The Manifestations of Religious Compulsion Among Christianity and Islamic Adherents in Yoruba Land PDF

THE MANIFESTATIONS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION
IN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM IN YORUBA LAND AND

ITS EFFECTS ON RELIGIOUS HARMONY
BY
OLOTU OLUWASEUN EBENEZER

MATRIC NO.: 163243
A LONG ESSAY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF BACHELOR OF ARTS
DEGREE (B.A. HONS) IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES SUBMITTED TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES, FACULTY OF
ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN.
DECEMBER, 2015.
CERTIFICATION
I CERTIFY THAT THIS RESEARCH WAS CARRIED OUT UNDER
MY SUPERVISION BY OLOTU OLUWASEUN EBENEZER OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES, FACULTY OF ARTS,
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN.
……………………….. …………………………………
DATE SUPERVISOR
SIMON BABS MALA
Dip Th. (C.A.C.T.S) Ile-Ife
B.A., M.A., PhD. (Ibadan)
Lecturer in Comparative Religion
Department of Religious Studies
University of Ibadan
ii
DEDICATION
This research work is dedicated to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy
Spirit. Next to the Almighty God who is the Most Beneficent and Most Merciful I also
dedicate this work to my parents Late (Elder) Emmanuel Momo Olotu and Mrs. Victoria
Olusola Olotu (a Deaconess).
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Glory, honor, power and majesty are unto God the Most Beneficent and the Most
Merciful and to Jesus Christ the savior of mankind who died and resurrected that the
world might be saved. God be praised and let the name of the Lord be praised for the
completion of this project. Hallelujah!
Giving honor to who honor is also due, I appreciate my amiable and kind
supervisor Pastor Dr. Simon Babs Mala an intelligent teacher, thanks for your guidance
through the period of this project write up. I am deeply grateful for your patience and
consistent approaches towards this project work and that you help refined the project
topic when all hope was almost lost, it is my prayer that the good Lord will preserve you,
keep you steadfast and continue to enrich you the more in the ministry and in your
academic career. You are loved.
I want to appreciate the teaching staff of the Department of Religious Studies I
must confess you have all done well and the deep impact you made upon my life shall
remain forever. For the Fatherly and Motherly roles, played by; Professor Deji
Aiyegboyin, the Head of Department (you often called me Chief and Oga-the Boss, thank
you Sir), Professor J. K. Ayantayo, (thanks for teaching me the rudiments of research
Sir), Revd. Dr. S. A. Fatokun, (thanks for being a blessing to me Sir), Dr. Kunle Dada,
(thanks for your support and encouragement to me Sir, GADOL RABBONI), Dr.(Mrs.)
Labeodan (thanks Mummy for the philosophical ways of life, motherly cares and
supports to me, e se e Ma), Ven. Dr. J. S. Adekoya (thanks Sir you taught and inspired
iv
‫" ) ُار َْيك ّج‬May Allah
me to choose this project topic, Jazakum Allah Khayran (‫كهَ ُ ُُمك َا َزج‬
reward you [in] goodness.", Rt. Bishop Dr. O. O. Obijole (thanks Baba for the term
papers and the slogan write copiously in the exams), Dr. O. O. Familusi (thanks for
being there for me Uncle Fame and for teaching me how to write research methodology),
Ven. Dr. S. M. Mepayeida (thanks Sir you stood by me when I am in need of your help),
Dr. A. O. Adebo (you are an inspiration to me Sir), Dr. S. K. Olaleye ( thanks Sir for the
African ways of life and for being a blessing to me), Dr. O. O. Berekiah (thanks Sir for
your prayers and the Hebrews ways of life, GADOL RABBONI), Dr. Samuel Okanlawon
( thanks Sir for being a blessing to me), Dr. H. M Sewakpo (thanks Sir for the Koine-
Greek and for being a blessing to me, ευχαριστώ), Barrister O. P. Oke (thanks Sir for
being a blessing and for teaching me how to write research methodology), Mrs. Toyin
Gbadamosi (thanks Ma for teaching me philosophical way of life).
Glad as well am I to appreciate the non-teaching staff of the department; Mrs.
Oladipo, Mr. Adetoyinbo, Mr. Akindele, Mrs. Ojo and the Librarian, Mr. Thomas and
finally Mr. Seun Abilawon (a PhD postgraduate student of the department) for being
there when you are needed. Thank you Sir(s) and Ma(s) you are loved.
Great is the impact of Dr. Alade, Dr. Adebowale, Dr. Anenih and Mr. Blavo all of
the department of Classics through whose classes I attended that I am able to understand
the New Testament better. Thank you all.
Generally I want to say big thank you to all my colleagues for being there when
they are needed, you are all loved by me sincerely. We shall all meet at the top,
v
Oluwatobi, Temitope Emmanuel, Temitope Fakoya, David, Promise, Michael Alara,
Busola, Tayo, Tola, Samuel, Ayomide, Reverend, Cornelius, Ife, Ayo Babadare, Uche,
Okechukwu, Omowonola, Ebube, Emeka, Owonikoko, Ekemode Michael and Ik Awa.
I want to thank the Church of God for their prayers for me. The Lord will answer
your prayers as well and keep the fire burning. You are blessed.
God knows I will always remember you; Abimbola Kaosarat Abdulsalam and
Damilola Olabiyi both from my department, Aransiola Iyanu of the classics department,
and Seun my good friend from the department of Linguistics, thanks for your assistances
and encouragement so far in the project write up. I want to thank every student of this
department at undergraduate and master levels and every other who have one way or the
other have impacted me positively. Meet you too at the top. Thank you all. Facebook
friends I want to say thank you all and to my Landlord, his family and every member of
the house I lived in with my mother outside campus, I say thank you all. Mummy Omeh,
my typist, thank you forever Ma.
Finally, I want to thank my family and friends for their moral, spiritual and
financial support in the cause of my undergraduate program in this university mostly Rt.
Rear Admiral Solomon Aremo, Mr. and Mrs. Lemo (Mummy e se e Ma), Olotu’s family,
Mr. Elijah Oladunmoye and every member of Oladunmoye’s family, Olagunju’s family
and others. I want to thank Oluwatobi and Tomiwo Oladunmoye, for the data analysis of
my research, and others who also help in the compiling of the data for the data analysis
and interpretation, I am very grateful. I want to thank my mother for her endurance and
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patience while I was writing this project, the Lord God will spare her life for us and lastly
my sister, Deborah, it is well, thank you so much. You are all loved.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
i. TITLE PAGE
ii. CERTIFICATION
iii. DEDICATION
iv. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
v. TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 1
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 3
1.2 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.7 LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER TWO: FORMS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION IN
CHRISTIANITY IN YORUBA LAND
2.0 INTRODUCTION
2.1 MARRIAGE
2.2 FASHION
2.3 CEREMONIES AND RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
2.4 RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES
2.5 RELIGIOUS NAMES
2.6 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
2.7 CONCLUSION
viii
CHAPTER THREE: FORMS OF REIGIOUS COMPULSION
WITHIN ISLAM IN YORUBA LAND
3.0 INTRODUCTION
3.1 MARRIAGE
3.2 FASHION
3.3 RELIGIOUS NAME
3.4 TRADE
3.5 JIHAD
3.7 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FOUR: IMPACTS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION

ON RELIGIOUS HARMONY IN YORUBA
LAND
4.0 INTRODUCTION
4.1 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.2 IMPACTS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION ON RELIGIOUS
HARMONY IN YORUBA LAND
4.3 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND GENERAL

CONCLUSION
5.0 INTRODUCTION
5.1 IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY
5.2 SUMMARY OF THE STUDY
5.3 CRITICAL EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.4 GENERAL CONCLUSION
ix
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX
x
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The idea that no great picture ever existed without a good background signifies
and emphasizes the importance of background to this study. The background for this
study is within the sphere of the cultural, religious, social and historical lifestyles of the
Yoruba people. That Yoruba are highly religious and are people who esteem and glory in
their culture is no understatement.
That Christianity and Islam frown at religious syncretism and ambivalence
condone in the traditional religion serves as cultural background for this work. Today,
many traditional values and culture believed to be responsible for the adherents’
syncretistic and ambivalence religious attitudes found to be of no relevance in both
Christianity and Islam are being discarded and exterminated from these religions within
Yoruba society.
It is natural that religious interaction sets in when two or more religions meet and
interact through their adherents at various secular spots within Yoruba land, the likes of;
stadiums, recreational centers, malls, markets, cinemas, village squares and town councils
etc., thus in the introduction to one of his published works Adekoya, J. S. said:
“It is natural, that, ‘he, who is not one of us or like us,’ is viewed
at least with suspicion and more likely with hostility. He may be
seen as a predator to be fed or as prey to be seized or as a rival,
and therefore an enemy, to be fought…For even today, those
who did not share our culture are ‘barbarians’; those who do
1
not share our religion are ‘unbelievers’…In this respect the
responses of Christendom and Islam have been remarkably
similar: convert him if we can or fight him if we must
(conversion, jihad or crusade). In other words, we try in one way
or another to absorb him. In different forms and disguises’’1
In essence, religious interaction often leads to religious suspicion and religious
competition in such society as described above, a situation whereby a particular religion
try to convert adherents of other religions into its own by any means, often creates
tension, which brews up negative religious attitudes, the likes of; hatred, division, apathy,
insensitivity, radical and fanatical acts towards other religions. These negative attitudes,
in turn, resulted into situation whereby compulsive attitudes were developed as measures;
to checkmate the excesses of other religions, to control its religious adherents and to
combat religious syncretism, religious ambivalence and secularism making it relevance
as religious background to this research.
Nigeria is a secular state by virtue of her constitution which stated that the
government of the Federation or of a State is expected not to adopt any religion as State
religion2 and by consequence, Yoruba land being a part of the sovereignty becomes a
recognized secular society by the law. The struggle arises when religion and secularism
compete as domineering forces of social control in Yoruba society. Religion want to
dominate the social life of the entire people in Yoruba land and secularism also aims to
1
Adekoya J. S., 2009, Dhimmitude Status of Christians in Classical Islamic Tradition: Implications for Global
Peace Initiative, International Journal of Applied Psychology and Human Performance 5.Pg.1068.
2
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chapter I, Part II and Section X
2
exercise such considerable influence within the society, thus a clash of interest becomes
inevitable. This shall serves as the social background for this project.
The history of the two religions in Yoruba land has spots within it where religious
compulsion became a necessity and was employed against those menaces of; secularism,
religious syncretism and religious ambivalence. This would serve the historical
background for this research.
The forms of religious compulsion as found in both religions e.g. marriage,
religious names, trade, religious activities are being used as means of social and religious
control in Yoruba contemporary society.
All these views in totality will serve the needed cultural, religious, social and
historical background for this research.
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The sayings as found in the scriptures of Christianity and Islam, and the laws in
the constitution of the Nigerian secular State held sacred and dearly, were synchronized
and the result of this process becomes the statement of the problem for this study.
The Prophet, while in Medina said to the Islamic faithful that:
“There should be no compulsion in religion…”3
3
Q 2:256.
3
Paul in his second epistles to the Corinthians also said:
“Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly

or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”4
The Yoruba society bonded to the law governing the entire federation became a
secular state through some of the sections under the constitution of the country, which
defined the State and the stakes-the rights of every individual and corporate organization
within the State. Here is a paraphrase of the three sections quoted from the constitution in
my own words:
The Nigerian constitution of 1999, amended in 2010, placed the

