The whole brouhaha about Islamic Banking issue, to be or not to be. Non Interest Banking and all has again thrown up the question of Nigeria religious status, in other climes this would be a non issue but here, where we are the most religious people in the world albeit outwardly..just for show, there has been arguments and counter arguments which am tired of getting into and also not the purpose of this writing..so Is Nigeria a secular state?...The answer is No, according to Wikipedia a secular state is a concept of secularism, whereby a state or country purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion.A secular state also claims to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and claims to avoid preferential treatment for a citizen from a particular religion/nonreligion over other religions/nonreligion. Secular states do not have a state religion or equivalent, although the absence of a state religion does not guarantee that a state is secular.
Secular states become secular either upon establishment of the state (e.g. The United States of America) or upon secularization of the state (e.g. France). Movements for laïcité in France and for the separation of church and state in the United States defined modern concepts of secularism. Historically, the process of secularising states typically involves granting religious freedom, disestablishing state religions, stopping public funds to be used for a religion, freeing the legal system from religious control, freeing up the education system, tolerating citizens who change religion or abstain from religion, and allowing political leadership to come to power regardless of religious beliefs.
Not all legally secular states are completely secular in practice. In France for example, many Christian holy days are official holidays for the public administration, and teachers in Catholic schools are salaried by the state.In India, the government gives subsidy in airfare for Muslims going on Haj pilgrimage(See Haj subsidy). In 2007, the government had to spend Rs. 47,454 per passenger.
Many states that nowadays are secular in practice may have legal vestiges of an earlier established religion. Secularism also has various guises which may coincide with some degree of official religiosity. Thus, in the Commonwealth Realms, the head of state is required to take the Coronation Oath swearing to uphold the Protestant faith. The United Kingdom also maintains positions in its upper house for 26 senior clergymen of the established Church of England known as the Lords Spiritual (spiritual peers).[While Scotland is part of the United Kingdom the Scottish Parliament declared Scotland a secular state but maintains the religious monarch. The reverse progression can also occur, a state can go from being secular to a religious state as in the case of Iran where the secularized state of the Pahlavi dynasts was replaced by the Islamic Republic. Over the last 250 years, there has been a trend towards secularism. from these deductions, it shows that even so called secular states still have a little "bias" towards particular faiths..Talkless of Nigeria.
........Nigeria is a country of Multitudes and the country's constitution recognises the freedom to practice whatever religion. Nigeria spends billions yearly to assist its Citizens to go on Pilgrimage yearly both The Hajj and for Christians who want to visit Isreal, Traditional Christian and Islamic Holidays are national holidays all over the land whether the majority or otherwise of the residents in any particular state are adherents of the faith. The Islamic Sharia law is duly recognised under the constitution, we open every state function with prayers from either an Alfa or a pastor ( i believe Traditionalist should protest for their non inclusion in state matters) In core Northern States, The views of the Sultan is respected by the government of these states and in some south eastern states where the catholic Church has a huge following, Governors their try to please the church, it is even said that Ikedi Ohakim lost his re-election bid because he offended the Catholic Church by assaulting and insulting a catholic bishop..so where there in all of these is Nigeria's secularism. a secular state would stop sponsoring pilgrims, no form of religious law would be allowed under its constitution among other things that are currently allowed in Nigeria..so Nigerians lets stop deceiving ourselves by referring to Nigeria as a secular State..we are not..we are a Multi-religious state that is overtly religious which is why a non issue like the proposed Islamic banking has become a staple news item
Nicely written
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