HOLY SMOKES.
A State piety cleansing Article.
It’s Lenten season.
*takes deep breath*
Picture this, Ike Ekweremadu (former 12 year term deputy senate president) – swaggering into the house of the Lord, with all pomp and pageantry, daughter and family members in tow, thanking God for a successful kidney transplant for his daughter. The crowd singing joyous praises and chanting in unison about the goodness of God. Except, nothing about the process that got the kidney was “God-like.” A poor young man, taken off the streets of Lagos was hoodwinked, bamboozled and flat out deceived to get his kidney removed. This is the scenario that would have played out if Ekweremadu’s plans were successful but alas! the cold hands of the law in a country that has some semblance of democracy grabbed his scrotum sack & squished it till he and his cronies confessed.
This is just one example of how Nigerian politicians have mastered the art of using religion as a sort of smoke screen to placate the sheer terror being meted out on the citizenry who are high as fuck on the religious opium.
As Nigeria struggles to overcome corruption and political instability, we need to look for new solutions to tackle the country’s deep-rooted problems. One proposal that I have been an advocate of is state atheism, which aims to limit the influence of religious institutions on public and political life.
Image Source: Wikipedia
While some may see this as a controversial idea, state atheism could be just what Nigeria needs to curb the excesses of its politicians. Think about it. If religion is the opiate of the masses, then Nigerian politicians are the heroin dealers. They use their religious affiliations to win votes, while behind the scenes, they engage in all manner of nefarious deeds. But with state atheism, we can finally strip away that veil of piety and see these politicians for who they truly are. Without the ability to use religion as a cover, they will be forced to face greater scrutiny and accountability. This could lead to a more transparent and honest political system, where elected officials are held to higher ethical standards.
Here’s a video of a Nigerian politician, who won a 2nd term in office off the back of violence, thuggery, intimidation and disenfranchisement thanking God for a “successful” election.
Of course, there will be those who argue that state atheism is a violation of religious freedom and that it will lead to a moral decline in society. But the reality is that many countries around the world have successfully implemented state atheism without these negative consequences. In fact, some of the most prosperous and stable nations in the world, such as Sweden and Norway, have high levels of secularization and relatively low levels of religious influence in public life.
But the benefits of state atheism don’t stop there. By promoting a more secular public sphere, we can finally put an end to those pesky religious divides that have torn Nigeria apart for so long.
Of course, I know some of you might be worried about the potential backlash from religious groups. “Won’t they be angry that we’re taking away their power?” they might say. To which I say, “Who cares?” It’s time to put the needs of the many above the needs of the few (or the one, if you’re a Star Trek fan).
No more fighting, no more division, just a bunch of people getting along and making things happen. It’s a bold idea, but sometimes bold ideas are the ones that work.
And let’s do it all with a smile on our faces, because really, isn’t life just one big joke anyway?
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