CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This literature review is meant to
affect many areas as regards the research topic under consideration. It is
quite obvious, that many writers has written on the issue of influence of
religion on political growth or development. Some writers, has really expressed
their ideas or view on this issue, without pointing out principle things that
promotes influence of religion on the political growth or development in
society.
Religion is an important part of our
lives, from birth to death, and commands immense influence in our national
politics. Of course there are voices that argue against mixing politics and
religion, and others who share the view that polities and religion are
inextricable. Chuba Okadigbo was once quoted as saying. “Religion being a
matter of individual and faith, must be left where it is, such that our clerics
can take care of our souls and religious persuasions, while elected civilians
take care of the business of government”.
In this research work, the literature
review will be made under the following – headings.
(1) What religion is all about
(2) What the concept politics is.
(3) Influence of religion on politics.
2.1 WHAT
RELIGION IS ALL ABOUT
Religion is such a sensitive issue in
Nigeria that one has to tread carefully in discussions to avoid flaring
erosion, accusations of taking side or risk being misinterpreted. However, in
search of peace, security and prosperity for our country, we must not shy away
or get discouraged from exploring truth, for it is the responsibilities of intellectuals
to speak the truth and to expose lies.
Smile. Durkheim (1915) saw “religion
as a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things that is
to say, things set apart and forbidden, beliefs and practices which unite into
one simple moral community called a church, all those who adhere to them”.
Therefore, on this note “sacred” means holy and it is used in describing the
character of the supernatural beings such as gods and divinities. It is in this
since that the church talks about a sacred or Holy God and African Traditional Religion talks about
sacred or holy divinities, for the church-the church building, musical
instruments, pews, pulpit regalia, cups, wine and bread are sacred things.
These cannot be used for ordinary purpose because they have been dedicated to
God and they become his properties.
According to Milton J. (1970)
“religion is a resistance against death, frustration, hostility, suffering,
anxiety and hatred. It therefore entails that religion is a constant factor in
human life, through religious behaviour man moves from anxiety to confidence.
It is a major source and corner of the values of culture. It is on this point
that one can maintain that, cultural, religion is a part of a total prescription,
and prescription that safeguard interaction of man in all human society.
Herbert Spencer (1964) is of the view
that “religious beliefs and practices were mistakes and illusions. Religion
originated from the people experiences of hope, dream, trances death and
environmental objects”.
According to
Thomas F. O (1878) asserts that religion is a central element in culture.
Religion performs the same social functions which other aspects of culture
perform. A consideration of religion as a core element in culture summarizes the
human significance of religion. The content of religion may be either in
harmony or in conflict with the existing situations or transformations which
are in progress in society.
He out rightly outlines certain
characteristics and functions of religion. Religion invents history with aim,
purpose and form. Religion is a symbolic transformation of experience. Religion
is an instrument for a defence. It provides beliefs and attitudes which help to
defend the people against vexing, doubts, anxieties and aggression. These may
be generated within individual or societies but they are seen as having been
victoriously defeated by supernatural beings. Religion gives a sense of
direction as it makes the people perceive, feel, think, act, perform and behave
in specifically designed ways.
2.2 WHAT IS
POLITICS
You need to understand how the word
“politic” came into use among the individual and communities across Nigeria in
particular and the whole world in general. The word “polities” came out of two
Greek words Polis which means “city” and “teche” which means an art, a skill or
a method. The Greek are the people whose country is Greece, a country in Europe
close to North Africa. At the time the word “politics” was coined by the
Greeks, the people of Greece did not have a central government as they have
today.
Their country was made up of City
States, for instance Corinth and Athens which Saint Paul visited and where he
preached the good news of Jesus Christ. Each city was independent and had its
government and soldiers. These cities had to go to war against each other as it
happened, even in Nigeria. So, the idea of politics was limited to the
curatorial area of each city separately. That was the situation in which the
word “politics was made. It then implies, that the word “politics” meant, at
that time, the art of governing a city.
Adekunle A. (1976) Stated that the
term polities is applied in common parlance to the affairs of political parties
and politicians, party conventions and election and voting maneuvering for
partisan advantage”.
Bisi Taiwo (1978) is of the view that
“today the word politics is an elastic one. To some authorities, politics is
concerned with the ordinary day-to-day activities of community in which we are
all personally involved. To other including professor Fasswell, politics has
been equated with the study of power or the study of influence and influential.
For this research work, politics can simply be defined in three ways.
