Religion as a tool for national development (1) | adekkatv

By abiodun KOMOLAFE The primary focus of every known religion is to lead carnal-minded people to become spiritually minded. It is to enable mortals to rise from their lowest ebb to a transformative stage, where they can connect with the divine. This spiritual growth gives rise to morality and essential values, which in turn fosters economic and national development. On the other hand, a more critical examination reveals that religion has also been used as a tool for colonialism and systematic enslavement, stressing the complexities of its role in society. Basically, Nigeria today is confused about how to define religion and whether it should be a tool in the process of conquering poverty and attaining sustainable development. This confusion may be rooted in a deeper historical issue, as Nigeria has always had a disadvantage, as people like India’s post-Independence-era Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru pointed out by neglecting its indigenous religions. For people like Nehru, this ...