law above all, emphasized the rule of law, established the nation
as a secular state, no adoption of any religion as the State
religion, 5extolled human rights, that is; rights to change religion
either as an individual or as community, rights of religious
community to teach its religious instruction, and in particular,
its relevance to this project was that, the law gave the rights to
freedom of thought, conscience and religion6 and also gives the
right to freedom of expression and the press.7
The scriptures and the laws of these stakeholders all have one or few things to say
against religious compulsion in Yoruba land, however despite all these claims and
injunctions, this phenomenon continue unhindered and unabated; this is a problem that
need be addressed.
Hence, I resolved that the Problem Statement should go thus:
4
2 Cor. 9:7; RSV etc.
5
6
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chapter IV, Section XXXVIII
7
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chapter IV, Section XXXIX
4
Religious Compulsion as a phenomenon persists today in a
secular Nigerian society such as Yoruba land, then how, why,
and in what ways, forms and perspectives, is religious
compulsion being seen to possess desirable qualities when it is
thought of to be undesirable?
1.2 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The area of study in this research shall be within the geography of Yoruba land.
The scope of this project will also work round the activities of the agents of
religious compulsion in Yoruba land. These agents in Christianity and Islamic religions
have particular identities through which they can be mark out among the Christians and
Islamic sects within Yoruba land.
To ease the work of this research, the scholars’ tags of these agents of religious
compulsion as “religious fundamentals, religious radicals and religious fanatics” shall
be meticulously adopted and interchangeably used throughout this project, however due
to proliferation of churches and the rising of different Islamic societies within Yoruba
land, the scope has to be streamlined, focused and trimmed towards the purpose of this
study, and for such task, case studies were employed to study some of the sects.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This study aims to justify that, religious compulsion is the handiwork of the
religious fundamentals, the radicals and the fanatics by articulating their roles as agents
of religious compulsion. The zeal to preserve the ancient landmark often pushes them into
displaying aggressive and compulsive attitudes towards the adherents of other faiths.
5
In another way, this research shall demonstrate how religious compulsion is a
reactionary phenomenon against secularism, religious syncretism and ambivalence.
The project also aims to consider the worth and values of religious compulsion,
by assessing its impacts, whether they are of evil, good, beneficial or destructive
tendencies within the society. In other words, the study shall ascertain if Yoruba land
might have been sitting on a keg of gunpowder likely to explode at any period of time.
All the above when summed up will amount to, providing an objective
scholarship on what religious compulsion is all about in Yoruba land.
This research strongly believed that religious compulsion may be the necessity,
the way out which is needed, to avoid a particular problem at a particular period of time
in these religious communities and rather than being used as tool for divisions among
religions may serve as a uniting or linking force against enemies of religion.
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This piece of work employed four fields of research methodologies. These are the
Historical, the Questionnaire, Case study and the Comparative methods.
The Historical method covers the aspect of religious compulsion as found in the
past history of the two religions both within and outside of Yoruba land. Those details cut
across the aspects of religious compulsion carried out by the fundamentalist oriented
religious sects.
On the other hand, the Questionnaire method sees into the manifestation of
religious compulsion within the contemporary Yoruba land through the participants’
6
observatory responses. A fixed number of Christians and Muslims within the metropolis
of Ibadan answered series of field questions relevant to this research work. A copy of the
Questionnaire is provided at the Appendix’s section of this project.
Case studies on the activities of the religious fundamentalists are carried out
within some religious institutions. Interaction with the participants on the field is at barest
minimum level and the researcher joined some of the religious groups studied incognito
and largely anonymous allowing a normal and free observatory studies during the field
work.
Comparative method was then used to synchronize the emerging facts from the
methods used above. This gives fresh insight on the reasons why religious compulsion as
a phenomenon, persists in our religions till today and how it is being used to achieve both
good and evil end means.
1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Few scholars have written on this issue of religious compulsion and their writings
mostly has been a generalization task, very broad, and in which their perspectives devoid
of reasons why religious compulsion is being scripturally exploited.
More so, many of those fewer books describing religious compulsion were written
outside this continent.
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
7
Religious Fanaticism, Religious Fundamentalism, Religious Compulsion,
Religious Syncretism, Religious Ambivalence, Secular, Secularism and Religious
Harmony are terms that need be concisely defined in this section. It should be noteworthy
that the definitions taken from Microsoft Encarta and other dictionaries are a means to an
end; they are only precursors to the actual definitions given in this project.
1.6.1 RELIGIOUS FANATICISM: Iloanya and Asike,8 while defining what religious
fanaticism is all about said:
Religious Fanaticism like religion itself cannot be easily defined,

because it is based on the subjective evaluation of the one doing
the evaluation. However, it has to do with excessive irrational
zeal, beliefs and execution of religious teachings or doctrines
without recourse to reason.9
S. B. Mala10 briefly noted the meaning of ‘fanatic’, derived from the Latin word,
fanaticus a-um meaning:
Inspired by a divinity or enthusiastic, is applied to a person who

has the tendency for excessive enthusiasm or frenzy in religious
and other matters11
1.6.2 RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM: Microsoft Encarta12 raises two salient

points on the term fundamentalism that it can be seen in two ways; first, as a movement
8
Iloanya and Asike, 2014, Curbing the Menace of Religious Fanaticism in Nigeria-Africa: A Case for
Philosophy of Religion, retrieved from http://www.bjournal.co.uk/paper/BJASS_9_2/BJASS_09_02_04.pdf
on November 10, 2015. Pg.8
9
Iloanya and Asike, 2014, Curbing the Menace of Religious Fanaticism in Nigeria-Africa: A Case for
Philosophy of Religion, retrieved from http://www.bjournal.co.uk/paper/BJASS_9_2/BJASS_09_02_04.pdf
on November 10, 2015. Pg. 8
10
Sam Babs Mala, the Religious Fanatics of the Modern Time: The Maitatsines of Nigeria. Pg.128.
11
Sam Babs Mala, the Religious Fanatics of the Modern Time: The Maitatsines of Nigeria. Pg.128.
12
Microsoft® Encarta® Dictionary, 2009 © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation
8
with strict stance on doctrine, and secondly as belief that has support for doctrinal literal
explanation. It sees fundamentalism as:
1. Movement with strict view of doctrine: a religious or
political movement based on a literal interpretation of
and strict adherence to doctrine, especially as a return
to former principles.
2. Support for literal interpretation: the belief that
religious or political doctrine should be implemented
literally not interpreted or adapted.13
Religious Fundamentalism in the light of the above definition is a strict belief of
religious adherents on an established set of basic principles and doctrines, which may be
in form of religious dogmas or articles of faith, drawn up as reaction to the perceived
religious doctrinal compromises in modern, social and political life of that religious
community.
In essence, these religious fundamentalists are deeply rooted in the past. The
public marks of distinction being displayed today through their doctrines having to do
with remove not the ancient landmark are likely to be in practice even until the Lord
comes. They, as Christians, believed Christianity should be practiced the way it was
written in their scripture, was practiced by the early Church and was handed over to the
Church’s Fathers. They, as Muslims, wanted to live on Islamic traditions as they were
practiced in the days of the Messenger of Allah, by holding dear to the messages of the
Qur’an and the Sunna of the Prophet.
1.6.3 RELIGIOUS COMPULSION: In Microsoft Encarta, Compulsion is:
13
Microsoft® Encarta® Dictionary, 2009, Religious Fundamentalism, © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation
9
Compelling: an act of compelling or the state of being
compelled14
This will lead into the definition of what religious compulsion is all about:
Religious compulsion implies the use of force to pressurize, compel or coerce a
person or groups of persons into obeying some set of doctrines drawn from existing
scriptures, this could be within a religious organization or directed against others’
religions.
In other words, when a set of verses from the scriptures are being used to
influence, or enforce a religious lifestyle on a group of people who may be adherents of
such religion or other religions, this is religions compulsion, it can serve as mechanism to
checkmate perceived internal and external threats on a religion.
1.6.4 RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM: According to Microsoft Encarta, syncretism is:
Combination of different beliefs: the combination of different

systems of philosophical or religious belief or practice.15
This piece of research work in the light of the above definition agreed with the
editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica that:
Religious syncretism is the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and

practices.16
The two religions under study in this project work are known to be syncretistic.
14
Microsoft® Encarta® Dictionary, 2009, Religious Compulsion, © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
15
Microsoft® Encarta® Dictionary, 2009, Religious Syncretism, © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
16
Definition of Religious Syncretism, retrieved from http://encyclopediabrittanica.com/religious-
syncretism on December 10, 2015.
10
Therefore religious syncretism could be seen as a phenomenon whereby there
exist the sharing of religious beliefs, ideas and practices among religions within a
particular domain.
1.6.5 RELIGIOUS HARMONY: This implies:
Without being fanatical, respects for other religions while

practicing and believing the rituals of the religion you believe
in… Not to try to prove yourself right and impose your thoughts
on others.17
According to Religious Harmony Foundation:
Religious harmony holds center stage for the peace and

prosperity in our multi-religious and multi-cultural
world. Religious harmony holds the key to a peaceful and
progressive world. Religious harmony is the need of the hour
because we are the children of the same God.18
Since the word harmony in Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary means:
When people are peaceful and agree with each other, or when
things right or suitable together19
Religious harmony, therefore according to this project, is the presence of good feelings,
mutual trust and peaceful co-existence among religions in a society.
1.6.6 RELIGIOUS AMBIVALENCE: according to Microsoft Encarta, ambivalence
implies:
17
The meaning of religious harmony, retrieved from
http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_meaning_of_religious_harmony on November 10, 2015.
18
Religious Harmony in Religious Harmony Foundation, retrieved from http://www.religiousharmony.org
on November, 2015.
19 rd
Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Harmony,3 Edition, Cambridge, 2008, reprinted 2009, pg.
659
11
Conflict of ideas or attitudes: the presence of two opposing
ideas, attitudes, or emotions at the same time20
Thus religious ambivalence denoted the practice of two opposing religions at the
same time by an individual or the community at large.
When the Yoruba practiced either Christianity or Islam and also worship their
traditional deities, such situation is religious ambivalence while such individuals are
religious ambivalent.
1.6.7 SECULARISM: According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary it means:
A belief that religion should not be involved in the organization

of society, education, etc21
A leaf from Webster dictionary sees secularism to mean:
A system of doctrines and practices that rejects any form of

religious faith and worship or the belief that religion and
ecclesiastical affairs should not enter into the function of the
state especially into public education.22
Thus Secularism can be defined as the belief in the withdrawal of God and
religion from the society.
1.6.8 SECULAR: Secular, in the Oxford Historical Dictionary is an ancient word used in
the age when the language of the Church was Latin. It denoted different but similar
meanings ranging from:
Of or pertaining to the world. Belonging to the world and its’

affairs as distinguished from the church and religion; civil; lay;
20
Microsoft® Encarta® Dictionary, 2009, Religious Ambivalence, © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
21 th
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Secularism, 8 Edition of the International Student Edition,
Oxford.
22
The Webster’s Dictionary, Definition of Secularism
12
temporal. Chiefly used as a negative term, with the meaning non-
ecclesiastical, non-religious or non sacred. Of education,
instruction: Relating to non-religious subjects. (In recent use
often implying the exclusion of religious teaching from education
provided at the public expense.) Of a school: That gives secular
education. Of or belonging to the present or visible world as
distinguished from the eternal or spiritual world. Caring for the
present world only; unspiritual, used for: Pertaining to or
accepting the doctrine of secularism; secularistic23.
Then according to this project, Secular is the opposite of all which are religious,
sacred and spiritual in a given society as Yoruba land.
1.7 LITERATURE REVIEW
1.7.1 RELIGIOUS COMPULSION IN CHRISTIANITY
Religious Compulsion in Christianity can be traced to an ancient history of the
Roman Catholic Church.
Noel Lenski24 wrote some chapters in a book titled ‘Lives of the Caesars’, in
chapter ten, he wrote on the classical life and reign of Emperor Constantine. It was in the
lifetime of this emperor that Christianity comes out of those centuries’ of sufferings and
persecutions in the kingdoms of the roman’s emperors to become its official religion.
23
The Oxford English Dictionary; A New English Dictionary On Historical Principles; Secular,Volume IX S-
Soldo; Oxford at the Clarendon Press; Reprinted 1970; pg. 365.
24
Noel Lenski, Constantine in Lives of the Caesars, edited by Anthony A. Barrett, Blackwell Publishing Ltd.,
2008, pg.276
13
Lenski wrote on reforms carried out by Constantine and in his report of the
emperor’s religious reforms he made mention of Constantine’s religious attitude to those
non-Christians within his realm. He said:
He regularly heaped scorn on the Jews in public

pronouncements and saddled them with legal restrictions unless
they choose to convert. Pagans, whose sacrifices he found
particularly repugnant, he also hemmed in by restricting their
modes of divination, confiscating their temple treasuries, and
even destroying some of their places of worship.25
This is plain and clear, that the emperor’s actions in which he coerced, compelled
and forced both the Jews and the pagans into Christianity and by virtue of his favoritisms
toward the church; in cash and grants of estates to the Church amounted to religious
compulsion, through which many non-Christians were lured into Christianity.
However, Kenny noted in the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on Religious
Liberty on 7th of December, 1965 that:
Compulsion may never be used to make people profess or

repudiate any religion or to prevent them from joining or leaving
a religious body, even if they fail honestly to seek the truth, a)
because truth can impose itself only in virtue of its own truth
freely sought and accepted, b) because God’s law is mediated to
each individual through his conscience, c) because civil
authority is a human institution concerned with the common
good of society, whereas judging the truth of revelation and
man’s acceptance of it are beyond its competency…
Religious freedom excludes: a) coercive or unworthy methods of
persuasion, b) disturbance of public peace and rejection of
legitimate civil authority. Yet freedom should be given the fullest
25
Noel Lenski, Constantine in Lives of the Caesars, edited by Anthony A. Barrett, Blackwell Publishing Ltd.,
2008, pg.276. See also Noel Lenski (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine, New York,
2006; P Weiss, “The Vision of Constantine,” Journal of Roman Archaeology 16 (2003), 237-59.
14
possible recognition and be curtailed only when and in so far as
it’s necessary.26
The declaration actually distanced the Roman Catholic Church of today’s
generation from the compulsive tendencies found in the religious reforms of the emperor
Constantine and the Roman Church of his age.
On the other hand, religious compulsion in the Christendom within Yoruba land
also has its history. Scholars in the field of church history captured events and situations
which plunged the Christian race in Yoruba land into a history noted for religious
compulsion. In the Church today, most of these agents of religious compulsion occupied
position of repute and like Constantine were able to impose certain biblical doctrines and
unbiblical traditions on the church members.
However it is expedient to note that the Church’s African Yoruba fathers were not
the first to be held responsible for religious compulsion in the Christendom of Yoruba
land, some of the European missionary groups, the Church Missionary Society, as an
example, through the forms, manners and ways they introduced and propagated
Christianity in Yoruba land could be said to be among the first agents of religious
compulsion in Yoruba land.
This research, in the section on background to the study, has said that religious
interaction becomes inevitable when two religions come in contact and interact, such
situation soon leads into one religion attempting to exercise control over the other
26
Joseph Kenny, O.P., 1999, Views on Christian-Muslim Relations, Dominican Publications Lagos. Pg. 5-6.
15
religions within the same domain, such occurrences around the 19th century when the
Christians missions came to Nigeria was pinpointed and recorded by most African
Church historians. There was religious interaction among African traditional religion,
Christianity and Islam which led into each religion drawing boundary for its adherents. A
good image of such situation was when the missionaries attempted to subjugate Africans
by dissuading African Church members to forsake their traditional culture for the
European culture. Africans’ refusal to yield to such cajole led them on into founding
indigenous churches in which the Europeans also tried to suppress its growth, thus
Owoeye wrote in IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science on “The Deeper Life
Bible Church and the issues of Human Rights”27 there he challenged the missionaries’
activities saying:
If the missionaries had encouraged the total operation of

