Circulation of pictures of African children in prayer houses and using it to say that religion kîlled Africa is very deceptive, and we can’t let such thing fly.

In many communities and countries of the world, people believe in different things and also do say prayers. And these people don’t leave out their children in their beliefs. If you go to the Internet, you will see pictures of Chinese, American, Indian children praying. Even in India, some worship cows. These worship has not stopped India from developing. They are building the minds of children. Indian children know the importance of their religion and as well go to school to learn science and philosophy. They are deeply religious and spiritual, yet well grounded in science. Why did religion not affect them? The difference between Africa and them lies in leadership.

Some have said that these places are progressing due to the fact that they did not embrace Christianity. That’s also not true. Christianity is also in India and in many other places, yet they are doing well. When you bring pictures of Chinese children in a school learning science and technology and match it with pictures of praying children in Africa, you are simply mixing things up. There are also many pictures of Africa children learning science and technology in Africa. Some time last year, a school in Anambra owned by Catholic Church went to America and defeated many schools from different countries in the world and came first. They are students from church owned schools.

The best schools in Nigeria presently are majorly in the hands of the church. After the war Nigeria took many schools away from the church, only to destroy such schools. It was recently that some governors in the East gave back these schools to the church. But they are all in ruins.

Of course I am not making excuses for the church or religion. I believe that the church have contributed to the problem ravaging Africa, but for one to say Religion destroyed Africa is a shameful destructive lie. Why did I call it destructive? This is because every day we accuse religion, we keep letting the real culprits off the hook. The destroyers of Africa are the politicians and leaders leading her. Every other thing is secondary. Others are only tapping into the evil created by these leaders as to survive.

Religion is not against education or science. If they are Catholic Church won’t sponsor students to America for competitions. Religion is not the reason millions of students are out of school today. Religion is not the reason why ASUU is on strike for nearly a year now. Religion is not the reason why government schools are all dilapidated. Religion is not the reason hospitals are abattoirs, and roads dead traps. Religion is not the reason Teachers are paid peanuts, while ordinary counsellor in a local government go home with millions. The reason for all these things is bad governance. And bad governance comes from the politicians.

So this takes us back to the question. How exactly did Religion destroy Africa? Is it by teaching African children how to pray? How exactly? Some of us are fighting to end religion, as if that is the solution. How will ending religion make African leaders to give you sound education, good hospital, good roads and above all stop looting? How exactly? Can’t we see that we are ignorantly fighting a wrong battle? And whenever we do this, we are aiding the crimînals in government.

The reason Africa is poor, not developed and backward is because of the wickedness of African leaders. These men are evil and selfish. From the ones in government today to the ones aspiring to be voted in, all are crimînals. These crimînals have used the constitution to protect themselves. Police and military are like their attack dogs.. They use it to keep everyone in order. Imagine a poor police man suffering the bad governance being sent to kîll youths protesting against the same bad governance ravaging him. And he went there and killed simply because he was taught in police school to obey the last order. Order that is just or unjust? Have you not seen police men abroad disobey such order?

Don’t forget that these guys have given us ignorance as education,, so it is hard for us to understand what the real problem is. For example…

A freedom fighter will leave the government and politicians that is the problem to attack religion, dedicating hundreds of posts against religion every week, while saying nothing against the real problem.

A lawyer is seen defending the nonsense called 1999 constitution. He has been educated in law school that constitution is supreme, but no one told him that when injustice is scribbled as a constitution, it should be challenged. Do you now understand why I said we were miseducated in Nigeria? How can the law say that the supreme Court has the final say, and the same supreme Court keep dishing out lies and injustice, and you accept it simply because they said they have the final say. The only reason it was said they have the final say is because it is believed they will always stand by the truth.

It is said we should obey and respect our elders and leaders, but not when they are evil and killing their own people. These things is called common sense.

If you are accusing religion as the problem of Africa, then you are wrong. The problem here is ignorance created by the politicians. That is to say that the leaders are the problem. How can you then cure ignorance? That’s by massive education of the people and confrontation of the leaders. When you are educated, you won’t waste your time listening to a priest or pastor who tells you to kneel down to pray and fast for God to change the heart of a politician looting away your future and yet enjoying the fact that he is looting. You sit in a church to pray for God to change the minds of the politicians, only for one of the politicians to attend the same church next Sunday to donate millions of Naira to the priest or pastor. That’s the same looter donating the same looted money to the same pastor telling you to pray, and you are somewhere clapping and praising God. Believe me, nothing can do this if not ignorance.

Your problem is ignorance orchestrated by your greedy politicians. To survive, you must confront your leaders.

Elochukwu Ohagi, Philosopher, Teacher And Activist, 2022.