Religious Unrest in Nigeria

The belief system of the people influences the way they think, feel and see things in relations to people of other religions. Unfortunately, Nigeria is a country that is continuously weighed-down by religious burdens. Sustainable religious-peace across Nigeria have been aborted times without number due to the recurrent cases of religious conflicts. As this religious conflict lingers and rears its ugly head in different parts of the country, it continues to direct and influence the perception of the worldview of Nigerians. The paper showed that the imperial hands of the colonialists could be found in the foundation of religious conflict in Nigeria. It went on to reveal that many Igbo people believe that wherever there is religious conflict in Nigeria, the business of the Igbo men suffers greatly. The work again showed how religious conflicts in Nigeria have affected the perception of the Muslims in Igbo land. It concluded by recommending peace building through inter-religious socialization and reshaping of the people’s perception by the nation’s peace guarantors.

_______________________

*Ani Kelechi J. is an unemployed Masters Degree Student in the Department of History, University of Maiduguri, Borno State. He has a P.G.D. in Education and a Second Class Upper Degree in History and International Relations.

Introduction

Islam was founded by Prophet Mohammed (SAW). He received his call to Prophet-hood in the course of his frequent withdrawals to pray in Mount Hirah. Consequently, he began to teach his followers the tenets of the religion and the faith began to grow across the globe. It entered Kanem Borno Empire through the activities of the Arab merchants and by the time the nineteenth century jihad took place, the religion speedily spread to many parts of the Northern Nigeria and gradually it penetrated into the Southern part of the country especially the Eastern region of the country.

However, it is worthy to note that “Islam is literary a whole way