fundamental human rights, why should they be unhappy when
people were exercising their freedom to join any church they
wished? People should be free to join any religious assembly
and they should be free to leave the church if they wish.28
Aiyegboyin and Ishola recounted Church’s ordeals when the Africans were being
forced to lose their customs for the European church’s way of life.29 Secessions followed
27
S. A. Owoeye, 2013, The Deeper Life Bible Church and the Issue of Human Rights, IOSR Journal of
Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), retrieved from http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-
jhss/papers/Vol13-issue5/G01353340.pdf?id=3402 on November 10, 2015.
28
S. A. Owoeye, 2013, The Deeper Life Bible Church and the Issue of Human Rights, IOSR Journal of
Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), retrieved from http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-
jhss/papers/Vol13-issue5/G01353340.pdf?id=3402 on November 10, 2015.
29
Aiyegboyin and Ishola, 2013, African Indigenous Churches: An Historical Perspective, 2013.
16
dramatically from different quarters which finally culminated into the establishment of
African Indigenous Churches.
A good example was the mission churches’ doctrine against polygamy. Many of
the disgruntled Africans were polygamous and wanted to remain so and by virtue of this
many of them were exempted from baptism, prevented from partaking in the Holy
Communion and denied Christian burial.30
Thomas Price in his survey work on African Marriage said:
African customary law recognizes that a man may legally have

more wives than one, and prescribes no limit beyond which he
must not go. On the other hand, no church which retained its
connection with European missionary founders will celebrate
marriage for anyone who is already married to another person
than the one with whom he seeks the rite. To be, or to become a
polygamist bars a person from church membership… insistence
on a right to contract polygamous marriages is responsible for
most disciplinary expulsions from the churches, and for setting
up of independent local churches.31
This survey of Thomas Price captured religious compulsion while in the act; there
the Europeans missionaries were playing the roles which today’s religious
fundamentalists were known for. This research envisaged this issue from the perspective
that there is an effort to keep the Africans away from the polygamous lifestyle of the Old
Testament into the monogamous Church’s standard of the New Testament which the
Africans found unacceptable and challenging to their customs and traditions.
A single person can carry out compulsive acts.
30
Nathaniel I Ndiokwere, 1981, Prophecy and Revolution, SPCK, Holy Trinity Church, London, 1981, pg.24
31
Thomas Price, 1955, African Marriage, IMC Research Pamphlets, No. 1, SCM Press Ltd., London, pg.22.
17
According to Aiyegboyin and Ishola:
At a leaders meeting in the circuit on 25th of November, 1917,

Rev. Loko called out the names of ten well-known polygamists
from Ereko church for possible indictment which he promised to
make known shortly. With the support of his superior minister,
the Rev. G. O. Griffin, Chairman of the Lagos District, Rev.
Loko announced to the House that the names of the ten men had
been expunged from the church membership. Almost instantly
fifty-five other self-confessed polygamists stood up and asked for
their own judgment. Without hesitation, they were also
pronounced dismissed from the church. The sixty-five
polygamists made up their minds to establish a separate
organization, bearing a month after their expulsion a new
church; United African Methodist Church was born.32
Rev. D. H. Loko according to Aiyegboyin and Ishola:
Was opposed to polygamy, raised the issue of marriage custom

over which his predecessors had held their tongues.33
The fact that these authors recognized him as responsible for the secession which
occurred at Methodist Church Ereko, marked him out among his predecessors who had
often dodged the issue of marriage’s custom. Aiyegboyin and Ishola further quoted J. B.
Webster on why the UAMC Eleja chose to secede from Methodist Church Ereko in one
of the Eleja’s publications; it was revealed that they aimed to establish a separate
organization:
…ungoverned and uncontrolled by any foreign missionary body

in which we may serve God as Africans in spirit and in truth and
without hypocrisy.34
32
Aiyegboyin and Ishola, 2013, African Indigenous Churches: An Historical Perspective, ACTS, pg. 30.
33
34
J. B. Webster, 1964, African Churches among the Yoruba, 1888-1922, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1964, pg.
89.
18
J. B. Webster’s use of without hypocrisy in the light of the whole situation can be
said to be synonymous to without religious compulsion. These Africans believed they
were being forced, compelled to heed the call for monogamous marriage as being
practiced in the European culture. Many of them, after they had become knowledgeable
in the reading of their vernacular bible discovered to their shock that nearly all the
biblical patriarchs were polygamous.
Nathaniel I Ndiokwere summed up the manner the Europeans imposed
monogamous marriage on Africans in his book Prophecy and Revolution. He said:
The Churches’ refusal to baptize polygamists has often

generated protests. Polygamist with their families could not be
received into the Church, and were often not given Christian
burial.35
This is an indication that the church authorities actually compelled the Africans to
the monogamous way of life. The emergence of the indigenous churches is the response
to the European missionaries’ opposition to African marriage customs.
Baptism was used as bait in cajoling the Africans to yield to the pressure of
monogamous marriage. Baptism was taught as sacrament, and an ordinance of necessity
needed to make heaven. The sure bet was that, the fear of losing heaven was enough to
make those Africans succumbed and toed the path of monogamy.
35
Nathaniel I Ndiokwere,1981, Prophecy and Revolution, SPCK, Holy Trinity Church, London, pg.24
19
Church membership as well was denied these polygamists, aimed directly to cut
them off from taking Holy Communion, another sacrament the Church teaches is needed
by those who will take part in the marriage supper of the Lamb of God.
This group of polygamists has no choice but gather together to form separate
organizations through which they can serve God both in spirit and in truth. The Ethiopian
and Indigenous movements were the answer. In Yoruba land there were about four
indigenous churches which sprouted up in reaction to the religious compulsion of the
European missionaries36 in which three of them till today permit polygamous marriages.
These churches today have branches worldwide. They are; Eternal sacred order of
Cherubim and Seraphim; the Church of the Lord, (Aladura) and the Celestial Church of
Christ.
These three churches are response to the fundamentalists’ European missionaries,
however the fourth of them, Christ Apostolic Church like the European missionary
groups is another good religious fundamentalist within Yoruba land. The church is
fundamental to the core. They adopted the monogamous marriage of the mission
churches and even go beyond. The church according to Aiyegboyin and Ishola:
Monogamy, within the context of holy wedlock celebrated in the

church is recommended to every member. Divorce for married
couples is disallowed unless on the ground of adultery and such
divorcees forfeit the right to subsequent remarriage.37
36
Aiyegboyin and Ishola, 2013, African Indigenous Churches: An Historical Perspective, ACTS.
37
Aiyegboyin and Ishola, 2013, African Indigenous Churches: An Historical Perspective, ACTS, pg. 71-72.
20
No re-marriage is the extra mile the church adopted against the divorcees. This
contributed to the fundamentalist stance of the church. Many couples in this church were
forced to remain together even though their marriage is no longer rosy, because they
knew if they eventually find the means to divorce, to remain a member or church officer
within Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C.) they have to remain single all their lifetime, no
re-marriage while the other person in the marriage is still alive and the two may never be
joined together again.
This church also compels its members to adhere to the Article 12 of the C.A.C.
Tenets which states that:
Divine Healing through obedience to the command of our Lord

Jesus Christ and Faith in His name and merits of His blood for
all sickness, disease and infirmities38
This is another dimension in which some members of the Church feel they were
being compelled to adhere to. The Church’s belief that Faith is the necessary ingredient
to the healing of the sick was put into practice through prayer and the use of sanctified
water popularly called Omi-iye, living water. In those days, members were discouraged
from going to the hospital for treatment and the church rejected the use of both traditional
and modern medicine, a practice still being observed till today, though members based on
their own discretion can now visit the hospitals.
38
Tenets of Christ Apostolic Church retrieved from http://www.cacworldwideonline.org/cac_tenets.html
on December 10, 2015.
21
The musical background on the official website of the church 39 also confirmed
this upon the opening of the church’s website, this song started to play:
Jesu Olomi iye re e o,

Omi iye, iye re o, omi iye/2x
Mo faramo o,
Mo faramo Olorun Babalola,
Mo faramo Olorun Aposteli,
Ona iye yi ye mi o,
Mo faramo Olorun Babalola,
Iye re o, omi iye.
Jesus of living water is here,

Living water, Life is here, the living water/2x
I am pleased with,
I am pleased with God of Babalola,
I am pleased with God of the Apostles,
This living way gratify me,
Therefore I am pleased with God of Babalola,
Life is here, the living water.40
The Church authorities based on these doctrines restricted its members from
pursuing academic careers in the field of medicine. Alokan, Alabi and Babalola no doubt
have this to say:
The youths at the local level did not help matters as they
campaigned against the teachings of the church on divine
healing and against church restrictions of students in higher
institutions of learning from studying courses related to
medicine, law and banking and finance.41
39
40
41
Alokan, Alabi and Babalola, 2011, Critical analyses of church politics and crises within the indigenous
Christianity in Nigeria, American Journal of Social and Management Sciences, retrieved from
http://www.scihub.org/AJSMS/PDF/2011/4/AJSMS-2-4-360-370.pdf on November 20, 2015.
22
There is however a little modification today, a kind of positive outlook and there
may be more positive changes in the future, by virtue of recent inclusion of the degree of
Bachelor of Law in the last session 2013/2014, announced through the University’s
bulletin with reference dated 1st of September, 2014 with Ref: JABU/REG/Vol.3/54
however this is a clear manifestation of religious compulsion in the Christendom in
Yoruba land in this church and every branches of the church where this doctrine is being
practiced and enforced. The emphases on the doctrine of divine healing can be traced to
the healing miracles of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola at Oke Oye, Ilesa, popularly known
as an historic place in the church history, due to continuous rallying round him as a leader
that satisfied the church’s emotion this may prevent the church from establishing a
college of medicine in nearby future.
The Article 13 of the Church’s tenet also was recapitulated on by the religious
fundamentalist of the church. It read thus:

42
Faith in God, the “Jehovah Jireh” to supply all financial needs
This surely will account for the reason why the Church authorities were accused
of dissuading the youths from enrolling for a degree in Banking and Finance in tertiary
institutions of learning. The belief that God is a great provider is highly upheld by the
church, it was belief that He will meet the need of His own children because He is
42
23
Jehovah Jireh—the Lord God will Supply, thus borrowing from any banking institution is
not a welcome issue in the light of this view and this is often enforced by the religious
fundamentalists in the Church, culminating in a typical religious compulsion.
All the authors’ views no doubt have contributed immensely in unveiling the
religious compulsion as they were found in the Christendom in particular as case study,
Christ Apostolic Church.
If I may ask, what could made the youths of Christ Apostolic Church at the local
levels to complain and also protested against their church authorities, if they had not been
forced to the wall based on these quoted church’s doctrines? Their protest serves the
evidence that the youths have been compelled to go against what they considered
reasonable and worth engaging on in this generation.
However all the effort of the Church was to guide against belittling the standard
of the church on Divine Healing. Were the hospitals not emptied in the days of Apostle
Joseph Ayo Babalola and the sick in the hospitals brought before the Church for healing?
Therefore to consent to such demand from the youths may mean falling off the standard
of the Church and this will end up a mockery of the Church’s history on Divine Healing.
Aiyegboyin and Ishola were very close to the task this research prepares to dusk
off, however a bulk of their work is historical. In their book, African Indigenous
Churches: An African Perspective; they pinned down the future forecast for the African
Indigenous Churches. Aiyegboyin and Ishola said:
24
The attitude to any new movement within established
denominations or organizations should be that of caution, rather
than sheer brute enforcement of draconian laws to ban or dis-
fellowship them, just because they are doing things differently
from the norms or tradition. God may be saying something new
through such movements. The whole world has come to know
that God was involved in the Protestant movement, and the
subsequent Radical Reformation; the movements that received
bitter persecutions by the then Church-powers that be43
In the light of these views one can say the authors though have written much and
were bit by bit close to the target of this research, yet some gaps remain unfilled. Most of
the authors have different perspectives at heart, and this project has entirely new
dimension of thought, which possibly may mean delving into the reasons why such
draconian laws were often enforced, and to be terse, Christ Apostolic Church, as a very
good example, like the other two Churches selected for study, is a fundamentalist
religious organization in our contemporary Yoruba land, however unlike both the Roman
Catholic Church in Constantine’s reign and the 19th century Missionaries, the Christ
Apostolic Church with no other strings attached, strives to preserve its traditions and
tenets from being encroached on by the enemies of religion, goes to the length of
enforcing these doctrines on church members in order to fight secularism which is ready
to disclaim and belittle the church’s records of her outstanding miracles and to prevent
the church from becoming victim of religious competition, or from paving the road for its
members to re-lapse back into religious syncretism.
43
25
The Christ Apostolic Church’s fathers may as well be looking up to God for a
new Joseph Ayo Babalola, another proof that the church is of a fundamentalist view
because they lived the past into the present, all these pointing to the presence of religious
compulsion within the Church.
1.7.2 RELIGIOUS COMPULSION IN ISLAM
There should be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out

clear from error. Whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath
grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. God is
All-Hearing, All-Knowing44
The passage’s background varies among some Islamic scholars, while Ibn
Kathir’s interpretation suggested that none should be converted into Islam by the use of
force, since the truth of the religion is so evident. However, there were other versions to
this story because according to Islamic theologians and scholars this revelation is still
under debate.45
Like in Christianity, religious compulsion can be traced into the ancient medieval
history of Islam. Umar b. al-Khattâb is known for his Covenant of Umar made with the
Christians. History has revealed that Umar b. al-Khattâb shows little or no religious
tolerance for the Christians in Islamic territory of his days. The treatment of the
Christians by the other caliphs of the medieval age through the dhimma pact also
44
Q 2:256
45
Tafseer on Q2:256, retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Baqara_256 on December 10, 2015.
26
amounted to religious compulsion. Kenny described the medieval age through the
interpretation of a chapter of aṭ-Ṭurṭûshî he said the era of aṭ-Ṭurṭûshî represents:
The severest and most fanatical of Muslim position regarding

