SUSTAINABLE POLITICAL CULTURE IN A SECULAR STATE IS POSSIBLE; WAY FORWARD NIGERIA
Nigeria’s political system since the fourth republic has generated many controversies among elites and non-elites, state actors, and non-state actors on how religion has evolved in Nigeria today. The successive Nigerian government has mainstreamed religious affairs into civil life and government activities at different times, which infiltrate section 10 of the Nigeria Constitution " the government of the federation or a state shall not adopt any religion as a state religion", this provision affirms Nigeria as a SECULAR STATE (a state that is officially neutral in matters of religion, where politics and policies of the government are not influenced by religion).
This religious interplay has unconsciously influenced the citizen’s POLITICAL CULTURE (shared beliefs, values, and norms about government/politics.) which normalized who becomes the crème de la crème of Nigeria through religious practice and affiliation, therefore narrowing religion over merit, capability, and credibility.
On the other hand, Sustainability is the value that is future-friendly, endurable, and can stand the test of time to positively impact some sectors while ensuring other sectors are not harmed.
It is inarguable that the two concepts; secular system and political culture are partially related, and the relationship is rooted in the shared belief that religious groups should be mainstreamed into politics/government, just like the tradition of Nigeria’s leadership religious substitutes since 1999.
The recent uproar and agitations against the All Progressive Congress APC to have presented the party flag bearer of the Presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate, Senator kashim Shettima, with both personality religious practices to be Islam labeled MUSLIM MUSLIM ticket. The citizen claimed the selection divorced the interest of other religions, and unconsciously becloud what the major agitations should be.
The linkages between the political culture and the secular system have increased the gap in the diversity of religion and ethnicity which are currently influencing the level of citizens' involvement in the 2023 presidential election with a larger percentage of the population successfully transitioning from the uninformed citizens (parochial), to either participating based on what the interest may be or is (subjective), and also to the major participatory citizens who are actively involved in the political process.
From the primordial sentiments and putting into consideration the citizen's political orientation since 1999, an overview of the divisible factors which are religion, geographic/demography, and ethnicity, put together have been manifesting ahead of the presidential election.
We have been there before; the annulled 1993 June 12 Presidential election with two major contestants from the Social Democratic Party SDP and the National Republican Convention NRC with a Muslim Southwestern Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola as SDP flag bearer had a Muslim running mate Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, and then citizens' engagement with candidates was issue-based, the humor, knowledge, charisma and many value-added factors were debated, above all the election were said to be the freest and fairest election in Nigeria's history, with SDP winning more than two-thirds of the states as stipulated in the constitution. The 1993 election discounted the primordial sentiments, religion was neglected and ethnicity was not prioritized. The citizens shared belief in the 1993 election, giving priority to competency, credibility, and unity in diversity was a political culture that should have been sustainable and that was the legalistic point of view of a SECULAR SYSTEM.
Recently, there was an increase in the fears and anxiety from a wide spectrum of groups (Christians and Muslims) in the two regions of Nigeria (i.e the North and the South), where the Christians express concerns over Muslims Islamizing national institutions and might even go to the extreme by imposing Shariah on the non-Muslim if they are politically dominant. The claims were justified regarding the high rate of ethnic-religious crisis and disharmony, insurgency, and leadership deficits.
These grievances amidst the groups were further expressed through bitter politicking, hence religion which should serve as an instrument of social cohesion as adherently spurs violent acts while the political class instigates ordinary citizens into mutual suspicions resulting in conflicts.
Having said this, what then can we do as a nation to improve our political culture that enables all religions to operate easily without interference in government institutions or viz a viz.
First, RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE; you will agree with me that nothing has threatened the nation (Nigeria) more than religion. The narrow interpretation and misinterpretation have been the problem that created tension by religious groups to assert dominance in the socio-economic and political spheres, even when the constitutional provisions created a balance of power between religions that made the dreams of a particular religion dominating the other unrealistic. Therefore, the need to inhibit tolerance and cooperation that will promote peaceful coexistence among the ethnoreligious groups in Nigeria.
Furthermore, the DEMOCRATIC VALUE is another factor worth exploring. Democracy is said to be the government of the majority (i.e the government of the people, by the people, and for the people). A nation is considered a democratic state when it possesses the characteristics of rule of law (the law that guides both the ruler and the rule), separation of powers (a division of power amoung the arms of government Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary), fairness and equity, fundamental human rights, and the ability to strengthens the institution for service delivery. Therefore, it will be proper to say democracy has the highest capacity, potential, and ingredient for ensuring or enforcing (as the case may be) good governance. An enduring and sustainable political culture that effectively and efficiently counters disharmony and intolerance, which by extension can promote peace and security, and efficient leadership can be crafted in democratic culture.
Lastly, the CITIZENS POLITICAL EDUCATION ON ISSUE-BASED CAMPAIGN the stage has been set by the electoral commission INEC, that all qualified political parties should proceed with their public campaigns with effect from the 28th of September 2022 ahead of the 2023 presidential and general election. The election is nigh, the anticipated time yet critical and complex with various potential presidential candidates shows there is no time for quibbling over mundane issues that are most likely not relevant and at this point there are expectations.
Masses, party members, followers, and political classes at this point should educate or be educated on why they should not fiddle like Nero while Rome burns by demonstrating a high sense of political culture. Enlightened Interests and concerns groups should orient the citizens to be critiqued rather than criticized in their analysis. We have noticeable issues affecting the masses, problems that have been setting back the nation as the giant of Africa impeding growth and development across sectors, high insecurity, and increased crime rates, collapse of the power grid, and we the Nigerian students were denied Awolowo's free education (the paid were on indefinite sabbatical by the way), all these and lots more were issues that should be the bedrock of our engagement with aspirants, supporters, and canvassers while campaigning for their candidates and selling them out should not be sentimental but be convincing evidence and issue-based.
Nigeria has come a long way as a nation, the level of development and growth across spheres should have been a reference point of emulation from our African counterparts, but the reverse has been the case and with the prevailing situations, we should shift focus from measuring who becomes the President on religion or ethnic to who has the charisma, capability, and competency to fix the nation.
Conclusively, sustainable political culture in a secular system, ahead of the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria is achievable if we mitigate the problem of ethnoreligious conflict in Nigeria through religious tolerance that will be a unifying factor rather than a divisive one if we imbibed true democratic values that will help in building a dynamic sustainable culture that will neutrally in fairness and justice integrate ethnic and religious groups, and by extension promoting unity of purpose, patriotism, selflessness, and people-oriented leader.
JUST NIGERIA 🇳🇬
Writer: Modupe M. Adetiba
Modupe Mary Adetiba holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and currently pursuing her Master's in Conflict, Security, and Development from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.
She is a development practitioner, youth and gender advocate, public speaker, and good governance enthusiast with over a decade of trajectory in exemplary leadership and community services.
Connect with Modupe via modupemary2015@gmail.com
