At what point should believers in the Christian faith obey their pastors instead of their government? asks Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku
Controversies surround reasons why religion thrives in Nigeria. It is said to be an opium. For some, regular religious attendance is a prerequisite for a good life in heaven after the misery here, and continued merriment for them that are merry now. To attain that sort of Nirvana, most Nigerians believe they will get to heaven if they attend regular religious services. For others, they kill and steal in the name of God. Most believe that if they give their offerings regularly and pay their tithes, things will not be tight for them. As a matter of fact, some religious institutions demand contributions, and keep regular records of it. In some cases, there is a ‘sacrificial giving’, a situation where a congregant is expected to give all of his or her first salary in the New Year, for a so-called ease of life in the year. Apart from the assurances and g
Bob Majirioghene Etemiku writes that the activities of some tank farms in Niger Delta are endangering lives
In November 2020, there were several reports that irate youths of Ute Okpu, Ika North east local government area of Delta State, took to the streets to protest the rising deaths of youths in the area. According to these reports, the youths got angry after four of them died. The protesters reportedly burnt a market, but were unable to get to their monarch’s palace. A team of soldiers and policemen stopped them. The deaths were said to be unexplainable, and the gist around town was that the gods or deities of the community affected were angry at misdemeanor of certain elders, and so had taken the lives of the youth as propitiation. But investigations have revealed that the youths were not killed by the gods. Rather, they had died from yellow fever and allied ailments from deadly fumes arising from the unregulated activities of tank farms in the Niger Delta. Five inhabitants of