Those pushing for the constitutional entrenchment of Islam are not scholars—they are anarchists inviting poverty and war.

By Chief Olawale Ojoge-Daniel BSc (Politics, Philosophy & Economics), LLB (Hons), BL Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria

Nigeria is bleeding out. While the arteries of our nation are severed by corruption, banditry, hyper-inflation, and institutional collapse, the surgeons meant to save us are arguing over which prayer to recite at the deathbed.

The current hue and cry regarding the “Islamization” of Nigeria, or the counter-agitation for “Christianization,” is not a sign of piety. It is a symptom of a failing state. The push for the constitutional entrenchment of religious supremacy is a dangerous invitation to anarchy, disguised in the robes of theology.

We must confront a hard truth: Potholes have no denomination. Hunger respects no sect. Insecurity asks for no ID card.

The Anarchists in Scholars’ Robes

Let us not mince words. Those who prioritize the expansion of religious laws over the expansion of the economy are not patriots; they are anarchists. They seek to replace the primary purpose of government—security and welfare—with a theological contest that has no winners.

The primary purpose of government, as enshrined in our laws and logic, is Good Governance. It is the delivery of tangible public goods: security, accountability, economic welfare, and social stability. When you replace these metrics with religious dogma, you do not get a holier nation; you get a poorer one.

The Graveyard of Theocracies: A Global Warning

To those clamoring for a fusion of Mosque and State, look at the world map. History has already delivered its verdict on nations that prioritize faith over freedom:

• Iran: A nation of immense potential reduced to an economic pariah where clerics control elections and criminalize dissent.
• Afghanistan & Yemen: Places where “religious legitimacy” has replaced constitutional authority. The result? Democracy vanished, women erased, and violence sanctified.
• Iraq: Religion did not unite the people; it shattered them into warring sects.

Religion does not build roads. It does not generate electricity. It does not secure borders. Development is a product of the Rule of Law, not the Rule of Clerics. No nation has ever developed simply by praying harder or legislating theology. Nations develop by punishing corruption, investing in education, and protecting human rights.

The Great Constitutional Con

As a lawyer, I find the current agitation particularly hypocritical. We are fighting the wrong battle. While “scholars” agitate for religious courts, they ignore the true crime within our Constitution:

1. The impotency of Chapter II: The Constitution promises you security, welfare, and education. But it makes these rights “non-justiciable.” You cannot sue the government when they fail to feed or protect you.
2. The Shield of Section 6(6)(c): This section effectively protects the state from accountability.

Why is there no hue and cry about this? Why are the religious activists not demanding that Chapter II be made justiciable? Because they are interested in symbolic dominance, not human dignity. They are fighting for the right to rule over you, not the duty to care for you.

The Awolowo Standard

We must return to the intellectual clarity of founding fathers like Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Awolowo stood for welfarism. He stood for free education. He stood for rational, calculated governance. He understood that you cannot govern a plural society with dogma.

When religion is fused with state power, it ceases to be spiritual. It becomes a weapon. It shields bad leaders from questions about the budget because they are “defenders of the faith.” It silences dissenters as “infidels.”

A Call to Reason

Nigeria’s crisis is institutional, not spiritual. We have enough religion; what we lack is accountability. Corruption is a monster that cannot be exorcised by prayer; it must be beaten by strong institutions and harsh penalties.

The debate about Islamization is a weapon of mass distraction. It is time to tell these “scholars” the truth: Let religion remain in the sanctuary of our hearts and places of worship. Let governance remain the business of the people, for the people, and accountable to the people.

Anything else is a suicide mission.

Chief Olawale Ojoge-Daniel Public Affairs Analyst, Social Crusader, and CEO of the Ojoge-Daniel Foundation for Human Rights and Conflict Mediation (JAFETO-Centre).