethnic groups and stretching across the country longitudinally. The Middle Belt is indeterminate in that it lacks designated "borders" and is charactized by a heterogeneity and...
uplands. Shehu Usman dan Fodio
Usman dan Fodio
Shaihu Usman dan Fodio , born Usuman ɓii Foduye, was the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809, a religious teacher, writer and Islamic promoter. Dan Fodio was one of a class of urbanized ethnic Fulani living in the Hausa States in what is today northern Nigeria...
established a government in Northern Nigeria based on Islam before the advent of Colonialism. The British Colonial Government therefore established indirect rule in Northern Nigeria based on the structure of this government. Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
also came to South Western Yoruba
Yoruba language
Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...
-speaking areas during the time of Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa
Musa I , commonly referred to as Mansa Musa, was the tenth mansa, which translates as "king of kings" or "emperor", of the Malian Empire...
's Mali Empire
Mali Empire
The Mali Empire or Mandingo Empire or Manden Kurufa was a West African empire of the Mandinka from c. 1230 to c. 1600. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I...
. The Yoruba colloquially referred to Islam as "Esin-Mali" or some will say "Esin-Mole", which means religion from Mali. Muslims in Nigerian practice the Maliki
Maliki
The ' madhhab is one of the schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. It is the second-largest of the four schools, followed by approximately 25% of Muslims, mostly in North Africa, West Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and in some parts of Saudi Arabia...
school of jurisprudence and are mostly Sunni Muslims, The Shia Muslims of Nigeria are primarily located in the Sokoto State
Sokoto State
Sokoto State is located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2005 it has an estimated population of more than 4.2 million...
.
Nigerian Islam has become heterogenous with the springing up of many islamic sects.The notable examples are the Izala movement , the Shite movement,and many local Islamic sects that have limited expansion.This new sects are opposed to the traditional Nigerian Islamic teachings of the Sufi brotherhood and are gradually alienating themselves from the main Islamic body.
New radical Islamic movements in Nigeria
Islam in Nigeria has witnessed a rise in the numbers of radical islamic sects notably among them,the Boko HaramBoko Haram
Boko Haram is a Nigerian Islamist group that seeks the imposition of Shariah law throughout the whole of Nigeria. The group presently has an undefined structure and chain of command...
, Maitatsine
Mohammed Marwa Maitatsine
Mohammed Marwa , best known by his nickname Maitatsine, was a controversial Islamic scholar in Nigeria. Maitatsine is a Hausa word meaning "the one who damns" and refers to his curse-laden public speeches against the Nigerian state....
, Darul Islam
Darul Islam (Nigeria)
Darul Islam is an Islamic organisation in Nigeria, which maintains a compound outside the town of Mokwa, Niger State, where 3,000-4,000 adherents live. The group is headed by Amrul Bashir Abdullahi. The term Darul Islam refers to both the group and the community itself.The compound was raided by...
among others.
These sects have sometimes resorted to the use of violence in a bid to realizing their ambitions on the wider Islamic and Nigerian populations as a whole.
The rise of this radical movements has been attributed partly to the poor socio economic infrastructures and poor governance in Nigeria.
Secondly,the rise of these sects has been linked to the increase and aiding of religious extremist by politicians for their selfish ambitions.
The activities of some of these sects has in recent times led to the loss of lives and properties as they move about destroying government facilities which they see as legacies or replica of western cultures in their various communities. These religious campaigns has seen an increase in gun battles between the members of these sects and security forces with loss of lives witnessed on both sides.
States to contain with the activities of these militant Islamic sects.
- Bauchi StateBauchi StateBauchi State is a State in northern Nigeria. Its capital is the city of Bauchi. The state was formed in 1976 when the former North-Eastern State was broken up...
- Borno StateBorno StateBorno State is a state in north-eastern Nigeria. Its capital is Maiduguri. The state was formed in 1976 from the split of the North-Eastern State...
- Yobe StateYobe StateYobe State is a state located in Northern Nigeria. A mainly agricultural state, it was created on August 27, 1991. Yobe state was carved out of present-day Borno State. The capital of Yobe state is Damaturu.-Geography:...
- Kano StateKano StateKano State is a state located in North-Western Nigeria. Created on May 27, 1967 from part of the Northern Region, Kano state borders Katsina State to the north-west, Jigawa State to the north-east, Bauchi State to the south-east and Kaduna State to the south-west...
- Katsina StateKatsina StateKatsina State is a state in northern Nigeria. Its capital is Katsina, and its governor is Ibrahim Shema, a member of the People's Democratic Party...