First, it attempts to discover the
general principles, formation and functioning of government. Secondly, it is
concerned with peoples, with the way in which they make decisions and the way
in which they reach decisions. Thirdly, it is that part of social science which
treats the foundation of the state and
the principle of government: governmental social and economic programmes,
international co-operation and a wide range of other matters that are of urgent
concern to public officials and private citizens.
2.3 INFLUENCE
OF RELIGION ON POLITCS
Religion is an
element of culture and polities is also an element of culture. Both are
cultural factor which interact and
perpetrate both the Urban and the rural people. They get at the grassroots of
societies and grasp both the young and the old, men and women, the rich and the
poor, the literate and the illiterate, the ruled and rulers. The individuals
are both a member of a religion and a member of a political party. Where he is
not a member of a political party he is certainly a citizen and he is
interested in the maintenance of law and order, peace and security, stability
and good government.
For these reasons, he is indirectly
affected by politics and cannot ignore political activities. If he pretends to
ignore polities, he will at least, be interested in complaining that political
actors are doing badly and that government is failing to provide such social
amenities that he would like to enjoy. Religious consciousness and political
consciousness are two related issues in mind. For him, religion and politics
cannot be separated from each other and from his personal opinion, feeling and
behaviour. It is in this sense that religion and politics cannot be separated
in the life of individuals and in the structure of societies. Religion
permeates culture and mediates social structure.
According to Roland (1968) “the rise of political sociology has led to the
neglect of the religious factor in party affiliation and voting behaviour, as
well made pressure group formation,
quite impossible”. Even in non-political activities, human beings strive to
attain certain values, namely, dignity, honour, prestige, respect, power,
money, property, satisfaction, happiness, right, privileges duties, peace,
security, stability freedom of will etc. These values are necessary to every
person, but they are often scarce: their supplies are often far short of the
demand for them. In some cases, the process of obtaining them could be long and
difficult. If every person is permitted to search for these values by using his
own personal means, there will be too much tension, and a planned, organized,
co-ordinated, directed, controlled and managed society will be completely
impossible.
Therefore to achieve these values
through the approved means, religion has a role to play. It provides moral
restraints for the individuals. It is in this sense that there can be loyalty
and patriotism in politics. This means that religious beliefs and practices
help to socialize the individuals, who will substantially, abide by the
political laws of society. In this respect the bible says to the individuals “Let
every person be subject to the governing authorities for there is no authority
except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he
who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed and those who resist
will incure judgment. For rulers are not terror to good conduct but to bad”
(Romans 13:1-3).
A cordial relationship between
religion and politics becomes evident when political authorities find that
religion can be an effective tool in the administration of society. For
examples, mass literacy, youth mobilization, the cooling of tensions, appealing
for co-operation in assisting political agencies are those duties that religion
can be called upon to assist political authorities at various levels. But, this
cordiality in their relationship may not be permanent because religion sees
itself as having to perform a prophetic role fearlessly to call the political
authorities to order on the authority of God.
However, recent studies in political
sociology show that religion still pervasive and powerful in polities. Religion
today influences party political affiliation, voting behaviour, pressure group
– foundations and external relations Usman, (1987). The fact therefore, is true
of a “democratic” country like Nigeria which in spite of its secular status as
state, that is separation of politics and religion, yet the authority of God is
invoked in the preamble to our 1979 constitution. Also, religion is taught in
all state schools, including universities. Religious festivals both for
Christens and Muslims are observed as national holidays. Chaplains, i.e.
religious functionaries, are employed to serve in the nation Armed Forces and
in institution of high learning. Oaths are administered in Courts of Law through
the use of the Bible and the Quran or any sacred object. Police officials who
take oath of office end with “so help me God our National Anthem and Pledge of
allegiance, all bears the name of God.
Besides, there is strong emphasis on
the respect for constituted authority i.e, for the government in the Christian
Bible. St. Paul urges religious groups operating within a state, as follows:
“let very soul be subjected unto the higher power, for there is no power but of
God the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosever, therefore, resisted the
power, resister the power of God (Romans 131-2).
It is therefore required of religious
people to be loyal to and to co-operate with those in authority. And it is the
place of those in authority to guarantee religious liberty in the land. In this
way, religion legitimizes political authority. In summary, though we talked
about Nigeria as a democratic and secular state, yet we find there are many
areas of co-operation between polities (government) and religion in Ezza-North
Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHOD
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
This chapter
involves the actual presentation of data obtained from the field through the
use of questionnaire and interviews based on the three research questions that
guided that study.
