ABSTRACT

It is always strange that in the quest for nation building, there is the tendency in some quarters to believe that religion has no part to play in developmental activities, social, political, educational, and even recreational. This school of thought sees nation-building as consisting mainly of technological advancement and the setting up of all kinds of modern structures. It is further believed that since Nigeria is a multi-ethnic nation, each of the ethnic groups has its peculiarities in terms of culture, language, and belief system. They claim that this has resulted in a series of upsurges in ethnic tension and unrest. Oftentimes, these ethnic tensions translate into religious crises. The consequences of the above-observed situation amount to national instability and underdevelopment. However, these peculiarities and diversities, unique as they may be, if properly appreciated and accommodated, provide a platform for mutual respect, peaceful co-existence, and nation-building. This paper has therefore investigated the place of religion in Nigeria’s nation-building amidst ethnic characters and ideologies. The work adopted a critical literary approach and concluded that religion in any society is the foundation upon which the social values rest. There is scarcely a sphere of man’s life that is left untouched by the conditioning effect of religious ideas. In Nigeria today, the national concern is to achieve political stability, economic stability, and advanced technology. Religion when truly practiced in its truest form and spirit, plays a vital role in purposeful leadership, nation building, social justice, law and order, peace-making, reconciliation, forgiveness, and the healing of wounds, be they political or religious.