.
Poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
has been seen as the major catalyst leading to the rapid increase in the membership of these religious extremist groups.
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
is one of the two main religions in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Christians make up 48.2% of the population.
The ecclesiastical provinces of the Church of Nigeria
Church of Nigeria
The Church of Nigeria is the Anglican church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptized membership, after the Church of England. It gives its current membership as "over 18 million", out of a total Nigerian population of 140 million.Since 2002...
are:
Lagos, Ibadan, Ondo, Bendel, The Niger, Niger Delta, Owerri, Abuja, Kaduna and Jos. Its primate is Peter Jasper Akinola.
The Church of Nigeria has about 17 million members.
The Nigerian Baptist Convention
Nigerian Baptist Convention
The Nigerian Baptist Convention is the second largest Baptist convention affiliating with the Baptist World Alliance, and the third largest in the world after the Southern Baptist Convention, USA, and National Baptist Convention, USA...
has about three million baptized members.
The Archdioceses of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
are: Abuja, Benin City, Calabar, Ibadan, Lagos, Onitsha and Owerri. It has about 39 million members in Nigeria. Cardinal Francis Arinze is a Roman Catholic Cardinal from Nigeria.
There are about 380,000 New Apostolic Christians in entire Nigeria
New Apostolic Church in Nigeria
The New Apostolic Church is a Christian denomination with a significant presence in Nigeria. It has hundreds of thousands of members in Nigeria. It is active in the United States and Europe, too. Nigeria is within the area of District Apostle Michael Ehrich of Southern Germany....
.
Church of Nigeria
Christians constitute 48.2% of the Nigerian population.Based on 2009 National Religious survey, Protestants make up 15% of the Nigerian population, Catholics 13.7%,and other Christians 19.6%.
Location
The majority of Christians are found in the South East and South-South and Middle-belt region. An increasing number of mission stations and mission bookstores, along with churches serving southern enclaves and northern Christians in the northern cities and larger towns, are found in the Muslim north. Christianity in Yoruba area traditionally has been Protestant and Anglican, whereas Igboland has always been the area of greatest activity by the Roman Catholic Church. Other denominations abounded as well. Presbyterians arrived in the late 17th century in the IbibioIbibio people
The Ibibio are a people of southeastern Nigeria. They are related to the Anaang and the Efik peoples. During colonial period in Nigeria, the Ibibio Union asked for recognition by the British as a sovereign nation . The Annang, Efik, Ekid, Oron and Ibeno share personal names, culture, and traditions...
, Annang
Annang
The Annang is a cultural and ethnic group that lives in the Coastal Southeast Nigeria...
and Efik land and the Niger Delta
Niger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
area and had missions in the middle belt as well. The works of the Presbyterian Church in Calabar
Calabar
Calabar is a city in Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. The original name for Calabar was Atakpa, from the Jukun language....
from Scotland by missionaries like Rev Hope M. Waddell, who arrived in Calabar 10 April 1846, in the 19th century and that of Mary Slessor of Calabar being examples. Small missionary movements were allowed to start up, generally in the 1920s, after the middle belt was considered pacified. Each denomination set up rural networks by providing schooling and health facilities. Most such facilities remained in 1990, although in many cases schools had been taken over by the local state government in order to standardize curricula and indigenize the teaching staff. Pentecostals arrived mostly as indigenous workers in the postindependence period and in 1990 Pentecostalism was spreading rapidly throughout the middle belt, having some success in Roman Catholic and Protestant towns of the south as well. There were also breakaway, or Africanized churches that blended traditional Christian symbols with indigenous symbols. Among these was the Aladura
Aladura
Aladura is a religion founded c.1922–1930 in West Nigeria by various people, with around 1 million adherents worldwide."Aladura" means "Praying People" in Yoruba....
movement that was spreading rapidly throughout Yorubaland and into the non-Muslim middle belt areas.
Missionary work and Christianity
Apart from BeninBenin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
and Warri
Warri, Nigeria
Warri is a major oil city in Delta State, Nigeria, with a population of over 300,000 people. The people of Warri are mainly the Urhobos, Itsekiris, and Ijaws, but other ethnic groups also live within the city. Warri is predominantly Christian, as is most of Southern Nigeria...
