Religious Balancing as the Root of Acrimony in Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Nigeria is a heterogeneous society comprising different ethnic and religious groups. However, Islam and Christianity have assumed a dominant character to such an extent that necessitates state’s intervention in order to stem a potential source of conflict. Through a careful study of events in the country, this paper seeks to establish that the Nigerian state’s attempt to maintain a balanced relation between the two dominant groups usually reinforces tension and antagonisms between them. The bottom line is that the state must clearly redefine its role in religious matters in order to escape the destructive potentials of inter-religious acrimony.