Consequences Of Religion Intolerance In Nigeria

Religion Intolerance in Nigeria is taking its toll on the populace and  gradually assuming an alarming and unacceptable proportion with its  far reaching negative consequences on the civil society. 

Most often times, religion  intolerance is expressed in discrimination, repression and religious rivalry, and results in  persecution. It leads to war and persistent hatred between nations and between peoples within nations.

Religious intolerance may lead to the damage or destruction of property and other valuable items of people, and sometimes, to loss of lives. The victims are displaced from their homes and they suffer untold hardship.

Nigeria has its share of  negative consequences as there are hundreds of thousands  massacred while some are  displaced from their homes and communities  due to  negative consequences of religion Intolerance. 

The Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camp located at International Christian Center,  Ohogua in Ovia South local government area in Benin City, Edo state, for instance, is home to thousands of people mostly young children from Guoza in Borno state of Nigeria who were displaced from their native homes as a result of Boko Haram insurgency, an armed militia of  Islamic religion.

In Guoza in  Borno state and other parts of the country, there have been wide spread disruption of economic activities with negative effects on productivity. Hundreds of churches , hotels and other related business as well as vehicles, private homes etc, have been destroyed and countless lives and properties burnt beyond recognition.

The story of young Emmanuel Emene a Delta born Pastor  is a pathetic case of religion Intolerance.

 Born  in October 10th, 1989 in Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria, to Simeone Emene and his mother, Elizabeth Emene, a young  growing family who all lived happily until his father, Simeon Emene died on October 15th 1994, just five years after Emmanuel was born.

 His mother who was unable to handle the death of her husband became critically ill and consequently unable to take care of young Emmanuel.

According to Emmanuel, "my mother was critically ill due to the shock from my father’s death. 

"My uncle Alhaji Ibrahim Emene a younger brother to my father came to Sapele and took me with him to faraway Daura, Katsina State to live with his family. My uncle is a devoted and passionate Muslim faithful who follows all the five pillars of Islam. 

In Daura, Katsina State, my uncle was a trader and farmer who was mainly into large cultivation of onions and allied crops. As I was growing up, he taught me how to sell items in his store and how to work in his farm. During this time of my stay with my uncle, I followed him to worship in the mosque and in the process, he converted me to become a Muslim like him. I had no other option than to obey him because I was under his sole care and control.  

"In December 10, 1999 my uncle and his family including me, relocated back to Sapele,  Delta State because he was getting old with serious health conditions.  While in Sapele, Delta State, I signified  my intention to convert from Islam to Christianity as I was no longer interested being a Muslim which he rejected and I was beaten all through the night by him and consequently inflicting bruises on my body. I reported this incident to my family members but they were unable to help me out. While in high school, I stopped attending Jumat prayers and was no longer following the practice of Islam anymore and I usually hide from my uncle to attend church services on Sunday. When he found out about this recent development of me attending church services, he personally sent a letter to Central Mosque 1, Hausa road, Sapele and Daura Central Mosque, Tasha Kudu Daura informing the Chief Imam of these Mosque to use every measures according to Sharia Law and Islamic practice not to allow me convert to Christianity and when I refuse to abide by the Islamic practice, I should be killed. 

"Most mosques  in the North and Southern Nigeria always have an enforcement units  who ensure that every Muslim faithful attending prayer and Jumat service follow all the rules and regulations of Sharia Law and Islamic Practices. The strike force from this Mosque started  sending threat messages and phone calls and physical confrontations on the street, warning me to stay with my faith as a Muslim or they will kill me. 

"In April 2015, my uncle died and was buried according to Islamic rights and customs but I continued to receive death threats  which I ignored and took those phone calls and messages not too seriously.  In 2018, I converted officially to Christianity and made announcements  round the neighborhood. My church of faith as a Christian was located in Benin City and I often traveled on Sunday mornings to attend church services in Benin City from Sapele. 

"In February, 2022, I got married in Warri, Delta State to Gift Oke Emene and was ordained an Evangelist in April, 2022 marking a fulfilling here for me and my family. But the threat messages and calls got increasingly intensified and I was getting scared because of my safety and that of my family members.  In January 2023 19:30 hours, I was attacked by six unidentified armed men who spoke Fulani language and their faces where covered and wrap with a vail and they dragged me through the mud with my hands tied. Their major goal was for me to denounce my Christian faith and return back to Islam. On that day, they derived so much joy with the punishment melted on me but I was rescued by the local vigilante in the area who set me free and they fled. After this incident that took place in Sapele, I relocated back to Benin City, Edo State for my safety and family members who received similar calls and messages as well. 

"On July 13, 2023, I was attacked while trying to enter my house by unidentified men of which I cannot remember how many of them attacked me. I was blind folded immediately and they beat me till I became unconscious. When they left, my neighbours and family members rushed me to Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City where they help revive me back to consciousness.  I reported this incident and all past ones about the threat to my life on July 15, 2023 to the police at the Area Command Office Benin City. Investigations was carried out but nobody was  arrested and this made me  uncomfortable and insecure in Benin City, Edo State. 

"My church transferred me to Ekpoma, Edo State for  my safety and I changed my phone numbers to stop receiving the threats messages and calls but it was only a short period of time before they traced me down to Ekpoma. I was really scared this time around considering what I have gone through. I was more concerned on who will protect me from this assailants and I prayed fervently to Almighty God to save me. 

"On Sunday October 28, 2023, when I returned back from church with my wife, my neighbours informed me that five fierce looking young men fully armed with guns of which two of them covered their faces with mask came to my house around 13:00 hours looking for  me. They dropped a message with one of my neighbors  giving me up until November 30, 2023 to either comeback to the Islamic faith or risk being killed. They fired some gun shots in the air and left. 

"On receipt of this information, I lodged another report of threats and assassination attempts on my life to the Office of Assistant Inspector General of police zone 5 Benin City, Edo State. 

Despite the above reports to the police, I kept feeling unsafe daily as the Nigeria police cannot be guiding me daily hence, I  ran  for my safety here to Canada.

That Emmanuel Emene  is alive to tell his own story is the only difference from the various unresolved cases pending in various Police stations in Nigeria as a result of mysterious deaths from such unknown gun men due to  religion Intolerance and other  cases of violence.