Religion in Contemporary Nigeria

The dynamism of religion all over the world presupposes that discourse on it generally is a continuous exercise. As religion influences the environment of its operation so also is the influence of the environment on the practice of religion. Nigeria, a multi-religious nation has experienced and is still experiencing the positive as well the negative aspects of religious practices in her socio-political, economic and cultural spheres. There is no doubt that religion is manipulated by some people, which portray it in bad light and makes it vulnerable to criticisms despite the unanimity about its potential to be a force for good in the society. Recent developments in Nigeria indicate that religion has a role in the survival or otherwise of the country. Such include the re-introduction of Sharicah penal code in some states in the northern part of the country, the emergence of Islamic banks, proliferation of private faith-based tertiary institutions, emergence of different factions and sects in religions and the challenge of insurgency using religion as camouflage in the name of the Boko Haram. This book addresses contemporary issues in the use of religion in Nigeria. Its uniqueness lies in the calibre of notable scholars who contributed to it from various ethno-religious and geographical backgrounds. It contains the views of eminent scholars from Islam and Christianity and is jointly edited by experienced professors in the two faiths. The overall aim is to enhance better understanding of religion and to promote peaceful co-existence between and among adherents of the two religions. _______________________________________________ Yasir Anjola Quadri is a Professor of Islamic Studies, specialising on Islamic thoughts with special focus on Sufism, philosophy and ethics. He is an eminent Professor of about three decades of experience at the University of Ilorin. He is the Chairman of the Editorial Board of Centrepoint: A Journal of Intellectual Scientific and Cultural Interest, University of Ilorin. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Ilorin Journal of Religious Studies and the Chairman, Library and Publications Committee of the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. Rotimi Williams Omotoye is a Professor of Christian Studies. His areas of specialisation are Church History, African Christianity, Pentecostal Churches, Ecumenical Movements and Inter-religious relations. He is currently the representative of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between University of Ilorin and University of Georgia, Athens and the representative of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ilorin's Ethical Research Committee. He is the author of several books and has also published in many national and international scholarly journals. Rafiu Ibrahim Adebayo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religions, University of Ilorin. He specialises in Islamic thought with special focus on Islamisation of Knowledge, Muslim-Christian Relations, contemporary Islamic issues and Islamic philosophy. He belongs to a number of professional associations. He was for many years the Coordinator of the Kwara/Southwest zone of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), Nigerian office. He has published widely in reputable international and national scholarly journals.