, which had come in contact with Christianity through the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
as early as the 15th century, most missionaries arrived by sea in the 19th century. As with other areas in Africa, Roman Catholics and Anglicans each tended to establish areas of hegemony in southern Nigeria. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, smaller denominations such as the Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
(as Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria), Seventh-day Adventists
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
and others worked in interstitial areas, trying not to compete. Although less well-known, African-American churches entered the missionary field in the 19th century and created contacts with Nigeria that lasted well into the colonial period.
Offshoots of European denominations
African churches were founded by small groups breaking off from the European denominations, especially in Yorubaland, where such independence movements started as early as the late 19th century. They were for the most part ritually and doctrinally identical to the parent church, although more African music, and later dance, entered and mixed with the imported church services. A number also used biblical references to support polygynyPolygyny
Polygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has two or more wives at the same time. In countries where the practice is illegal, the man is referred to as a bigamist or a polygamist...
. With political independence came African priests in both Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations, although ritual and forms of worship were strictly those of the home country of the original missionaries. By the 1980s, however, African music and even dancing were being introduced quietly into church services, albeit altered to fit into rituals of European origin. Southern Christians living in the north, especially in larger cities, had congregations and churches founded as early as the 1920s. Even medium-sized towns (20,000 persons or more) with an established southern enclave had local churches, especially in the middle belt, where both major religions had a strong foothold. The exodus of Igbo from the north in the late 1960s left Roman Catholic churches poorly attended, but by the 1980s adherents were back in even greater numbers, and a number of new churches had been built.
Combination with traditional practices
The Aladura, like several other breakaway churches, stress healing and fulfillment of life goals for oneself and one's family. African beliefs that sorceryMagic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
and witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
are malevolent forces against which protection is required are accepted; rituals are warm and emotional, stressing personal involvement and acceptance of spirit possession. Theology is biblical, but some sects add costumed processions and some accept polygyny
Polygyny
Polygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has two or more wives at the same time. In countries where the practice is illegal, the man is referred to as a bigamist or a polygamist...
.
Social class and religion
Major congregations of the larger Anglican and Roman Catholic missions represented elite families of their respective areas, although each of these churches had members from all levels and many quite humble church buildings. Nevertheless, a wedding in the Anglican cathedral in LagosLagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
was usually a gathering of the elite of the entire country, and of Lagos and Yorubaland in particular. Such families had connections to their churches going back to the 19th century and were generally not attracted to the breakaway churches. All major urban centers, all universities, and the new capital of Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
had areas set aside for the major religions to build mosques and churches and for burial grounds.
Inter-ethnic conflict
Inter-ethnic conflict in Nigeria has generally had a religious element. Riots against Igbo in 1953 and in the 1960s in the north were said to be fired by religious conflict. The riots against Igbo in the north in 1966 were said to have been inspired by radio reports of mistreatment of Muslims in the south. In the 1980s, serious outbreaks between Christians and Muslims occurred in KafanchanKafanchan
Kafanchan is a town in southern Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. It is the location of a junction station of the Nigerian Railway Corporation,and it sits on the line connecting Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kafanchan, Kuru, Bauchi, and finally Maiduguri....
in southern Kaduna State
Kaduna State
-History:The state is the successor to the old Northern Region of Nigeria, which had its capital at Kaduna. In 1967 this was split up into six states, one of which was the North-Central State, whose name was changed to Kaduna State in 1976. This was further divided in 1987, losing the area now part...
in a border area between the two religions.
Traditional Beliefs
Alongside the main religious sect is the traditional belief system that without contradicting civil law, manages to also govern ethics and morality amongst much of the population.Traditional Religion among the Yorubas
In the city-states of Yorubaland and its neighbors, a more reserved way of life remains, one that expresses a theology that links local beliefs to a central citadel government and its sovereignty over a hinterland of communities through the monarch. The seat of the king (oba
Oba (ruler)
Oba is a West African synonym for monarch, one that is usually applied to the Yoruba and Edo rulers of the region. It is also often used by their traditional subjects to refer to other kings and queens, such as Elizabeth I of England, in their native languages.-Edo account of the word's origin:The...
) is responsible for the welfare of its juriisdiction, in return for confirmation of the legitimacy of the oba's rule over his subjects.
Practices
In addition to ensuring access to, and the continual fertility of, both land and people, seasonal carnivals act as a spectacle for "tourism" contributing to regional productivity.
"Society in general has more gradually and selectively expanded to accommodate new influences, it is fairly certain that they will continue to assert their distinctive cultural identity in creative and often ingenious ways".
