The Executive Director, Religionnext Foundation, Dr. Effiong Udo has revealed that the growing insecurity in Nigeria to a large extent, is caused by religious illiteracy, polarization and politicization of religion in the country.
Religionnext Foundation is a registered organization committed to maintaining inter-religious peace and coexistence through religious literacy programmes and activism across religions and denominations in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large.
Dr. Udo in an interview with our correspondent made it known that the youth are generally regarded as main perpetrators of religious violence in school campuses and the general society, hence, Religionnext is a platform that tries to educate, and discourage young people from engaging in religious spats for the common good of the society and the next generation.
“Religionnext is an interfaith platform for young people in educational and religious institutions seeking to promote interreligious and intra-religious cooperation and understanding among young people in institutions of learning and worship houses in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large.
“The platform imparts young minds with knowledge, values, and skills of interreligious dialogue to promote mutual understanding, religious tolerance, friendship and linkages across differences in religion and culture, principally to break the cycle of mutual suspicion, hate, discrimination and resultant religious violence in the country,” he said.
Reacting to the prevailing atmosphere of violence, Dr. Udo noted that every violence in Nigeria although may be fronted as political, ethnic, social and so on, has some elements of religious insinuations.
According to him, it will continue to be difficult for any political administration to maintain peace for the country without ensuring peaceful interreligious and intra-religious coexistence.
In the same development, the founder of Religionnext commented that young people have been used to perpetrate violence and similarly campuses of educational institutions have been hotbed of this violence, hence, Religionnext aims at reaching out to these youth in institutions of higher learning and religious institutions to educate them on the need to shun violence and embrace peace necessary for the common good of the Nigerian society.
The leader of the Organization cited instances of religious intolerance in institutions of learning when he made mention of interreligious violent clashes in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Bayero University, Kano; University of Ibadan, Oyo; and others; adding that these violent clashes in campuses reflect socio-religious impulses in the Nigerian society.
Religionnext is a peace building foundation that provides an interfaith platform for students across departments and institutions to have a proper understanding of religion in society.
Religionnext Foundation was founded by Dr. Effiong Udo in 2020 and inaugurated on February 24, 2021by the Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo, Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo who is also the Grand Patron of the Organization.
According to the founder, the inauguration which took place in the University of Uyo, followed a 3 day training mounted and on the title, “An Interreligious Dialogue Training of Nigerian Students for Sustainable Peace and Development: The University of Uyo Campus Framework”.
The training drew participants from different religious associations including the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Nigerian Union of Jewish Students (NUJS), Joint Christian Campus Fellowship (JCCF), Students for the Promotion of African Religious Values (SPARV), and other students in the University of Uyo Community.
Dr. Udo speaking on the roadmap of Religionnext as the Organization is bringing forth expected results, said it will be extended to other tertiary institutions of higher learning and secondary schools in Nigeria, Africa in order to provide religious literacy and intercultural exposure to students.
In his words, “some people are coming under the cover of religion to perpetrate violence that benefits them, and they do this by using young people to fight and maim one another. When this young people engage in the violence, they are not only perpetrators but also casualties or victims. Yet, these victims are religiously ignorant, children of the poor masses. The children of the rich are there safe and sound in foreign lands.
“It is believed that these young people are not the actual initiators of ethno-religious violence but only got involved ignorantly. Hence, the word NEXT added to RELIGION is to ensure that our next generation is properly educated on religious affairs and practices. In other words, the next generation of believers and practitioners of our different religions in this country should be well informed about basic essence of religion, the volatility of religion, and enlightened take a stand against killing of one another in the name of God; but safely practice their religions for the common good”.
Speaking on the occasion of 2020/2021 freshmen orientation, Dr. Effiong Udo urged every student in the University of Uyo to practice their various religions safely, respectfully and in dialogue with fellows of other religions on campus.
He called on them to identify with Religionnext Foundation to learn the skills and shared values of religious tolerance, dialogue, friendship, coexistence that would help us celebrate rather than spat our differences.
Reminiscing on the status and achievements of Religionnext, Dr. Udo said the Organization has drawn mentors and trustees from people who are sufficiently informed on matters of religion, and has been duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and thus legally certified.
He also said that apart from their monthly meetings which they call ‘Ubuntu Open House Forum’, the Foundation celebrates international days that are related to youth, peace, cooperation, dialogue, friendship and non-violence. The notable ones include, International Day of Peace, World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, and International Day of Friendship, etc.
The Foundation partners with centres such as Centre for Deep Dialogue and Critical Thinking, Centre for Gender Studies, Centre for Cultural Studies and Department of Religious and Cultural Studies, all in the University of Uyo.