Christians46
He implied that in the middle age religious compulsion became a religious
practice in Islamic history. The Christians wrote letter to ratify their agreement to the
dhimma pact before the caliphate. The covenant of Umar stipulated the following legal
details expected from the Christians in guarantee of safety:
1. That no any new monastery, church, monk’s cell or

hermitage should be built within Christian’s cities or
neighborhood.
2. Buildings which fall into ruin should neither be restored by
the day nor by the night.
3. Christians should open their doors to strangers; people
passing by and to travelers who may need their help,
Muslims who stop at their places should be lodged and fed
for three days.
4. Christians must harbor no spy in their churches or homes
5. Christians must hide no plot of harm from the Muslims.
6. Christians must not teach their children the Qur’ân.
7. Christians must neither display their religion nor invite
others to join it.
8. Christians must not prevent their relatives from joining
Islam if he wishes.
9. Christians must respect Muslims and unseat for the Muslims
if they wish to sit down.
10. Christian must not in any way imitate the Muslim ways of
dressing such as wearing a cap (qalaswa=huwa), a turban,
or sandals, or parting the hair.
11. Christians must neither speak as Muslims do, nor use their
surnames.
12. Christians must not use saddles in riding.
13. Christians must not wear swords or possess or carry any
arms.
14. Christians must not use Arabic letters on their signet rings.
46
Joseph Kenny, O.P., 1999, Views on Christian-Muslim Relations, Dominican Publications Lagos. Pg.70
27
15. Christians must not sell alcoholic drinks.
16. Christians must clip their hair from covering their
foreheads.
17. Christians must keep to the same dress wherever they are
and must wear belt.
18. Christians must not display crosses or books on the roads or
at the markets.
19. Christians must play the nâqûs, a wooden percussion
instrument only very lightly in their churches.
20. Christians must not read their lessons loudly when Muslims
are about.
21. Christians must have no processions on Palm Sunday and
Easter.
22. Christians must not pray loudly while bringing their dead to
the grave.
23. Christians must not display processional lights in the
roadways or at the markets.
24. Christians must not bury their dead near the Muslims.
25. Christians must not take possession of any slave who
belongs to a Muslim through the division of war booty.
26. Christians must not have places where they can look down
into Muslim houses.47
In the medieval age, Christians are only tolerated people to the caliphs, they have
no religious freedom, and this situation in reality is religious compulsion.
In addition to the covenant of Umar, there is no employment for both the Jews
and the Christians in Islamic territory of the medieval age. ˋUmar b. al- Khattâb, al-
Mutawakkil and ˋUmar b. ˋAbdal ˋaziz, the Commanders of the Faithful in their days
within the medieval age refused to employ both the Jews and the Christians and often
compelled their governors to do likewise.48 To them, it is an important principle to avoid
47
48
28
the service of an unbeliever. These caliphs on different occasion wrote to their governors
not to employ a non-Muslim in the work of the Muslims.
Kenny also noted the followings that:
Christian women on her way to public baths must have a ring

hanging from her neck which she keeps on when she goes to the
public bath. One of her shoe must be black and the other white.49
Christians may not enter Muslim gatherings, and not initiate a
greeting, (with “as-salâmu ˋalay-kum”).
Christians must pay the Jizya tax.
Christians may not ride horses but only mules or donkeys and
that without saddles but sitting sideways over the pack-bags.
Caliph ˋUmar often stressed the above to Christians who came
to him on what he required from them 50
Regarding Churches, ˋUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb wrote that any
church which was built after the coming of Islam should be
destroyed, and he forbade any new church to be built. He also
commanded that the exterior of a church should not be such as
to attract attention, and if any cross is displayed outside the
church it should be broken over the head of the owner of the
church. ˋUrwa ibn-Muḥammad used to destroy churches in
Ṣanâˋa (Yemen). This is the position of all Muslim scholars.
ˋUmar b. ˋAbdal ˋaziz was particularly severe about this. He
ordered that in Islamic territory no synagogue or church should
be left, whether old or new. Al-Ḥassan al-Baṣrî held the same
opinion when he said: “It is a sunna to destroy the churches
which are in old or in new cities, and to prevent the people under
dhimma to rebuild what fell into ruins.” Al-Aṣṭakhrî said: “If
they want to plaster the outside of the walls, they should be
prevented, but not the inside. Their churches may not be higher
than the buildings of the Muslims. According to one opinion they
may be of equal height, but according to another opinion they
may not be”51
49
Joseph Kenny, O.P., 1999, Views on Christian-Muslim Relations, Dominican Publications Lagos. Pg.74.
50
Joseph Kenny, O.P., 1999, Views on Christian-Muslim Relations, Dominican Publications Lagos. Pg.74
51
29
All these were the forms through which religious compulsion became manifested
in the religious activities of the medieval Muslims against the Christians which
contradicted the key verse in the Qur’an that:
There should be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out

clear from error. Whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath
grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. God is
All-Hearing, All-Knowing52
Pope Benedict XVI at the University of Regensburg Germany on September 12,
2006 placed the above verse as Makkah rather than a Medina verse. This indicated that as
Makkah verse the Prophet was still powerless and under threat, implying that the verses
of sword were of Medina origin after the Prophet had acquired power and authority. The
speech generated lots of agitation and widespread protest in Muslim communities.
However it should be noted that the Pope made this statement in reaction to the killing of
an Italian nun, Sister Leonella Sgorbati and her Somalia bodyguard by an Islamic group.
Omar in his response however said that:
The suggestion by Pope Benedict that the Qur’anic prohibition

on forcible conversions was overtaken by later verses is factually
incorrect. The correct version of the facts is this: Muhammad
advises from a position of strength and not weakness, that there
should be no forcible conversions, and that truth stands out clear
from error.53
According Kenny, Islamic theologians, the likes of;

52
Q 2:256
53
Omar A. Rasheed, (2006) Pope Benedict XVI’s comments on Islam in Regensburg:
A Muslim response, retrieved from World Council of Churches Current Dialogue no. 4, Issue48, http://wcc-
coe.org/wcc/what/interreligious/cd48-04.html.
30
Az-Zamakhshari (d.1143) and al-Baydawi (d.1316) comment
that its universal meaning is abrogated by the verse, “Prophet,
fight the unbelievers and the Hypocrites and deal with them
severely,”54 but its particular application to the People of
Scripture (Christians and Jews) remain valid.55
This verse, Q 2:256 whether abrogated or not implied that there should be no
compulsion in religion but due to claims of abrogation and other verses of the swords like
the verse Q 9: 73, there is religious compulsion in Islam which today is simultaneously
affecting the Christians, the Muslims and people of other religions.
This is the gap this project intended to cover, by seeking the manifestation of
religious compulsion as being practiced in Islam and to ascertain its justification in
Yoruba land.
Kenny has this to say practically on the attitude of Muslims who are securely in
power, as in the north of Nigeria:
It is a notorious fact that to gain admission to educational

institutions, a promotion or any good appointment or contract it
makes a difference if you are a Muslim. And it is a struggle to
get land for churches or permissions for any number of
activities. As long as the Churches struggle they succeed in
getting room enough to function, but there is constant pressure
on Christians to either join the majority or go away.56
This implied that religious compulsion as of the medieval age may be at play in
the northern part of Nigeria and some of such compulsions are traceable to the south-
western part of the country as well, and are intended to achieve some various end means.
54
Q 9:73
55
Joseph Kenny, O.P., 1999, Views on Christian-Muslim Relations, Dominican Publications Lagos. Pg. 53-
54.
56
31
The project wanted to bridge a gap that though the manifestation of religious
compulsion becomes prominent and evidential at the north than in the south, the south
can be seen to manifest religious compulsion as was in the north, however not at war
visibly with other religions but by being at war against the perceived enemies of religion;
secularism and religious syncretism and ambivalence which can make Muslims believers
revert back into paganism. Religious compulsion is being used against the people of other
religion in the Yoruba land by the Muslims too in various forms, these are what the
project intended to fill up.
32
CHAPTER TWO
FORMS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION WITHIN CHRISTIANITY IN

YORUBA LAND
2.0 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the task is to study forms of religious compulsion in the
Christendom as it is in our contemporary society of the Yoruba land. The case study on
some selected churches in contemporary Yoruba land shall be employed in pinpointing
the manifestation of religious compulsion in the Christendom within Yoruba land.
The selected churches as the case study for this work are; first, an indigenous and
a Pentecostal Church, Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide, aka C.A.C; second, a Gospel
and Pentecostal Church, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry aka MFM, and another
Gospel and Pentecostal Church, Deeper Christian Life Ministry or as Deeper Life Bible
Church, aka Deeper Life. These Churches were among the fastest growing churches in
Yoruba land. The three churches have carved a niche for themselves in Yoruba land and
were recognized in terms of their long preserved traditions embedded in their doctrines of
belief and tenets, which often are must do’s, or must adhered to for all who wanted to
climb higher in the hierarchy of these Church authorities. These fundamentalist churches
were mega-churches like the liberalist churches as well.
Christians all over the world worship the same God but based on different views
of traditions and tenets and this often have impact on the Churches’ regulations and
administrations. Many Christians have left a particular church and have joined another on
33
the excuse that a church’s administration is too rigid or too fundamental or radical to be
precise and some of the reasons given were in line with issues this project tackles on.
They left the churches due to forms of religious compulsion which may vary from one
church to another. However, the peculiar among these forms of religious compulsion in
Yoruba land shall be adequately treated in this project.
2.1 MARRIAGE
Marriage is the union between a male and a female. It is one among the forms of
religious compulsion wielded by these church authorities to guard the churches from
going wayward and becoming worldly. A member who desired to get married in these
churches often has to undergo proper scrutiny by the church’s appointed marriage
committees. Alagbe taught the 2015 membership class at Mountain of Fire and Miracles
Ministries Southwest 2 regional headquarter, Ojoo, Ibadan, on Marriage and Christian
home, she said the marriage interview for the intending couple is often elaborative, time
consuming and facts finding,57 the marriage in MFM culminated into religious
compulsion through its excessive inquiries by the marriage committees by which
intending couples are expected to divulge some personal information about themselves.
Alagbe noted that such intending couples would be expected to furnish the marriage
committees with tentative personal information, enquiries will be made whether the two
intending couple have been having sex in their courtship period, their financial strength
57
Alagbe, Lecture notes on Marriage and Christian home, 2015 Membership class at MFM Southwest 2
regional headquarter.
34
too shall be considered coupled with the issue of trade and employment, the committee is
interested in knowing if the two are gainfully employed and they often follow these up
for confirmation.58In Deeper Life the church emphasized that every intending couple
must get parental consent before such wedding must proceed; the church shall conduct no
wedding until parental consents are obtained, elopement with a woman or man is ungodly
no matter the divergence or unyielding stance of the parent and in the case of eventual
consent of the parent, borrowing to finance the marriage ceremony is unbiblical and
ungodly.59 The church’s approach placed the parents in an advantageous position
however, when the parents are of different religion and opposing to such marriage it often
create a dilemma for the intending couples. The church’s recognition of this extreme
situation and yet its refusal to conduct marriage for the intending couple due to lack of
parental consent but only to advice such intending couples to resort into prayer amount
to religious compulsion in its totality.
The church also reserved its right to determine the length and mode of courtship
period and the intending bachelor and spinster are often being monitored during courtship
period in a Christian home other than theirs, visitation to each other’s home and
exchanged of gifts are unacceptable.60
58
Alagbe, Lecture notes on Marriage and Christian home, 2015 Membership class at MFM Southwest 2
regional headquarter.
59
Deeper Life’s Marriage Doctrine, retrieved from http://www.deeperlife.ca/bibledoctrines/ on December
10, 2015.
60
Deeper Life’s Marriage Doctrines retrieved from http://www.deeperlife.ca/bibledoctrines/ on December
10, 2015.
35
While it is generally not frowned at in MFM to get married to an outsider though
as member you are expected to do this with caution, members of Deeper Life who are
workers are expected to get married within the church or at most any other Pentecostal
churches but not the Aladura churches or the mainline churches. This is well captured in
an article about the Deeper Life Bible Church and the issues of human rights written by
Owoeye, he said:
The Deeper Life Bible church is somewhat strict in the area of