4.1 RESEARCH
QUESTION
Does Influence of Religious Practice on Politics
Exist?
|
S/N
|
QUESTION
|
TOTAL
|
YES
|
%
|
NO
|
%
|
|
1
|
Does influence
of religious practice on politics exist
|
300
|
210
|
90
|
90
|
10
|
|
2
|
Is there any
possible means to avoid influence of religious practice on politics
|
300
|
120
|
40
|
180
|
60
|
|
3
|
Does
religion and politics co-exist
|
300
|
198
|
66
|
102
|
34
|
From the above table it is revealed that
in item one, 210 respondents, which represents 90% were of the opinion that
influence of religious practices on politics really exist, while 90 respondents
which represents 10% in item in the table disagreed, item, in item 2, 120
respondents which represents 40% are of the view that there is possible to
avoid influence of religious practice on politics, while 180 respondents, which
representing 60% disagreed with them.
In these are tables, item 3, 198
respondents which represents 66% are of the view that religion and politics
co-exist in the society, while 102 respondents, representing 34% disagreed with
them.
4.2 RESEARCH
QUESTION 2
Does influence
of religion promote politics development or growth in Ezza – North Local
Government Area Ebonyi State?
|
S/N
|
QUESTION
|
TOTAL
|
YES
|
%
|
NO
|
%
|
|
1
|
Does
influence of religious practices created any practical awareness in the
youths of Ezza – North Local Government Area.
|
300
|
200
|
66.7
|
100
|
33.3
|
|
2
|
Does religious
practice hinders political activities in Ezza – North L.G.A
|
300
|
60
|
20
|
240
|
80
|
In the item of the table 200 respondents,
representing 66.7% are of the view that influence of religion has created
political awareness in youths of Ezza – North Local Government Area of Ebonyi
State, while 100 respondents, which represents 33.3% are of different opinion.
This summary of the data analysis
presented in table 2 above revealed that the respondents in item 2 of that
table 60 respondents which represents 20% are of the opinion that religious
practices hinders political activities in Ezza – North Local Government Area of
Ebonyi State while 240 respondents, which represents 80% disagreed with them.
4.3 RESEARCH QUESTION 3 – TABLE
Does influence of religious practices
enhance politician in their political activities in Ezza – North Local
Government Area of Ebonyi State.
|
S/N
|
QUESTION
|
TOTAL
|
YES
|
%
|
NO
|
%
|
|
1
|
Does
influence of religion affects politician positively in their day-to-day
activities
|
300
|
250
|
83.3
|
50
|
16.7
|
|
2
|
Does
religious influence assist to reduce breakdown of law and order in the
political system in Ezza - North
L.G.A
|
300
|
180
|
60
|
120
|
40
|
The summary of data analysis presented
in table 3 above, 250 respondents in item (1) one which represents 83.3% are of
the opinion that influence of religion affect politicians positively in their
day-to-day activities, while 50 respondents, which represents 16.7% unanimously
disagreed with them.
From item 2 in the above table, 180
respondents, which represents 60% are of the view that religious influence
assists to reduce breakdown of law and order in the political system in Ezza –
North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State; while 120 respondents which
represents 40% are of different view with them.
4.4 SUMMARY
OF FINDING
From the data
analysis based on the research work or study on the influence of religious
practices on political growth in Ezza – North Local Government Area of Ebonyi
State the following findings was observed:-
(1) It was revealed that, religion is an
element of culture and politics is also an element of culture. Hence, both
religion and culture are factors which interact and penetrate both the urban
and the rural people. They get at the grassroots of societies and both grasp
both the young and the old, men and women the rich and the poor, the literate
and the illiterate, the ruled and rulers. That individual are both a member of
a political party and a member of religion.
(2)
That a cordial relationship between
religion and politics become evident, when, political authorities find that
religion can be an effective tool in the administrator of societies. For
example, mass literacy, youths mobilization, the cooling of tensions, appealing
for co-operation in assisting political agencies are those duties that religion
can be called upon to assist political authorities at various levels.
(3)
That, if the authorities, understand
the, role of religion, the prophetic role will be in invited and their opinion
will be bought for seeking solution for the problem they have defined in their
prophetic criticism-constructive critism. This will help to strengthen and even
to improve the relationship between religious authorities and political
authorities in Ezza – North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
(4)
That, Nigeria is a democratic and also
secular state, yet, it was revealed that there are many areas of co-operation
between politics (government) and religion in the country – Nigeria.
(5)
That with the growth of industrial
civilization, democratic governments and the emergency of pluralistic
societies, religion is no longer the undisputed source, soul are goal of human
political activities.
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 DISCUSSIONS
OF FINDINGS, EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION AND SUMMARY
5.1 CONCLUSION
5.2 SUMMARY
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
5.4 LIMITATION
OF THE STUDY 5.5 SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDIES
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