SOYINKA: MONSTERS NOW POUNCE ON INNOCENT NIGERIANS IN THE NAME OF RELIGION

LAGOS, Nigeria – Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has emphasized the need for those in authority to checkmate those who use religion as a guise to pounce on innocent Nigerians, warning that unless that is done, the consequent will be too much for the country to bear.

Soyinka spoke at a book launch in honour of Professor Olufemi Vaughan noted that religion has transcended its mandate of being a source of relief for those who embrace it and it has become a source of trauma.

Soyinka who was obviously referring to the mindless killings in Kaduna attributed the trend to religious fanatics.




“Many Nigerians have paid the ultimate price because of religion and religion is now embedded in our society. The innocent ones are the ones who often pay the ultimate price in religious crisis. Even religious leaders cannot denounce the murdering acts of religion.

“Religion now induce trauma and anxiety instead of solace that it claims to give. Religion is the ironic product of human inadequacy. There is a monster always waiting to pounce on innocent Nigerians under the name of religion,” he said.

He said many have lost their lives as a result of religious fanaticism and called on the authority to check the development.
“If we do not tame religion in Nigeria, religion will kill us”, he said, adding that