marriage. The church allows members to marry within the
church but it appears that they cannot marry from the mainline
or ‘Aladura’ churches. This is as a result of the belief that most
of the churches have deviated from the truth of the scriptures
and many marriages there have failed. However, the only
exception of course, is if the bride or the groom is a Christian in
another gospel church. On that ground, the church can concede
that such brother or sister be allowed to marry the bride or the
groom. But, if the bride or the groom is not in any gospel church,
the marriage would not be contracted. The church considers
marriage with ‘unbelievers’ or people from outside the church
especially those who are not born again as ‘unequal yoke with
unbelievers’. Where ladies outside the church are fanciful and
loveable to members, they dare not propose to them for holy
wedlock. If any careless proposal should be made by anybody in
that direction, it would be turned down. How free are members
then in choosing their life partners? The church always wants to
play the role of a father who does not want any of his children to
fail, especially in any marital issues. But are all the marriages so
far contracted in the church since her inception successful? In
2005, the General Superintendent ordered the announcement of
excommunication of a renowned member who had left his wife
and married another one and would not yield to all persuasions.
However, the posture of the church would help their members to
avoid bigamy and live disciplined lives61
61
S. A. Owoeye, The Deeper Life Bible Church and the Issue of Human Rights, IOSR Journal Of Humanities
And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 13, retrieved from http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-
jhss/papers/Vol13-issue5/G01353340.pdf?id=3402 on December 10, 2015.
36
This is all about religious compulsion and marriage is one of the form by which
religious compulsion manifested in the church. The church always wanting to play the
role of a father who does not want any of his children to fail, especially in any marital
issues decided to demand the obedience of her workers to some doctrines62, these are
doctrines63 they must adhere to if they want to remain effective members and officers of
the church. This is religious compulsion in reality, in the sense that non-compliance often
resulted into outright excommunication from the church.
Owoeye in the above quoted passage asked that, how free are members then in
choosing their life partners? He indeed recognized how marriage process within the
church among the Deeper is made obligatory and compulsory. This is religious
compulsion in its totality because many who would have wanted to marry outside the
church are often turned down and they often felt being tied within the church and perhaps
due to this many have left the church because they felt their fundamental human rights
are being infringed upon by a spiritual father, the church.
The marriage committee’s laborious screenings of the Mountain of Fire and
Miracles Ministries and the insistence of the Deeper Life Bible Church to marry within
the church, coupled with all other marital guidelines in the church’s doctrines are all
62
Deeper Life’s Marriage Doctrines retrieved from http://www.dclm.org/about/what-we-believe/ on
December 10, 2015.
63
Deeper Life’s Marriage Doctrines retrieved from http://www.deeperlife.ca/bibledoctrines/ on December
10, 2015.
37
fostered effort to fight being unequally yoked with unbelievers, and in particular a
combat against the secular world. The fact that these churches organized programs upon
programs for the bachelors and spinsters by stressing the need to be born-again before
their matrimonial union also pointed to their fundamentalist stance on marriage.
Thus generally these churches frowned at inter-faith marriages in particular
when it is the female member of the church that wanted to marry from other religions, it
is even unheard of that a worker in Deeper Life Bible Church want to get married to an
unbeliever and in particular, persons from other religions the likes of Buddhism, Shinto’s,
Islam or Judaism to mention a few. The marriage would be turned down unless they both
decided to trick the church.
2.2 FASHION
In the Christendom from the times past into our contemporary age there has
always being calls to eschew excessive fashion lifestyles by those who professed the
Christian faith.
In their epistles, Peter and Paul condemn life lived in exuberances, instead they
both admonished every Christian to be modest in their appearances. Peter in his epistles
wrote that:
Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy

hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should
clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within,
38
the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so
precious to God.64
This is what a Christian woman fashion’s lifestyle should signify. They are to do
away with outward beauty; of hairdos that could gulp an average man’s two months’
salary; a chase after latest fashion in vogue and avoid expensive jewelry either in the
forms of earrings, neck-gold lace jewelry, wrist lace bands or feet lace bands. All these
are encouraged in the secular world, whose agenda is to make mankind, looks good as
much as possible no matter how demonizing such fashion’s lifestyle may be.
The reactions of these churches to secular stance are quite almost the same on
fashion. All fashion’s accessories worthy of creating unwarranted attention are debarred
and restricted from being used by church members in particular church officers. The
make-up is strongly reasoned against by these churches and today many adherents are
still ready to submit themselves to these restrictions.
Below are sections of Yoruba women who are members and officiating ministers
of the Christ Apostolic Church within Yoruba land, how they lived up to these doctrines
and were faithful to them.
64
1 Peter 3:3
39
65
66
In Mountain of Fire and Miracles ministries the fashion code is comparable to that
of Christ Apostolic Church. In the course of carrying out the research fieldwork in the
two churches, a lot of similarity were discovered in the rules and regulations laid for
church workers in regard to fashion in the church and beyond in these two churches.
65
A cross section of the Christ Apostolic Church women retrieved from
http://www.cacworldwideonline.org/cac_photo.html#prettyPhoto_PhotoGallery1[PhotoGallery1]/20/
66
A cross section of Christ Apostolic Church women ministers retrieved from
http://www.cacworldwideonline.org/cac_photo.html#prettyPhoto_PhotoGallery1[PhotoGallery1]/3/
40
Adebayo taught the 2015 membership class in Christian Fashion and Dressing
that Christians are enjoined to dress godly and avoid use of jewelry because many of the
jewelries are demonized and he also stated the following as mandatory for every member
who wanted to climb higher in the ladder of church leadership within MFM branches
worldwide.
67
For female leaders, he said the hair must be natural and properly kept, either
plait with thread or weave, no artificial attachments should be added, no styling, no jerry
curl, weave on, braids, wig, designer hair cut etc. The hair should be covered in the
church or in any praying program or praying anywhere. Headgear is allowed but should
not be too high.
67
A cross section of the members of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries South-West 2 regional
headquarter, Ojoo retrieved from the Church’s facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Mfmsw2Ibadan/photos/pb.282503645200224.-
2207520000.1452607147./573408486109737/?type=3&size=2048%2C1363&fbid=573408486109737 on
January 8, 2016.
41
These restrictions amounted to religious compulsion as found in these Christian
churches, it was observed that all the churches under study keep to the same rules above
with Deeper Christian Life Ministry aka Deeper Life Bible Church going extra mile,
according to Owoeye headgear is not often allowed for female church leaders, but scarf
and turban are the ideal head tie for their women leaders.68 The ideal woman leader is the
typical godly women pictures often found at the cover page of the church’s quarterly
magazine for women popularly known as Christian Women Mirror. Anyone who aspire a
leadership position in the church must tailor her fashion’s taste to that kind of the woman.
Women who are members of the church are expected to keep less part of their
bodies open and every tentative part of the body expected to arouse interest in men are to
be well covered. The ladies are to make use of very long loose skirts and well tight-round
neck long sleeves blouses.
The fashion lifestyle and dressing code for women in Deeper Life distinguished
them among all Yoruba Christians and from the worldly fashion lifestyle which the intent
is to avoid being unequally yoked with unbelievers and to combat secularism.
Below is a cross section of the Deeper Life choir within Yoruba land, how they
lived up to their church’s doctrines on fashion and were faithful to them.
68
S. A. Owoeye, The Deeper Life Bible Church and the Issue of Human Rights, IOSR Journal Of
Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 13, retrieved from http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-
42
69
In addition to this, Adebayo said every parts of our body needed proper
cautioning and attention so as not to look like the worldly people of carnal and unspiritual
thought. He taught that, like the hair, the rest of the body should exhibit clear
differentiation from that of the world. On the eye he said, the Church made it clear in the
manual booklet of the Church for the membership class, that there should be no eye
brow, eye shadow, eye liner, scraping of eye brow, painting of the face e.g. mascaras and
the use of designer sun glasses.70
They all agreed that as church woman leader she has nothing to do with
bleaching, toning or tattooing of skin, paints are neither for her nails nor the artificial
nails, no piercing of nose, ear, more so her lips and lipstick are serious enemy that must
never meet, neck-chains, necklace, wrist chains, ankle chains, waist bands are not the
69
Deeper Life Mass Choir ministration at the Church’s Lagos-City wide crusade, retrieved from
http://thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2015/09/harvest-of-souls-miracles-at-kumuyis-crusades/; http://12800-
presscdn-0-96.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Deeper-Life-mass-choir-also-
ministered-e1442385976154.jpg on January 13, 2016.
70
D. K. Olukoya, 2013, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Membership Class Manual, Mountain of
Fire and Miracles Ministries Christian Education Governing Board, pg. 13
43
typical items for her body, she must throw them away or have them sold out71 before she
can as a woman climb the podium to minister! The use of all these in the name of fashion
all amounted to worldly lifestyles and is seen to be on the same plane of secularism hence
the need to discourage them often lead to a situation in which these Churches have to laid
down rules and regulations by which these new converts or aspiring leaders are forced to
adhere to if they want to remain functioning in the church, in every sense this is religious
compulsion.
A facebook community webpage titled Deeper Life Wedding Digest revealed that
the church’s newly wedded couples conformed to the church doctrines on fashion and
dressing.72 The couples avoided wearing of jewelries and they avoid use of make-ups.
Too many of those who have deserted these churches for the liberal churches
based on these reasons see such rules as unnecessary compulsions heaped upon the
leadership aspiring members of these churches and often claimed that too many of such
rules forced them out of these churches.
The view that there should be dichotomy between adornment in church and that in
the secular world of markets, offices or public outings is frowned at by these churches
and biblical injunctions are used to check such dichotomous view. A Christian should be
71
Membership Class booklet, Fashion and Dressing, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries S/West 2
region, Ojoo
72
Life-Wedding-Digest-Photos retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/Deeper-Life-Wedding-Digest-
602546226550767/ on December 10, 2015.
44
a Christian anywhere and at anytime, a situation whereby members of these churches
have fashion lifestyle for the Church and another for the secular places is termed as
hypocrisy and such members need to have a re-think on their secular fashion lifestyle.
Such a member is a reproach to the Church of God says these fundamentalist churches
and if they must be church workers, there must be means to put them back to their proper
stand in the Lord and one of such good means is compulsion. It become established that
religious compulsion is being used to combat secularism agenda in the church which its
influences reflected among the church members.
This photo is aimed in fighting wordliness, that is, flair for secularism, in the
mind of a godly youth. The youth is being admonished in this cover-page that though the
secular’s fashion is trendy, alas, they are nothing but a damn thing and that without these
damning things described in the picture above; the mini-skirt, the ear-rings, the baggy
45
jeans, high heels, the tight-fitting jeans and the parties such a godly youth’s life can be
beautiful.
2.3 CEREMONIES AND RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
The two famous Christians religious festivals are left uncelebrated by some of
these churches, in particular both Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries and Deeper
Life Bible Church. Their non-belief in Christian festivities as biblical often has deep
impact on the members during the festivities periods particularly the children.
These churches has often responded from time to time that they do not believe in
celebrating Christmas because it has not been proven biblically that Jesus was born on
Christmas day. The same with Easter which is yet to be proven if it happened in April or
the Lord’s Day been on Sunday. Christ Apostolic Church as an African indigenous
Church is an exception to this, they observed both festivals. The stance of these churches
made members to desist from celebrating such festivities even though they may so desire
to keep such festivity and they often feel forced to avoid celebrating such festivities,
many members however go ahead to celebrate these festivals in their homes. In the
membership class manual of the MFM, the church published the reasons behind its non-
celebrating of the Christmas and Easter festivals:
MFM does not believe in celebrating Christmas (because it

cannot be proven biblically that Jesus Christ was born on
Christmas day).
Does not believe in celebrating Easter (because it cannot be
proven that it happened in April or that the third day, He rose up
from death was a Sunday)
46
Does not believe in celebrating Valentine day (origin is
satanic).73
The Christmas, Easter and Valentine festivals are all frowned upon by both MFM
and Deeper Life Bible Church, these festivals, in these churches, yearly, often goes
uncelebrated. The Churches believed that the origin of Valentine is satanic. In their
thought, why, should the Church of God go along unequally yoked with unbelievers
annually to celebrate festivals that are unproven biblically? These fundamentalist
churches then refrained from celebrating these festivals because they are celebrated in an
unchristian ways and manners, the reasons why the members must be coerced and in
particular the workers in these churches. Deeper Life Bible Church in December is busy
with her annual Retreat program which serves as substitute for Christmas festival while
Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries fast annually from every Christmas Eve into
every New Year.
If valentine festival is considered to be satanic, these churches believed they have
to enforce it on their members the reasons why it should not be celebrated. Compulsion
becomes manifested and anyone who might want to celebrate such festivals would have
to leave and be joined to such churches like those of the liberals which celebrated these
festivals. Christ Apostolic Church like the other two refused to celebrate valentine
festival however unlike the two celebrated both Christmas and Easter.
73
Fire and Miracles Ministries Christian Education Governing Board, pg. 13
47
2.4 RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES
Owoeye has been helpful in this section as well. This is what he said about
Deeper Life Bible Church and this project agrees with him. He clearly stated the reason
why there is compulsion on members to attend workers meeting, hear him:
Besides, workers are not allowed to travel or absent themselves

from meetings without any prior permission from their district
pastors or district coordinators. Workers must attend all
workers’ meetings on either weekends or any special days.
Absence from workers’ meetings without any substantial and
convincing reasons would lead to discipline which could be
suspension, withdrawal or total stoppage from working in the
church. Workers must abide with all instructions from the
church. This stance, according to the church, is to curb
74
lawlessness among workers.
According to Owoeye absence from workers’ meetings attracts penalties when no
substantial reasons were tendered to the district pastors or district coordinators. Though
this might have been relaxed to some extent however it is still being practiced till today.
Plainly this is compulsion in religion and it is from a fundamentalist church like the
Deeper Life Bible Church you can expect such high handedness in dealing with church
officers.
Woe is me if I preach not the gospel says the Apostle Paul of Tarsus in the New
Testament. Contemporary Christians in their show of religiosity often displayed the
74
S. A. Owoeye, The Deeper Life Bible Church and the Issue of Human Rights, IOSR Journal Of
Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 13, retrieved from http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-
48
exclusives views in the Bible while evangelizing and like Paul often feel they are under
compulsion to preach the message of salvation unto every man. This is often displayed by
those who go everywhere to evangelize their religions in Yoruba land, and this is peculiar
to both Christianity and Islam as well.
The indiscriminate use of the public address system by both religions under study
can also be seen as a means of extending their religions to the surrounding neighborhood.
In reality, this is compulsion in its totality. This activity is being carried out by both
religions extensively in their religious gatherings.
Religious practices also are being used to pinpoint religious compulsion.
Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries in the church’s manual for the membership class
stated what every new member must know and practice. Some of these were aimed to
fight, suppress and kill any syncretistic beliefs such new members might bring along with
them from their old churches into MFM. The membership class manual stated that:
The followings are not allowed:
1. River-bath: stream bath prayers;

