Religion has played a huge role in shaping Nigerian and African societies, influencing our culture, values and norms. However, when weaponized through politics, it has often been wielded as a tool by neocolonial powers to erode indigenous traditions and impose strange ideologies, The impact is clear in our governance, education and social institutions, where the gradual erosion of our ancestral practices has given way to external systems that clash with our values and heritage.

Education is a powerful tool for enlightenment, yet its implementation in Africa has been deeply flawed. Western and European powers have long shaped educational curricula to serve their own interests, marginalizing African perspectives and erasing cultural identity in the process. Rather than fostering independent thought and self-determination, the system has been structured by the elites and foreign powers to divide African societies, conditioning us to seek validation from foreign powers.

In Secondary school, my experience shaped my outlook on this issue. Everything sparked debate and we always sought to understand why things were the way they were. and why so much of what we were taught seemed disconnected from our true history. Through my personal experience and observation of power and identity, I have seen how deep-rooted these problems are and how they continue to affect us.

I recall a moment in my early education that revealed, with surprising clarity, the tension between political ideals and lived reality. During a lesson on history and civic responsibility, my teacher emphasized the principles of free and fair elections, orderly governance, and the integrity expected of those in public office. These concepts were presented as unquestionable foundations of our political system.

Yet, even at that age, I struggled to reconcile those ideals with the realities I observed outside the classroom. At home, my father often spoke candidly about the contradictions within our political landscape—the irregularities, the failures of leadership, and the persistent gap between theory and practice. His explanations stood in stark contrast to the sanitized version of governance offered in school.

I wanted to question these inconsistencies, to ask why the values being taught bore little resemblance to the society we lived in, but I remained silent. That silence itself became a lesson: an early understanding of how power shapes not only institutions but also the identities we form and the truths we learn to suppress. It was the first time I realized that the narratives of order and fairness we are encouraged to accept often mask a more complex, and sometimes more troubling, political reality.

I realized that education, as imposed in Africa, discourages critical engagement with our colonial history and perpetuates systems of control.

The Aftermath of Colonization: Politics, Religion, and Leadership

Despite formal independence, many African nations remain shackled by the colonial structures left behind. The forced shift from indigenous governance—rooted in kingship, monarchy and communal leadership—to Western-style democracy has led to political and economic instability. While traditional systems were not perfect, they were originally suited for African societies.

Today, many heads of state replicate the authoritarian tendencies of former colonial rulers, prioritizing personal gain over national progress. They now operate under similar dictatorial frameworks imposed by our colonizers. We have lost the sense of living, thinking and acting as Africans.

Religion, introduced under the guise of enlightenment, has further reinforced these power structures. Instead of being a source of genuine spiritual guidance, it has been co-opted to suppress political dissent. Religious leaders encourage passive acceptance of injustice by preaching that questioning authority is sinful. As a result, corruption thrives and leaders remain unchallenged.

Religious Divisions and the Loss of Cultural Identity

Christianity and Islam, both of which emphasize peace and morality, have ironically been central to divisions among Africans. Religious identity is manipulated by the people along ethnic lines, deepening conflicts. For example, tensions between the predominantly Christian Igbo and the mostly Muslim Hausa communities persist, fueled by political maneuvering rather than theological differences.

Furthermore, African traditional religions and cultural practices have been left out by most people in the newer generations. In many circles, being associated with indigenous spiritual practices automatically leads to suspicion and stigma. African religion and culture are not bad as they have been made to seem. Africans have become the most devoted followers of Islam and Christianity, yet the majority lack deep knowledge of what they truly preach. This rejection of African spirituality stems from centuries of colonial influence that deliberately portrayed local traditions as primitive or evil. Yet, these practices still play a vital role in maintaining societal balance, justice and communal well-being.

The Role of Education in Sustaining This Oppression

While subjects like mathematics and science are universally accepted, the aspects of education that shape our cultural consciousness—history, civic education and social studies—are distorted. African history, especially, is rewritten or omitted and access to quality education remains a privilege rather than a right. They have systematically instilled fear and ignorance in us by denying access to real education (one that includes, studies and awareness of our identity and history) and making it unaffordable. Beyond formal schooling, even religious institutions contribute to the cycle of misinformation.

These teachings have given our leaders even more power to act without accountability. The education system itself is designed to suppress our awareness and need for liberation. Religious leaders deceive us with false promises of instant solutions to our problems rather than encouraging critical thinking and action. The false and destructive nature of our education system has also stripped our desire to seek deeper knowledge about our history and even the religions imposed upon us. We are very religious, but we are neither godly nor truly aware. As a child, I remember our tuition fees for Arabic schools were less than three thousand naira, while Western education cost a hundred to two hundred times more. Yet, our parents who are also victims of the system still prioritized paying for an education based on lies about how we should live as Nigerians. Unfortunately, the system is so corrupt that even religious leaders have turned people into commodities for personal gain. Many no longer follow the core teachings of their faiths.

Many self-proclaimed religious leaders have crossed into the darkest territories, exploiting their followers through horrific practices like organ harvesting, promoting harmful rituals such as allowing them to consume their own urine and saliva under the guise of healing, and manipulating faith for personal gain through fraudulent fundraising. Many of which we've seen and heard of, on social media, the contemporary matters in our society.

The past was an era of fear—when people could not speak out against government injustices. Activists were made scapegoats and punished, instilling fear in our parents, who, in turn, passed this fear down to us. The leaders, who were meant to serve us ended up betraying us and instead of fighting oppression, they became active participants in it.

Reclaiming Our Identity

We must embrace our uniqueness and reclaim our identity. There will be a shift, however small, toward liberation the day Africans stop seeking validation from the West and instead embrace their own culture, governing themselves in alignment with their heritage.

They teach us that civic education is about understanding the work of government, our rights as citizens and our duties to society. Yet, they have corrupted our institutions with lies. We cannot even fight for our rights because there is no transparency in leadership—only blatant embezzlement of our money and resources. We must allow people to believe in whatever religion they choose without seeing them as threats or enemies. True faith demands tolerance, regardless of differences. This division among us only serves to excite our leaders and elites, giving them more opportunities to exploit, oppress, and destroy. In my opinion, religion is at its purest when we are truly aware of its core principles and the rules that shape our beliefs. While gatherings are important, it’s even more crucial to follow your own understanding and personal limitations rather than blindly conforming to a congregation that makes you feel condemned for missing a single day of worship. I believe religion has been systematically altered in ways that fuel division and hatred rather than fostering the unity it was meant to promote.