Nigerian politics has been replete with lots of anomalies and upheavals because the country leaders past and present have dragged religion and ethnicity into politics in their quests for leadership in the country. It’s a known fact that since independence, more than 2/3rd of the country’s independence has been spent by military junta. It is heartwarming to also note that within these periods of military and civilian rule, most of the military heads of states are from the north and most of them are Muslims. But it is disheartening to also know that since the return of Nigeria to democratic rule in 1999, power has shifted from the southern bloc to the north and back to the south, but the recent activities of politician by employing religious violence into politics thereby causing all sorts of mayhem and violence to satisfy their selfish sinterests leave much to be desired. It has been discovered that the recent Boko Haram insurgence in the country that has claimed more than 20,000 lives of innocent citizens and the state agencies are politically motivated, if this is true then, how can these religious intolerance perpetrated and transposed into politics lead to a sustainable national development in Nigeria? This research adopted literature review and found out that both Christianity and Islam have a stint in Nigeria politics and so many people have dragged religion into politics and are also using religion as a tool for achieving political powers by using it to cause violence and destruction of properties in the country. The paper therefore recommends that religious leaders and politicians should be encouraged to preach peaceful coexistence and piety amongst their adherents, while Nigerian government should do everything within the country’ powers and revenue profile to combat corruptions and provide employments for her teaming populace especially the youths. This will go a long way to reduce criminal tendencies amongst the youths who are recruited by these corrupt politicians causing bigotry to achieve their selfish aim.
Adedeji, A. (2009). 1000 Boko Haram Members In Prison, Awaiting Trial – Mustapha, In: The Punch (Lagos), 14 October, 14.
Adesoji, A. (2010). The Boko Haram Uprising and Islamic Revivalism in Nigeria. Africa Spectrum, 45(2), 95-108.
Adisa, A. I. (2011). Boko Haram: Security Implication In Nigeria: A Paper Presented In Lagos At A Village Square Meeting On Security In Nigeria, Unpublished.
Adogame, A. (2010). How God became a Nigerian: Religious impulse and the unfolding of a nation. Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 28(4), 479-498. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02589001.2010.512742
Akaeze, A. (2009). From Maitatsine To Boko Haram, Newswatch(Lagos), 28 October. Retrieved from Http://Www.Newswatchngr.Com/Index.Php?Option
Angerbrandt, H. (2011). Political decentralisation and conflict: The Sharia crisis in Kaduna, Nigeria. Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 29(1), 15-31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02589001.2011.533057
Bakare, W., Ademola, A., & Hammed, S. (2009). Islamic Militant Leader Killed – Borno Government, In: The Punch (Lagos), 31 July, 5.
Baker, J. B., McKinney, B., & Hurd, J. (2000). Initial Assessment of Social and Economic Factors Affecting Biodiversity Conservation Efforts in the Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion Complex, IUCN and WWF. Hanoi.
Bartolotta, C. (2011). Terrorism In Nigeria: The Rise Of Boko Haram. The Whitehead Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations. Retrieved January 12, 2012, from Http://Blogs.Shu.Edu/Diplomacy/2011/09/Terrorism-In-Nigeria-The-Rise-Of-Boko-Haram/
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press.
Borger, J. (2008). Feed the world? We are fighting a losing battle, UN admits. The Guardian (London) February 26.
Danfulani, U. H. D., & Fwatshak, S. U. (2002). Briefing: The September 2001 events in Jos, declaration of Sharia in Northern Nigeria. In T. O. Ranger (ed.), Evangelical Christianity and democracy in Africa. New York: Oxford University Press.
Dudley, B. J. (1968). Parties and politics in Northern Nigeria. London: Frank Class and Company Limited.
Eneji, V. C. O., Ben, C. B., Headboy, P., Okongor-Eno, O., Zemba, A. A., Mubi, M. A., & Oko P. E. (2011) Ecological implication of market gardening in the old Ogoja zone of Nigeria, International Journal of the Physical Sciences Vol. 6(22), pp. 5309-5316, 2 October, 2011, DOI: 10.5897/IJPS11.752
Fafunwa, B., (1968) History of Education in Nigeria,………….(implying that the citation information is incomplete)
Fox, J. (1999). Do religious institutions support violence or the status-quo? Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 22(2), 119-139. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/105761099265793
Fox, J., & Sandler, S. (2003). Quantifying religion: Toward building more effective ways of measuring religious influence on state-level behaviour. Journal of Church and State, 45(2), 559- 588. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jcs/45.3.559
Handley, M., (2010). the Violence in Nigeria: What's Behind the Conflict? Time World, Wednesday, Mar. 10, 2010,
Hines, N. (2009). Nigerian Islamists Routed As Army Storms Mosque, In: The London Times, 30 July. Retrieved February 30, 2010, from Http://Www.Timesonline.Co.Uk/Tol/World/Africa/Article6732982.Ece#Cid=2015164>
Human Rights Watch. (2005). Revenge In The Name Of Religion: The Cycle Of Violence In Plateau And Kano States. Human Rights Watch Report, 17(8a), 7-10.
