Mathias Ezeaku: Rejection of Christianity, and Politics in Southern Nigeria

My attention has been drawn to a media report stating that a community had rejected a traditional religious worshipper, Mathias Ezeaku, who is aspiring to contest next year's election in Enugu, Southern Nigeria. According to the report, some leaders from Uzo Uwani constituency had come out to oppose Mathias Ezeaku, a self-identifying traditional religious worshipper who is seeking the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket for the 2027 House of Representatives election. From the report, Ezeaku is a bona fide citizen. He had no criminal record. Ezeaku is not a terrorist. The opposition to his candidacy is linked to his denunciation of Christianity and public burning of the Christian holy book, the Bible. If I may ask: When did the renunciation of the Christian religion become a political liability? When did the profession of traditional African religion become a political stopper?

Apart from being vocal in criticizing Christianity, Ezeaku has reportedly promoted traditional African religion, designating Christianity and Islam as deceitful and as mechanisms to enslave and mislead Africans.

I do not profess traditional religion. I am not a member of the NDC. I am a humanist and a promoter of freedom of religion or belief. Ezeaku's candidacy should not be opposed because he denounced Christianity and Islam. That is unfair. The Constitution of Nigeria guarantees the right of all Nigerians to freedom of religion or belief, including the freedom to change, reject, or embrace other religions or beliefs, or no religion or belief. Ezeaku's rejection of Christianity is an exercise of his right to freedom of religion or belief. It should not constitute a basis to disenfranchise him or oppose his aspiration to participate in next year's election. If people would not oppose his paying taxes or his voting in the next election as a citizen, because he rejected Christianity, why would they oppose his being voted for?

As the report noted, Ezeaku's community is predominantly Christian. Clearly, the opposition to his political aspiration is rooted in Christian extremism and intolerance. Would his candidacy have elicited any opposition if he had rejected traditional religious worship and embraced Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour? I do not think so. Would anyone have opposed him if he had openly and publicly burnt his religious shrine and other traditional religious accessories, as many new converts to Christianity do in that region? Not at all. Would these 'Christian' enthusiasts have rallied against his political ambition if he had declared that he would no longer worship other gods, but Jesus, that he would no longer revere those deities and idols made with human hands?

Definitely not. Nigeria runs a democracy, not a theocracy, not a Christian theocracy. Believers should not use religion against those aspiring to hold political offices in the country.

Leo Igwe is a scholar of religion and a board member of the Humanist Association of Nigeria.