2. Use of cross, rosary, picture of Jesus or any image to
pray Num. 33:52;
3. Burning of candle/incense before and during praying;
4. Praying in a special position is forbidden (you can pray
standing, sitting, kneeling), etc.;
5. Praying naked;
6. Praying at the cemetery;
7. Praying on a corpse;
8. Levy/payment for deliverance or prayer requests;
9. Praying in other names different from the name of Jesus
e.g. praying in the name of Mary, angels (e.g. ‘holy
Michael’), your ancestors, forefathers, mothers etc;
10. Using materials such as brooms, egg, etc.;
49
11. Bathing with spiritually-prepared sponge, soap and/or
water;
12. Bowing down in front of any object; Praying facing a
particular direction e.g. east;
13. Praying in the name of your parents or relations;
14. Eating or drinking anything sacrificed to idol e.g. during
village festival worship of gods/deities (sure doorstep to
Bewitchment);
15. Eating kola nut, bitter kola, bitter nut etc (satanic
snacks);
16. Eating anything containing blood i.e. which has not
being thoroughly washed Lev. 3:17;
17. Eating human flesh and all other prohibitive animal
flesh e.g. tortoise, snail, lizard, cockroach, ant, snake,
crocodile, dog, etc.;
18. Drinking concoctions or herbal drugs when you do not

know the source;
19. Does not allow the children of God to be conferred with
chieftaincy/traditional titles;
20. No participation in traditional and cultural
entertainment: plays, drama, dances etc;
21. No participation in the celebration of traditional and
cultural festivals; No shaving of the head for the dead;
22. No cutting of any part of your body e.g. tribal marks,
incisions, etc; ;
23. No family circumcision Gen. 17:10-14, 23-27, Lev. 12:1-
375
These are selectively picked out from the holistic practices expected from every
members of MFM and they are not meant for head knowledge but heart application,
every members of the church are under obligation to keep it and in particular these are
demanded and expected of every church worker and leaders.76
75
Fire and Miracles Ministries Christian Education Governing Board, pg. 9-14.
76
Fire and Miracles Ministries Christian Education Governing Board, pg. 14-15.
50
2.5 RELIGIOUS NAMES
The saying goes that, “he who is not with us is against us” and “he who would
not sow with us scatters”. This view implies that he who is not totally identified with a
religion would be lightly taken as stakeholder of such religion. Religious name is one
way a new convert or new born baby can become identified with a particular religion. A
new convert who insisted to continue to use the names of his or her former religion risked
being treated suspiciously and if he intends to stay longer than expected, or is now
aspiring a well and meaningful position of repute in such religion, he or she would have
to bend to the rules, norms and traditions of such religion by having religious names
compatible with such religion.
From times past it is religious tradition to be Christianized with a Christian name
upon baptismal or at the point of entry into Christianity either through birth or
conversion. That as a universal view of the church creates a means of identification for
the new member within the community of the brethren. It would look absurd if a new
member refused to be identified with a Christian name however it is often tolerated to
some extent but in these Churches it is expected for such members to have their names
changed.
J. S. Adekoya have been quoted in chapter one and a part of the quotation is
needed right here again. He said:
51
“…In this respect the responses of Christendom and Islam have
been remarkably similar: convert him if we can or fight him if we
must (conversion, jihad or crusade). In other words, we try in
one way or another to absorb him. In different forms and
disguises’’77
Giving of religious names or having ones’ names changed into names compatible
with Christianity has been one of the forms and disguises by which the new member
becomes identified with Christianity. There may be no baptism, confirmation or right
hand of fellowship into the Church if the converted person is not actually converted as
well from the unbelieving names into Christian names. The ministers-in-charge often
ensure that a Christian name is included prior to baptism. This is compulsion in its
totality and the churches under study adhered to this.
The founder and first Primate of the Church of the Lord, Aladura, will serve as a
very good example of a historical personality involved with religious changing of names
upon conversion. Aiyegboyin and Ishola78 aptly captured and expatiated on this when
they described the origin of the founder. According to them, Ifakoya Dawodu Oshitelu
was born at Ogere to pagan parents in 1902.79 The authors gave in the footnote a careful
analysis on what changes happened with his names from birth. They said:
“Ifakoya” literally means, Ifa, (god of oracle) refuses suffering;

while Dawodu is the Yoruba version of the Arabic name for
77
Adekoya J. S., 2009, Dhimmitude Status of Christians in Classical Islamic Tradition: Implications for Global
Peace Initiative, International Journal of Applied Psychology and Human Performance 5. Pg.1068.
78
Aiyegboyin and Ishola, 2013, African Indigenous Churches: An Historical Perspective, ACTS, pg.86.
79
52
David. The first name indicates he came from a pagan
background and then converted to Islamic religion.80
This implies that the concept of changing religious names is not only restricted to
the Christendom it is also in the Islamic religion as well, in fact, in the next chapter, this
concept will be treated and a reference shall be made on an historic Islamic cleric
popularly known as Ajagbemokeferi (…..) who during his lifetime carried out Dawa’h
activities and upon new conversions ensured the names of the new adherents was
changed into Islamic compatible ones.
The historical religious life of Primate Oshitelu revealed that his religious life
went through three stages; Primate Oshitelu was born as a pagan, later he became a
Muslim and at a later stage in his lifetime he ended up as a founder of a religious
organization in Christianity within Yoruba land.
The fact that Oshitelu had to take Dawodu, a Yoruba version of the Arabic name
for David upon his conversion from pagan to Islam and having to renounced both Ifakoya
and Dawodu his first two names at his baptism into the church when he took the names,
Josiah Oluwalowo (God deserves honor)81 is a clear manifestation of what compulsion in
religion had made out of conversion from one religion into another through religious
names. This also justified the same attitude as being practiced in our contemporary
Christian churches within Yoruba land, a proof of religious compulsion in the land.
80
81
Aiyegboyin and Ishola, 2013, African Indigenous Churches: An Historical Perspective, ACTS, pg.86
53
MFM often emphasizes change of name in particular when the names are
glorifying African traditional deities, for example, Ogungbemi, which its English
translation means Ogun (the god of iron) has helped and supported me, should be
changed to Christian compatible names such as Jesugbemi, Oluwagbemi or
Olorungbemi which all implies the help of God and the Lord in the lives of such
Christian believers.
At the naming ceremony of a Christian child in our contemporary Yoruba society
it looks absurd to name a child without any inclusion of a biblical name in these
churches. That the parents often feel obliged to have a minister of God conduct the
naming ceremony of their children implies the recognition of religion and to deny
religious name on such occasion is to offend the religious life of such a child and the
church involved.
There are times that what the church wanted to know from a member is his or her
biblical Christian name, and if such ones happen to have none that moment they will be
required to add one to their names particularly when such ones aspire to climb higher in
the leadership of the Church or forfeit such aspiration.
These churches under study all ensure that their new converts have or were to be
given a religious name adaptable and compatible to the new Christian religion they are
now converted into. The changing of names is even appeasing to the liberal churches as
well though liberal church can be seen to be very close to secularism policy on religious
names. Today in the place of religious names like Rebecca, Jeremiah, David, Matthew,
54
Elizabeth to mention a few many secularist and liberal churches preferred Beck, Jerry,
Dave, Matt., Liz respectively such names look dazzling and convincing than those
biblical names.

Religious education among these fundamentalist churches is not treated with
levity. The church often provides elaborative religious curriculum by which the children
and the youth classes learn the rudiment of Christian faith in the church. Children classes
and youth classes are often provided to accommodate the spiritual abilities of these young
ones on every Lord’s Day.
The presence of mission schools owned by these churches also indicated the
presence of religious compulsion, these schools were established to cater for and meet the
educational needs of the church members.
That these religions ensured that religion as a subject is being taught in public and
government owned schools, which are the secular schools, amounted to religious
compulsion. These religious bodies either in Christianity or Islam often fight to ensure
that religion is taught as a subject in government schools. This is due to their perception
of secularism as:
The doctrine that morality should be based solely on regard to

the well-being of mankind in the present life, to the exclusion of
all considerations drawn from belief in God or in a future
55
state…The view that education, or the education provided at
public cost, should be purely secular.82
The society wanted to do away with waste of public funds on religious subjects.
The church would be responsible for its religious instructions, all the aim of such a
secular state is to primarily provide a moral ground for the general well being of mankind
within its society at no expense of divine input. By virtue of such development there is
bound to be rivalry between secularism and religion which emphasizes God in every
issues of life.
Also only Christian religious subject is being taught as means of moral instruction
since the establishment is owned by Christian organizations and in the public schools
religious subjects were being taught as well, Christian pupils receives religious
instructions from the Bible while a Muslim child receives religious instruction from the
Qur’an and the traditions.
Finally in such Christian’s educational establishment only the Christians are more
than often employed. The instruction of religious education is often given to a teacher
who practices such religion. A Christian teacher is expected to teach these Christian
pupils the subject, which is majorly known as BK or CRK while a Muslim teacher is
expected to teach the pupils the subject majorly as IRS or IRK but religious compulsion
would made such need baseless in a Christian school and vice-versa.
82
The Oxford English Dictionary; A New English Dictionary On Historical Principles; Definition of
Secularism, Volume IX S-Soldo; Oxford at the Clarendon Press; Reprinted 1970; pg. 366
56
57
CHAPTER THREE
FORMS OF REIGIOUS COMPULSION WITHIN ISLAM IN YORUBA

LAND
3.0 INTRODUCTION
It is generally believed among the Islamic communities that secularism and Islam
never goes hand in hand due to many reasons already explained in the previous chapters.
The fact that secularism encourages religious syncretism and ambivalence contributed to
the reasons why they are always at a face-off with each other. Generally it is the tradition
of the Muslim communities to always go back to the Koran and the Sunna of the Prophet
when dealing with the community issues. A clash therefore is inevitable between
secularism and Islam.
All these necessitated the reactions against the external world of the Muslims’
religious society which often lead into the use of scriptural doctrines to fight every
perceived enemy of Islam, within and outside the community of the faithful and finally
culminated into religious compulsion in Islamic religion.
3.1 MARRIAGE
Marriage in Islam is by compulsion. A Muslim man or woman who has reached
the marriageable age is expected to get married. There is no excuse a Muslim can tender
as reason why such a person would not marry, when he or she is hale, hearty, matured
58
and is marriageable.83 Islam forbids living alone, being single and not marrying. There is
however no marriage consummation with an unbeliever in Islam and a marriage of a
Muslim woman to a non-Muslim man is invalid and intercourse is Zina which means
adultery.84 This is another religious compulsion wielded against the encroachment of
other religions upon Islam and this was astutely pursued by the fundamentalist
brotherhood Islamic groups in Yoruba land only a few among the Yoruba Muslims today
will permit a Muslim woman to marry a Christian man.
Muslim men are allowed to marry chaste Christian women 85 and the scripture that
gives this permission is silent as to whether a Muslim woman can marry a Christian man.
Today the interpretation given is that since the scripture gave no indication as to what
should be done with a Muslim woman getting married to a Christian man, it was
generally viewed that the Islamic scripture frowned at such union, some Islamic scholars
however have different views.86
The aim behind such resolution was to prevent conversion. It was believed that a
Christian man upon the consummation of marriage will convert the woman into
83
Any Set Age for Marriage in Islam Studying or Married, retrieved from
http://www.esinislam.com/Articles201202/IH_AnySetAgeForMarriageInIslamStudyingOrMarried_0227a.h
tm#AllahIsGreat on December 10, 2015.
84
Muslim Woman Marring Non-Muslim Invalid, retrieved from
http://www.esinislam.com/Articles201010/WritersArticles_IHMuslimWomanMarringNon-
MuslimInvalid_1018a.htm on December 10, 2015.
85
Q 5: 5
86
Joseph A. Islam, Marriage with the People of the Book retrieved from
http://quransmessage.com/articles/marriage %20with%20people%20of%20the%20book%20FM3.htm on
December 5, 2015.
59
Christianity. Therefore it become a compulsion that no marriage would be made between
a Christian man and a Muslim woman, however if the man truly love the woman, he can
however convert and become a Muslim only then can their union be contracted.
This is beneficial to Islamic religion because more of adherents are won into the
faith through marriage. This is religious compulsion.
3.2 FASHION
Fashion according to Islamic scriptures is to serve as one of its religious identity
markers. Fashion in Islam is based on Islamic revelation in the scriptures which serves
the dress code for every Islamic faithful men and women. According to Muhib O.
Opeloye87, Muslim women are known by their hijab and their men by their turbans and
beard.88 The justification for this fashion lifestyle is to be found majorly in two Islamic
scriptures. One of the verses says:
Say to the believing men that they lower their gaze and restrain
their sexual passions….And say to the believing women that they
lower their gaze and restrain their sexual passions and do not
display their adornment except what appears thereof. And let
them wear their head coverings over their bosoms…89
87
Muhib O. Opeloye, 2011 The Yoruba Muslims’ cultural identity question, Ilorin Journal of Religious
Studies, (IJOURELS), Vol.1 No.2, 2011, retrieved from
http://www.unilorin.edu.ng/ejournals/index.php/ijourel/article/view/198/104 on December 10, 2015.
Pg.14.
88
Pg.14.
89
Q 24: 30-31
60
The needed injunctions pertaining to fashion are those directed to the believing
women and according to Muhib O. Opeloye:
The two instructions addressed exclusively to women are to

