Two prominent clerics, Bishop Charles Ighele and Professor Amidu Sanni, have criticised recent suggestions for the creation of a federal ministry of religion, warning it could lead to deep divisions and increased conflict among religious communities.
They voiced their concerns during separate interviews with a correspondent on Monday in Lagos, responding to calls from some quarters urging the federal government to establish a ministry dedicated to religious affairs.
Ighele, General Superintendent of Holy Spirit Mission, Ikeja, argued that the ministry would not contribute meaningfully to human capital development.
“I do not see any need for the ministry. I do not see how this will contribute to human capital development and other forms of development. Instead, it will increase the already over-bloated cost of governance,” he said.
He cautioned that the first major controversy would likely centre on which religion—Christianity, Islam, or traditional worship—should be represented by the inaugural minister.
“Disputes over unequal representation in staffing will have no end. The energy needed for national development will be diverted into endless disagreements,” he added.
Professor Sanni, Chief Imam of Lagos State University, also dismissed the proposal, warning that establishing a ministry solely for religion could worsen existing tensions.
“There are intra and inter-religious disharmony already retarding national progress. Creating the ministry will cause more problems,” he said.
“The first major problem will be in the leadership and personnel. Will it be headed by a Muslim, a Christian, a traditionalist, or an atheist?”
Sanni advised the government to distance itself from religious matters, except in facilitating pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia, Rome, and Israel.
He further called for improved religious education in schools, supported by a well-structured curriculum and trained personnel, to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
(NAN)