RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND THE PURSUIT OF PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE IN NIGERIA
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Date
2021
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Adekunle Ajasin University Press
Abstract
Abstract
There is nothing that can out-weigh an environment of peaceful co-existence; where individuals of different tribes, ethnic, cultural, and religious affiliations live by side in mutual understanding. This is what some termed as unity in diversity. But in the Nigeria context, it appears that oneness and togetherness is dis-integrating and fallen apart. Nigeria as a nation, is languishing in internal strife and ethnic rivalry that are mostly orchestrated by religious differences. This brings us to the nub of the matter; how can religion that is being seen as the underlining factor for disagreement be utilize to foster mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence? Many have hinges the solution on religious tolerance. But this has not yielded the desired results. The efforts of dialogue on the parameter of tolerance can best be described as palliative measures to curtail unforeseen future occurrences. The question that has kept resonating, however, is who is to tolerate who? On what ground would one religion tolerate the other? On what basis is our dialogue, if at all? Given all these, where can we find the way out of religious and ethnic conflicts cum crises? How can religious pluralism be contextualized in a way that best soothe the individual religious professions without undermining the core of our faith? The above questions raised are answered in this study. Analytic, literary interpretative and historical methods are research tools employed for this work. Our findings fulcrum on the fact that, religious pluralism can be profitable in a clime of ethnic diversity like Nigeria if it is contextualized and integrated.