Religion in Nigeria -- Hope or Despair?

Nigeria is at an important point in its history. Able to initially prosper because of its oil wealth, numerous international ties, and a large, diverse population, Nigeria is now troubled because of internal issues such as ethnic and religious tensions, social and economic inequities, high unemployment, and severe poverty. Foremost among the internal issues plaguing Nigeria today are the two religious beliefs that separate the country Islam and Christianity. Adding to this problem is the growth of the radicalization of Islam, which the Nigerian government must take extraordinary steps to address if it is to ensure a future for the country. This paper will show how the religious divisions within Nigeria, and their negative effect on national stability, may be mitigated through the following actions 1 leveraging key religious leaders and mandating the use of already proven methods of engagement 2 increasing government representation of the countrys religions at the Federal and regional levels and 3 addressing the issues causing the religious strife and separating religion from violent acts. Until the Nigerian government represents the religious diversity of the population through the engagement of religious leaders at the regional and federal levels, the conflict amongst the religious groups, and between them and the government, will continue. The paper is divided into the following sections Secularism Will Solve the Religious Problem, Role of Religion, Roots of Islam, Origins of Christianity, African Tribal Beliefs, Leveraging Key Religious Leaders, Representation of Religious Diversity, Religion as a Means to an End, and Conclusion and Final Remarks.