Ibrahim, O. F. (1997). Religion And Politics: A View From The North, In: Larry Diamond, Anthony Kirk-Greene And OyeleyeOyediran (Eds.), Transition Without End: Nigerian Politics And Civil Society Under Babangida, Ibadan: Vantage Publishers, 509-534.
Ihedirika, E. N. (2011). Nigeria Military And Security: A Paper Presented By The Chief Of Army Staff At Defence College, Jaji-Kaduna.
Imo, C. (2008). Evangelicals, Muslims and democracy: With particular reference to the
Juergensmeyer, M. (2003). Terror in the mind of God: The global rise of religious violence.
Loimeier, R. (2007). Nigeria: The quest for a viable religious option. In W. F. S. Miles (ed.), Political Islam in West Africa: State-Society in relations transformed (pp. 43-72). Colorado: Lynee Rienner Publishers Inc.
Madunagu, E. (2006). understanding Nigeria and the new imperialism: essays 2000-2006. Calabar, Nigeria, Clear lines publications,
Magbadelo, J. O. (2004). Pentecostalism in Nigeria: Exploiting or edifying the masses? African Sociological Review, 8(2), 15-29.
Marshall, R. (2009). Political spiritualists: The Pentecostal revolution in Nigeria. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226507149.001.0001
Mcconnell, T. (2009). Islamist Sect Leader Shot Dead After 600 Killed In Nigeria Siege, In: The London Times, 31 July. Retrieved February, 30, 2010, from
Morrison, J. H. (1982). Plateau societies’ resistance to Jihadist penetration, In E. Isichei (ed.), Studies in the history of the Plateau state, Nigeria. London: Macmillan.
Nigeria. African Affairs, 101, 243-255.
Ntamu G. U., Eneji, C. V. O., Omang, T. A., & Edinyang, S. D. (2013). Religion! A Curse or a Blessing for National integration and Development in Nigeria: Boko Haram in Perspective, Journal of Sociological Research, 4(1).
Nwankwo, C., & Falola, F. (2009). Boko Haram: Another 140 Kids, Women Rescued, 780 Killed In Maiduguri Alone – Red Cross, Victims Given Mass Burial, In: The Punch (Lagos), 3 August, 2.
Obadare, E. (2006). Pentecostal Presidency? The Lagos-Ibadan ‘theocratic class’ & the Muslim ‘other’. Review of African Political Economy, 33(110), 665-678. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03056240601119083
Ojo, M. (2007). Pentecostal movements, Islam and the contest for public space in Northern Nigeria, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, 18(2), 172-188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09596410701214043
Okune, P. E. (2011). Insecurity Of Man: A Paper Presented At An Induction Course For Newly Recruited Military Officers In Nigeria. Abuja.
Onapajo, H. (2012). Politics for God: Religion, Politics and Conflict in Democratic Nigeria The Journal of Pan African Studies, 4(9), January 2012.
Ostien, P. (2009). Jonah Jang and the Jasawa: Ethno-religious Conflict in Jos, Nigeria. Muslim Christian Relations in Africa.
Owuamanam, J., Francis, F., & Shobiye, H. (2009). The Rise, Threat And Fall Of Boko Haram, In: Saturday Punch (Lagos), 1 August, 2-3.
Oyegbile, O., & Abdulrafiu, L. (2009). Shielding Patrons Of Boko Haram, In: Tell (Lagos), 17 August, 67-71. Platform. Retrieved 12 June 2011 from http://www.archivalplatform.org/blog/entry/folklorising/
Rasmussen, L. (1990). Religion and property in Northern Nigeria. Copenhagen: Academic Press.
Sanni, A.O. (May 2011). Folklorising religious poetry among the Yoruba: The Archival Platform. Retrieved 12 June 2011 from http://www.archivalplatform.org/blog/entry/folklorising/
Sanusi, L. S. (July 2003). The Sharia debate and the construction of a ‘Muslim’ identity in Northern Nigeria: A critical perspective. Paper delivered at a seminar on The Sharia debate and the construction of Muslim and Christian identities in Northern Nigeria University of Bayreuth, Germany.
Sodiq, Y. (2009). Can Muslims and Christians live together peacefully in Nigeria? The Muslim World, 99, 646-688. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1478-1913.2009.01292.x
Sulaiman, T. (2009). The Plot To Islamize Nigeria, In: Tell (Lagos), 30 November, 19-23.
Uchendu, E. (2004). Religion And Nation-Building In Nigeria. Nigeria Heritage, 13, 132-144.
Wakili, H. (2009). Islam and the political arena in Nigeria: The Ulama and the 2007 elections. Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa (ISITA): Northwestern University.
Copyright: © 2014 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