Judaism
JudaismJudaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
is practiced by about 40,000 people (about 0.02% of the Nigerian population), mainly members of the Igbo tribe in eastern and the Ibibio
Ibibio people
The Ibibio are a people of southeastern Nigeria. They are related to the Anaang and the Efik peoples. During colonial period in Nigeria, the Ibibio Union asked for recognition by the British as a sovereign nation . The Annang, Efik, Ekid, Oron and Ibeno share personal names, culture, and traditions...
, Annang
Annang
The Annang is a cultural and ethnic group that lives in the Coastal Southeast Nigeria...
, and Efik southern Nigeria. Judaism is believed to have an ancient presence in the country, and in the region as a whole (see Jews of Nigeria).
Hinduism
HinduismHinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
spread to Nigeria mainly by immigration of Hindus from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and of Hare Krishna
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
Missionaries. Many Nigerians have converted to Hinduism mainly due to efforts of ISKCON Missionaries.
ISKCON has inaugurated the Vedic Welfare Complex in Apapa.
Altogether including Nigerians of Indian origin and NRIs there are 25,000 Hindus in Nigeria. Most of them live in Lagos, the former capital of Nigeria
Bahá'í Faith
After an isolated presence in the late 1920s, the Bahá'í FaithBahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
in Nigeria begins with pioneering
Pioneering (Bahá'í)
A pioneer is a volunteer Bahá'í who leaves his or her home to journey to another place for the purpose of teaching the Bahá'í Faith. The act of so moving is termed pioneering. Bahá'ís refrain from using the term "missionary"...
Bahá'ís coming to Sub-Saharan West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
in the 1950s especially following the efforts of Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga was born to an Anglican family of the Iteso ethnic group in Uganda. He became a Bahá'í, earned the title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh and was appointed as the youngest Hand of the Cause, the highest appointed position in the religion. He served the interests of the religion widely and...
who directly and indirectly affected the growth of the religion in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Following growth across West Africa a regional National Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1956. As the community multiplied across cities and became diverse in its engagements it elected its own National Spiritual Assembly by 1979 and Operation World
Operation World
Operation World is a reference book and prayer guide, begun by Patrick Johnstone and continued by Jason Mandryk, both from WEC International. Operation World is published by , and produced by...
estimated 1000 Bahá'ís in 2001 though the Association of Religion Data Archives
Association of religion data archives
The Association of Religion Data Archives is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997, and online since 1998, the archive was initially targeted at researchers interested in American religion...
(relying mostly on the World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia is a reference work published by Oxford University Press, known for providing membership statistics for major and minor world religions in every country of the world, including historical data and projections of future populations.The first edition, by David B. Barrett,...
) estimated some 34,000 Bahá'ís in 2005.
Chrislam
ChrislamChrislam
Chrislam , or The Will of God Mission, The True Message of God Mission, , Oke-Tude which means The Mountain of Loosing Bondage in Yoruba or Ifeoluwa Mission , is a Nigerian syncretic religion which mixes elements of both Christianity and Islam.Founded by Tela Tella in the 1970s, the sect...
is a blend of Christianity and Islam that takes practises from both the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and the Quran. It hopes to quell religious feuds among Nigerians.
The Grail Movement
Nigeria has become an African hub for Grail MovementGrail Movement
The Grail Movement is an organization which originated in Germany in the late 1940s, inspired by the work of Oskar Ernst Bernhardt , principally In the Light of Truth: The Grail Message...
, inspired by the work of Abd-ru-shin, principally In the Light of Truth: The Grail Message.
The Rosicrucian Order
The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity
A fraternity incorporating references and insignia from the original OgboniOgboni
Ogboni is a fraternal institution indigenous to the Yoruba language-speaking polities of Nigeria, Republic of Bénin and Togo...
, is based on ancient rites, usages and customs. Established in 1914 by the Ven. Archdeacon T. A. J. Ogunbiyi. Membership is open to all adults who embrace a non-idolaterous faith in God. The fraternity is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. In 1996 it had about 710 conclaves/Lodges or Iledi in Nigeria and overseas.
See also
- Church of NigeriaChurch of NigeriaThe Church of Nigeria is the Anglican church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptized membership, after the Church of England. It gives its current membership as "over 18 million", out of a total Nigerian population of 140 million.Since 2002...
- Catholic Church in Nigeria
- Jews of Nigeria
- Aba Nigeria TempleAba Nigeria TempleThe Aba Nigeria Temple is the 121st operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.An announcement was made on April 2, 2000 that a Mormon temple would be built in Aba, in the state of Abia, to serve the nation's 68,000 Latter-day Saints. This temple was the third temple to be...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints