AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION: A PANACEA TO ETHNO-RELIGIOUS CRISIS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Ethno-religious crises in Nigeria are deeply rooted and are fast threatening the fabric that holds Nigeria as one nation. It has negatively impacted on the socio-economic and bureaucratic landscape of Nigeria. Over the last decade, ethno-religious crises have permeated the Nigerian nation, threatening the corporate existence and unity of Nigeria as a nation. Ethno religious divide in the country crises-crosses more than 250 ethnic groups and had left in place a deep political divisions that cut across ethno religious lines. This paper therefore, proposes recourse to African Traditional Religion as a possible solution. The need to reposition African Tradition Religion as a proposed panacea to the recurrent ethno-religious crises and their overall consequences on national integration of Nigeria also constituted parts of the major concerns of this paper. This paper concludes by highlighting ethno-religious crises as having negative effects on Nigerian national integration; and finally makes some useful recommendations as a way forward.