Navigating the Line Between Religious Criticism and Hate: A National Conversation Nigeria Needs Now!

In a time when religion continues to play a central role in shaping Nigeria's social, political, and cultural identity, it is more urgent than ever to address a deeply complex and often misunderstood issue: the difference between criticism of religion and hatred of religion and religious people.

To engage this subject with the depth and seriousness it demands, we must bring together religious leaders, academics, civil society actors, legal experts, government officials, and security agencies for dialogue, reflection, and action.

It is critical to distinguish between objective criticism of religious beliefs and reasoning, and sheer hatred directed at religion and religious adherents. This involves examining the role of religious arguments within Nigeria's framework of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). Such an intervention is timely, especially in an era where misinformation, inflammatory rhetoric, and religious intolerance threaten the fragile threads that hold our pluralistic society together. From the misuse of public platforms to incite hate, to the distortion of religious teachings, and the rise in religiously motivated violence.

Experts must examine where legitimate critique ends and hate speech begins. We must explore the constitutional rights of citizens to express their beliefs and offer critique, while also upholding the equally vital rights to safety, dignity, and freedom from discrimination.

We need to bring together stakeholders to engage in conversations around the growing rhetoric of hate against Islam and the rise of Islamophobia, the spread of distorted teachings about Christianity that sometimes incite violence, the legal tensions between free speech and incitement to religious hatred, and the roles played by the media, civil society, and religious leaders in either exacerbating tensions or promoting peace.

We must also seek out strategies for national policy reform, interfaith collaboration, and the promotion of responsible religious discourse. This effort is not just about dialogue, it’s about equipping ourselves with the tools, insights, and relationships needed to build a more tolerant and democratic Nigeria.

We need to create a space for honest and hopeful dialogue; a forum where stakeholders can co-create solutions that move us forward as a nation united in diversity and strengthened by mutual respect.

As Freedom of Religion or Belief becomes increasingly central to global human rights and peacebuilding frameworks, Nigeria must act decisively to secure it at home. 

Religious institutions, government agencies, academic communities, human rights organizations, and the media must come together to make a lasting difference. This could be the turning point for religious peace in Nigeria.

Felix Joseph Samari

Coordinates FoRB Advocacy Project in Nigeria