ensure in their modesty (in dress and in conduct) and to
prescribe a dress code which should cover not only the head,
neck and bosom but also the body.90
The application of this fashion lifestyle among the Yoruba women is being
employed as weapon against secularism agenda within the Yoruba land. It is an
obligation for every true Muslim woman to put on hijab and cover up all their body from
head, the neck to their bosom and legs. Here, compulsory use of hijab is employed to
fight against secularism which allows exposure of body cleavages. Hence in the light of
this, making hijab a compulsion for every true faithful Muslim woman even in a secular
gathering helped check the repletion of nudity wears which is in vogue in the downtown
of Yoruba land.
However, the Islamic scripture also emphasized, beyond clothing to conceal the
flesh from the outsiders. Q 7:26:
O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to

conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of
righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that
perhaps they will remember.91
90
Pg.14.
91
Q 7: 26
61
The British broadcasting corporation’s website differentiated and distinguished
among the fashion wear of Muslim women’s wears which are hijab, niqab, burka, al-
amira, shayla, khimar and chador.92The Yoruba Muslim women put on all these different
wears within Yoruba society.
The word hijab describes the act of covering up generally but is often used to
describe the headscarves worn by Muslim women. These scarves come in many styles
and colors.93
The niqab is a veil for the face that leaves the area around the eyes clear.
However, it may be worn with a separate eye veil. It is worn with an accompanying
headscarf.94
92
The difference among the Muslim women’s religious wears retrieved from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/24118241 on December 10, 2015.
93
62
The burka is the most concealing of all Islamic veils. It is a one-piece veil that covers the
face and body, often leaving just a mesh screen to see through. 95 This is what the Yoruba
call eleeha.
The al-amira is a two-piece veil. It consists of a close fitting cap, usually made from
cotton or polyester, and a tube-like scarf.96
94
95
96
63
The shayla is a long, rectangular scarf popular in the Gulf region. It is wrapped around
the head and tucked or pinned in place at the shoulders.97 Yoruba Muslim women put on
this religious wears as well.
The khimar is a long, cape-like veil that hangs down to just above the waist. It
covers the hair, neck and shoulders completely, but leaves the face98
The chador, worn by many Iranian women when outside the house, is a full-body cloak.
It is often accompanied by a smaller headscarf underneath.99 The Yoruba Muslim women
often put on this religious wears as well.
97
98
99
64
The BBC’s virtual descriptions of the hijabs above are displayed in reality below
among Yoruba Muslim women. The different religious wears are seen being worn by
Yoruba Muslim women to various events from their homes. A careful study of the
pictures below revealed that all the hijab described virtually above are being worn in
Yoruba society to either religious or secular functions.
The putting on of these religious wears in the secular society is an indication of
how religion intends to serve as an agent of social control within the society. Men’s cap
and beard too are displayed in reality.
100
100
Lailatul Qadr 1436 A.H at Nasfat Islamic Centre, Asese, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, retrieved from
http://www.nasfat.org/images/DSCN0324.JPG on January 9, 2016.
65
101
Female children too are not exempted in the use of hijab. The next picture
revealed how these girls put on at least two or three of the hijabs being worn by Muslim
women.
101 th
Special prayer for the 20 anniversary of Nasfat, retrieved from
http://www.nasfat.org/images/anniversary1.jpg on January 9, 2016.
66
102
103
104
102 th
Nasfat 2015 children’s camp retrieved from http://www.nasfat.org/images/2.jpg on January 9 , 2016.
103 st
Nasfat 2015 1 Ekiti zone Biennial Women Conference, retrieved from
th
http://www.nasfat.org/images/IMG-20150806-WA001.jpg on January 9 , 2016.
104
Nasfat2015 Ramadan Lecture, retrieved from
th
http://www.nasfat.org/images/IMG_20150620_135611.jpg on January 9 , 2016.
67
105
3.3 RELIGIOUS NAME
Religious name is also another religious identity marker in Islam. As already
stated in the previous chapter, one who don’t identify with us is not part of us. In Islamic
religion the religious names from which a Muslim can choose are without numbers.
There are 99 names of Allah from which a Muslims can choose from and other names
from other prophets recognized by Islamic religion.
Therefore to be terse, an individual have no choice but to be identified with the
religion professed and take up an Islamic name or names, the Islamic clerics often ensure
that such ones do this.
In particular in Yoruba land an Islamic cleric popularly acclaimed as
Ajagbemokeferi known for changing the names of his convert into names compatible to
105
Nasfat2015 Ramadan Lecture, retrieved from
th
http://www.nasfat.org/images/IMG_20150620_133856.jpg on January 9 , 2016.
68
Islam; on several occasion within Ibadan and outside Ibadan he had converted the
adherents of other religions and have their names changed to Islamic compatible names:
In the 1970’s, He converted some Christian leaders thus one

named Joseph was renamed Yusuf at Agbagba, near Iwo.106
This phenomenon is still in vogue as many who became converted are obliged to
have their names changed to Islamic compatible names.
Also at the naming ceremony of a Muslim child in our contemporary Yoruba
society it looks absurd to name a child without any inclusion of an Islamic name, at least
one from the 99 names of God and other prophets. That the parents are under obligation
to have Islamic cleric conduct the naming ceremony of their children implies the
recognition of religion and to deny Islamic name or religious name on such occasion is to
offend the religious life of such a child.
Al-Hakim, the wise Lord, was changed to a Muslim name as

Abdul Hakeem, which means servant of the wise Lord.
Al-Rahman, the blessed Lord, was transformed to a Muslim
name as Abdul Rahman which means servant of the blessed
107
Lord.
The Islamic clerics ensure that their new converts have or were to be given
religious name adaptable and compatible to the new Islamic religion they are now
converted into.
106
Kamal-deen Olawale Sulaiman, 2014,A Study of Da’wah Activities of Late Shaykh Musa Ibrahim
Ajagbemokeferi in Ekitiland of South Western Nigeria,World Journal of Islamic History and Civilization, 4
(1): 10-19, 2014, retrieved from http://idosi.org/wjihc/wjihc4%281%2914/2.pdf on December 11, 2015
107
Akeem Abiodun Oladiti, 2014, Reconsidering the influence of Islam on Yoruba cultural heritage, 1930-
1987, American International Journal of Social Science Vol. 3, No. 6, retrieved from
http://www.aijssnet.com/journals/Vol_3_No_6_November_2014/6.
69
3.4 TRADE
In Islam there are things considered as Haram. Haram according to an online
website means:
As for the Arabic word 'Haram', it means forbidden. In the

terminology of Shari`ah, it refers to something that the Lawgiver
requires us not to do, the injunction here is in a definitive
manner. Haram is the opposite of Halal (permitted). A person
will be rewarded for keeping away from Haram as long as he
refrains from doing it out of obedience, not out of fear, shyness
or the inability to do it; in those cases he will not be rewarded
for not doing it.”108
To address and defend religion against the reckless secularist world many
consumable items in the secular world are prohibited and made mandatorily
inconsumable for Islamic community of the faithful, and this is expected to be obeyed by
every Muslims in Yoruba land, they are to avoid its consumption or the buying and
selling of these products. Two of these products today are of significant importance; they
are consumption of flesh of the swine (pork) and drinking of alcohol (intoxicants).
“Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of
swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other
than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a
violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death;
that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye
are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on
stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by
raffling with arrows: that is impiety…...”109
108
Joseph A. Islam, Marriage with the People of the Book retrieved from
http://quransmessage.com/articles/marriage %20with%20people%20of%20the%20book%20FM3.htm on
December 10, 2015.
109
Halal and Haram in Islam retrieved from http://www.islamicislamic.com/halal&haram.htm on
December 5, 2015.
70
The secular society is known to promote the agenda of personal freedom, the
freedom to consume whatever is good for an individual who is considered mature and
above 18 years of age. It is normal to take beer and wine in a secular society and to
engage in selling it is seen as a lawful business, however in both religions under study,
adherents of each religion were under compulsion to abstain and refrain from carrying
out trade in all these commodities, business in such commodities is considered as
unlawful and a Haram in Islam. Gambling an act among all these prohibitions is well
accepted and given freehand operation in a secular society, there are joints and hotels
within Yoruba land where people can gamble and more than often people gamble on
anything. The use of divination of any kind, a fundamentalist Islamic society in Yoruba
land would frown at and to gamble is considered a sin in Muslim religious community.
The effort then is geared to instill sanity into the society and in the light of this religious
compulsion is justified.
Alcohol is forbidden alongside the pig meat and raw food which were forbidden,
its sale too is forbidden for a Muslim and the prohibitive injunction is found in the
Qur’an:
“O ye who believe! Intoxicants and Gambling, (dedication of)

stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an Abomination – of
Satan’s handiwork; eschew such (abomination), that ye may
prosper.”110
On the other hand, trade in the forms of jobs and employment is often employed
against non-adherents of the religion. It is Sunna not to employ a Christian in Muslims
110
Al-Maida 5:90
71
establishments. The attitudes of caliphs of the medieval age to trade were often referred
to as reasons why the Muslims should avoid employing the Christians as have been stated
in the section of Literature Review in the first chapter. These caliphs objected to the
employing of Christians in their days. Today many Yoruba Muslims refused to employ
Christians into their establishments based on the scripture and the traditions from aṭ-
Ṭurṭûshî that Umar used to say:
“Do not employ Jews or Christians because they are dishonest

people in their religion, and dishonesty is not permitted in the
religion of God”111
These Islamic fundamentalists often quote the scripture which says:
“O you, who believe, do not make allies of those who were given
Scriptures before you and who consider your religion a joke and
a plaything, nor make allies of unbelievers. Fear God if you are
believers.”112
3.5 JIHAD
Kenny while describing religious freedom in Islamic thought wrote that:
The obligation to enforce good behavior and deter from bad
behavior is the foundation for the obligation of jihad. Jihad
literally means “effort”. Authors, such as al-Ghazali, distinguish
several senses of the word: there is: 1) jihad of the heart, which
includes: a) self-discipline and mastery over one’s own evil
inclinations, and b) the disapproval in one’s heart of the evil
behavior of others and the desire to see them correct their ways;
2) jihad of the tongue, which includes: a)verbal remonstrations
of evildoers, and b) preaching and writing to promote Islam; and
finally 3) jihad of the sword which is military effort to defend
and to extend the rule of Islam.113
111
Joseph Kenny, O.P., 1999, Views on Christian-Muslim Relations, Dominican Publications Lagos, pg.72.
112
Q5:57
113
Joseph Kenny, O.P., 1999, Views on Christian-Muslim Relations, Dominican Publications Lagos, Pg.45-46.
72
It is noteworthy to state that though Yoruba land enjoys to some extent religious
harmony and there is absence of the application of jihad of the sword, religious
compulsion still rears its ugly head because those of jihad of the heart and that of tongue
are meticulously pursued in Yoruba land. Public lectures by some Islamic organizations
e.g Nasfat and Ansar-ud-deen clearly exemplified this. Preaching and writings are being
used to emphasize Islamic doctrines against non-Islamic issues. Those two categories
were efforts employed in waging battle against secularism and other religions in Yoruba
society. The secular world is often condemned in these public lectures. Publications too
often carry some weighty and harsh words against people of other religions. It amounts to
religious compulsion because most of these preaching are to condemn the secular
ideology on fashion, religious beliefs, education and marriage but praise virtues the
religion extolled in its scripture by enforcing such virtues on the adherents and non-
adherents as well. Some were in the form publications which are aimed to perform Jihad
of the tongue against non Muslims, attack people of other faiths, in particular their
religious beliefs and enforce Islam upon them. Abdullah Nasih Ulwan in his book
Freedom of Belief in Islamic law said:
Christians who followed Jesus alone and reject Muhammad are

unbelievers because God knowing that the earlier divine law
given to them cannot keep pace with modern civilization and
contemporary life abrogated it and replaced it with the Qur’an
which is so perfect that you cannot find any defect in it.114
114
Abdul Nasih Ulwan, 2008, Freedom of Belief in Islamic law, Dar al Salam, Cairo, Pg. 43ff.
73
This is purely Jihadist remarks with regards to Christianity, a form of Jihad of the
tongue, from well respectable Islamic faithful. It is the duty of every Muslims to write
this way, with the belief they are performing Jihad.
Yoruba people from long time ago had observed religious compulsion in the way
and manner a Muslim ensures religious education through this saying that:
Ati kekere ni imaale ti n ko omo re laaso.

