Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a tour of the African country Nigeria. He reached Nigeria’s capital Abuja on Sunday and began his three-day visit. Reached there for the first time. This is the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Nigeria in 17 years. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed Prime Minister Modi at Abuja Airport. Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike honored Prime Minister Modi by giving him the ‘Key of the City’ of Abuja. In such a situation, let us know whether Nigeria is a Muslim or Christian majority country and why there is tension between the people of these two religions?
What is the population of Nigeria?
The full name of Nigeria, located in the west of the African continent, is the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is the largest democratic country in Africa. Its population is less than the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The population of UP is 24 crores while the population of Nigeria is 23 crores. This country is named Nigeria after the third longest river of Africa, Niger. Its biggest specialty is that the world’s largest Muslim and Christian population lives together here. The population of both here is almost half. Of the total population here, Muslims are about 51.1 percent and Christians are about 46.9 percent.
Is Nigeria divided into two parts?
According to a BBC report, Nigeria is divided into two parts. The population of Muslims is high in its northern part, but poverty is also high there. Southern and eastern Nigeria have a larger Christian population and more affluent areas. The roots of Islam in northern Nigeria date back to the 11th century. This religion first appeared in Borno, that is why the Muslim population is high in the northern region of Nigeria. At the same time, Christian missionary work in southern Nigeria effectively began in Yorubaland around the year 1842. For this reason, there is a high Christian population in Southern Nigeria. Christianity also set the platform for the establishment of Western education in western Nigeria. At the same time, it was a complete failure in many areas of Northern Nigeria. In the northern regions, Western education has been considered equivalent to Christianity.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Situation of tension between the two religions?
Nigeria has a long history of tension between Muslims and Christians. There also come to light many reasons that increase religious tension. There continues to be competition for space between people of Islam and Christianity. The perception has also become entrenched in the minds of people that Nigerian leaders use the state to promote their own religion and beliefs at the expense of others. It is also believed that there is no regard for the feelings of minorities and there is a culture of insensitivity towards them. In fact, despite strong opposition from Christians, many northern states of Nigeria have adopted Islamic Sharia law. Due to this also there have been disputes and fights between the two communities.
In Nigeria, both these religions have significantly influenced many aspects of education, culture, politics and social life of the local people. Religion is anyway considered a central part of people’s identity. In such a situation, any threat to someone’s religious belief is considered a threat to his entire existence, hence we can say that the real fight between these two religions is to preserve their respective religions.
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