From childhood a Muslim has always instructed the child
in the faith of Islam (Arabic learning).
Nearly every Muslim child in Yoruba land was first instructed in non- formal
Arabic Islamic schools under the tutor of an Islamic teacher popularly known as Alfa and
in Ibadan metropolis there are hundreds of such Islamic informal schools. The essence is
to teach them Arabic which is the language of the Qur’an. The Islamic brotherhood
movements like the Nasfat, Ansar–ud-deen, and the Asalatu movement in Yoruba society
often emphasized the learning of the Arabic language, the language of the Qur’an among
their members.
3.7 CONCLUSION
Religious compulsion as well as it was in Christianity is being used to achieve
both good and evil end means.
Within the religion it tends to serve the good means, that is, to fight against the
enemies of religion, by laying down stipulations and guidelines expected of every
74
Muslim believers to strictly adhered his or herself to, however in reaction to other
religions, religious compulsion is being used aggressively against people of other
religions and the result of such aggression is often unpalatable no wonder why non-
Islamic people often called such Muslims the fundamentalist or fanatics.
75
CHAPTER FOUR
IMPACTS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION ON RELIGIOUS HARMONY

IN YORUBA LAND
4.0 INTRODUCTION
The section looks into the impact of religious compulsion on religious harmony in
Yoruba land. The fact that Yoruba land continue to expand and develop, attracting more
and more people from outside Yoruba states made religious interaction between the two
religions under study inevitable. The two religions, Christianity and Islam also interact
with the Yoruba traditional religion.
To remain relevant to the society, these religions believed in peaceful co-
existence and they often practiced this by emphasizing religious harmony in their various
gatherings. However the race for adherents within the society of Yoruba land often
pushes these religions into unhealthy competition which at most of the times culminates
into rivalry and dissension. To safeguard and protect their adherents from the lures and
grips of other religions, religious compulsion is often tactically employed by a religion to
play down other religions while its own virtues are being promoted.
Religious compulsion affects religious harmony being enjoyed in Yoruba society
while some impacts are beneficial others are harmful to the religious harmony and
peaceful co-existence of these religions in Yoruba land. The beneficial impacts have
76
boosted the societal view on the need for religious harmony while the negative impacts
are detrimental to the growth of religious harmony in Yoruba land.
4.1 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1.1 DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS
This segment presents the profile of the participants in terms of their gender,
religion and age. This profile presentation shows the varying percentages of the
contribution made by participants in this study.
Table 4.1 showing the frequency distribution of participants based on their gender,
religion and age.
Gender Frequency Percentage (%)

Male 71 72.4
Female 27 27.6
Total 98 100.0
Religion Frequency Percentage (%)
Christianity 74 75.5
Islam 20 20.4
Others 4 4.1
Total 98 100.0
Age Frequency Percentage (%)
16-20yrs 19 19.4
77
21-25yrs 36 36.7
26-35yrs 37 37.8
36yrs and above 6 6.1
Total 98 100.0
Out of 100 respondents, 2 respondents response was missing, while 71% of the
respondents were male, 27% of them were female. This indicates that male participated
more than their female counterparts. On the return of the questionnaire it was observed
that 74% of the respondents are Christians, 20% of them are Muslims, while 4% of them
practice other religions not mentioned, only a person indicated his religion to be
Rastafarian. Out of the 100 respondents that participated in this study it was discovered
that 19% of the respondents are within the ages range of 16-20years, 36% of them are
within the ages of 21-25yrs, 37% of the respondents are within the ages of 26-35yrs,
while 6% of them are about 36years and above in age. This is an indication that in this
study majority of the participants are within the ages of 26-35yrs.
BAR CHART REPRESENTATION OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
78
79
80
81
4.1.2 NON-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS
What is the perception of participants about religious fanatic and Nigeria as a

secular state?
Yes No
(%) (%)
1 To say someone is a religious fanatic, is it 45 55
abusive? (45%) (55%)
2 Should the society be truly free of religious 38 60

influence? (38.8%) (61.2%)
3 Indeed, is Nigeria truly a secular society? 64 34
(65.3%) (34.7%)
4 Nigeria should be both religious and secular 75 25
society? (75%) (25%)
5 Nigeria should only be a religious society? 33 65
(33.7%) (66.3%)
NB: Figures in parenthesis are %, while others are frequencies
80
To say someone is a
religious fanatic, is it
70
abusive?
60 Should the society be

truly free of religious
50 influence?
Indeed, is Nigeria truly
40 a secular society?
30
Nigeria should be both
religious and secular
20
society?
10 Nigeria should only be
a religious society?
0
yes(%)
Yes (%) NoNo(%)
(%)
82
Figure 1: Shows the comparison in participants view on religious fanatic.
The research findings indicated that 75% of the participants consented that
Nigeria should be both religious and secular society while 60% objected that Nigeria
should be free of religious influences. The implication of this on religious harmony
within Yoruba land is that, most of the participants have tasted the values and influences
of both the secular and religious society in Yoruba land and believe that in a secular
society religious input also are of considerable values.
That Nigeria should be secular and religious implies that religion would continue
with its religious compulsive stances within the secular society. However less preference
for Nigeria as only a religious society (33.7%) is an indication of public awareness of
religious negative impacts and that 66.3% of the participants objected that Nigeria should
be only a religious society reflected the participants’ resentment for religious compulsion
within Yoruba society. This would be fully analyzed while weighing the impact of
religious compulsion in its various forms within Yoruba society in the next section of this
chapter.
What‫ج‬is‫ج‬the‫ج‬perception‫ج‬of‫ج‬participants‫ج‬on‫ج‬religion’s‫ج‬stance‫ج‬about‫ج‬marriage?‫جججججججججججججججججججججججججججججججججججججججج‬
SA A U D SD
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1. Religion should have a say in the person you 51 24 4 10 11
get married to. (51%) (24%) (4%) (10%) (11%)
2. Christians should be able to marry from any 31 20 6 17 26
other religions and Muslims should be able to (31%) (20%) (6%) (17%) (26%)
marry from any other religions.
3. I prefer court marriage to any other existing 25 26 12 20 17
types of marriage. (25%) (26%) (12%) (20%) (17%)
4. Interest and love should determine whom you 31 33 8 20 8
should get marry to but not any religious or (31%) (33%) (8%) (20%) (8%)
83
inter-denominational doctrines.
5. Marriage within one’s religion is better than 50 30 8 4 8
marriage to someone who practices other (50%) (30%) (8%) (4%) (8%)
religion.
6. Marriage is spiritual and divine. 64 20 12 2 2
(64%) (20%) (12%) (2%) (2%)
7. Marriage is a societal norm and should be 13 10 20 28 29
controlled by the society, and not religion. (13%) (10%) (20%) (28%) (29%)
60
Religion should have a say

in the person you get
married to.
50
Christians should be able

to marry from any other
40 religions and Muslims
should be able to marry
from any other religions.
I prefer court marriage to
any other existing types of
30 marriage.
Interest and love should

20 determine whom you
should get marry to but
not any religious or inter-
denominational doctrines.
Marriage within one’s
10
religion is better than
marriage to someone who
practices other religion.
0
SA A U D SD
84
Figure 2: shows the comparison in participants view on religious stance about
marriage.
From the chat above it is obvious that more of the participants (75%) supported
the view that religion should have a say on whom to marry which is a sign of religious
influence and control on marital issues and the fact that these youths have grabbed the
positive impacts of religion on marriage. 64% of the participants confirmed the view that
love and interest should determine whom a person should get marry to without any
influence of any religious or inter-denominational doctrines. The thought of the
participants on this view is youthful, and more of secular than religious and this imply the
youthful view is more inclined to secular view of marriage than to the religious view,
particularly in the area of choice; love and interest. 51% reported that they prefer court
marriage than religious marriage in a church or mosque. 51% of the respondents agreed
that Christians should be able to marry from any other religions and Muslims should be
able to marry from any other religions. The two figures of 51% above are of secular
views because the expectation is contrary to the religious reality in Yoruba society, where
Christians prefer marriage to Christians and Muslims to Muslims, 80% of the participants
confirm this that marriage within one’s religion is better than marriage to someone who
practices other religion. This is an indication that the respondents have been religiously
influenced and would avoid going against the doctrines and teachings of their religions
though they may have other views which is a sign of the manifestation of religious
compulsion in marriage.
85
What‫ج‬is‫ج‬the‫ج‬perception‫ج‬of‫ج‬participants‫ج‬on‫ج‬religion’s‫ج‬stance‫ج‬about‫ج‬fashion?
SA A U D SD
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1. Religion, in particular, Christianity or Islam is 40 24 16 14 6
against secular’s fashion lifestyle. (40%) (24%) (16%) (14%) (6%)
2. Religion’s stance on fashion can create fake- 32 50 12 2 2

believers when it comes to modulating (32%) (50%) (12%) (2%) (2%)
believers’ fashion.
3. Fashion modulated and based on religious 24 26 26 18 6
standards is the better way of life (24%) (26%) (26%) (18%) (6%)
4. Fashion modulated and based on society’s 17 22 26 25 10
secular glamour standards is the better way of (17%) (22%) (26%) (25%) (10%)
life
5. Fashion modulated by both religious and 23 36 30 5 6
society’s secular glamour standards is the (23%) (36%) (30%) (5%) (6%)
better way of life.
6. Religious attires should be worn only during 19 22 19 26 12
religious activities. (19.4%) (22.4%) (19.4%) (26.5%) (12.2%
)
7. Religion and secularism are at each other’s 29 33 26 10 2
throats when it comes to fashion (29%) (33%) (26%) (10%) (2%)
8. Religion and modern civilization’s fashion 32 23 22 21 2
would never agreed (32%) (23%) (22%) (21%) (2%)
86
50
45
Religion, in particular,
40 Christianity or Islam is
against secular’s fashion
lifestyle.
35
Religion’s stance on
fashion can create fake-
30
believers when it comes
to modulating believers’
25 fashion.
Fashion modulated and
based on religious
20 standards is the better
way of life
15
Fashion modulated and
based on society’s secular
10 glamour standards is the
better way of life
0
SA A U D SD
Figure 3: shows the comparison in participants view on religious stance about

fashion.
From the chat above it is obvious that 64% of the participants supported the view
that religion, in particular, Christianity and Islam are against secular fashion. However,
82% are of secular view that religious stance on fashion can create fake believers. This is
a sign that more are aware of negative influence religious wears can create in the society
particularly when religious believers’ fashions are being dictated. 50% of respondents in
87
this study supported that fashion dictated and based on religious standards is a better way
of dressing, 24% objected while 26% were unsure of this. 38.7% however objected that
religious dressing should be worn only during religious activities alone while 41.8%
supported this view. The image this data created was that there is struggle between
secular fashion and religious fashion (62% attested to this). More (82%) are however
critical of religious wears due to the dichotomous effect it often generated particularly
when believers of a particular religion are being forced to put on such religious wears.
What is the perception of participants about giving of religious names?

S/N ITEMS SA A U D SD
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1. Religious names are religious markers 39 41 10 6 4
therefore religion should have pre- (39%) (41%) (10%) (6%) (4%)
eminence in the naming ceremony of
your child?
2. Religion’s presence is no big deal on the 17 23 12 30 18

naming ceremony of your child; hence (17%) (23%) (12%) (30%) (18%)
you can do away with religion’s presence
on such occasions.
3. Do you think it is necessary to add 29 34 17 8 10

religious name to the list of the names of (29.6%) (34.7%) (17.3%) (8.2%) (10.2%)
a child?
4. Every middle name of a child must be a 17 28 13 26 16

religious name. (17%) (28%) (13%) (26%) (16%)
5. Religion is exercising its impact on the 21 35 16 10 14

society by the compulsory inclusion of (21.9%) (36.5%) (16.7%) (10.4%) (14.6%)
religious names at every naming
ceremony in Yoruba land.
88
6. The giving of religious names at 22 35 17 12 12
baptismal or right hand of fellowship is a (22.4%) (35.7%) (17.3%) (12.2%) (12.2%)
sign of religious compulsion.
7. Religious name is a mark of identity with 24 27 25 10 14

a particular religion, a change of religion (24%) (27%) (25%) (10%) (14%)
should necessitate a change of religious
name.
8. It is right to enforce religious name upon 17 28 11 22 22

a new convert either at first point of (17%) (28%) (11%) (22%) (22%)
entry into that religion or even later.
9. Religious name is divine and should be 24 28 14 20 12

included when someone become (24.5%) (28.6%) (14.3%) (20.4%) (12.2%)
religious.
10. Omission of religious names is normal 20 36 12 18 14

and social. (20%) (36%) (12%) (18%) (14%)
89
45
1 Religious names are religious

40
markers therefore religion
should have pre-eminence in
35 the naming ceremony of your
child?
30 2 Religion’s presence is no big

deal on the naming ceremony
of your child; hence you can do
25 away with religion’s presence
on such occasions.
20 3 Do you think it is necessary

to add religious name to the
list of the names of a child?
15
10 4 Every middle name of a child

must be a religious name.
0
SA(%) A(%) U(%) D(%) SD(%)
Figure 4: Shows the comparison in participants view on religious stance about

giving names.
From the chat above it is obvious that 80% of the participants accepted that
religious name is a religious mark of identity therefore religion should have pre-
eminence in the naming ceremony of a child, only 10% objected to this while others
were unsure. 48% disagreed on the idea of doing away with religions names while
40% believed they can do away with religious names on naming ceremony of their
children only 12% are unsure of what to do, a sure battle between religion and
secular. 58.1% are of the view that giving of religious names at baptismal or right
90
hand of fellowship is a manifestation of religious compulsion. 58.4% are of the
opinion that religion is exercising its impact in every inclusion of religious names in
every naming ceremony within Yoruba society. 51% are of the view that a change
of religion should however necessitate a change of name. 53.1% believed that
religious name is divine and should be included in a child’s name. In this section of
the Questionnaire it is the only the view that removal of religious name is social and
normal that received more of secularistic response, 56% of the participants backed
this view. The image this analysis presented was that religion wields great influence
through the enforcement of religious names.
What is the perception of participants about religious education and compulsion in

religion in Yoruba?
ITEMS SA A U D SD
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1. Forcing religious education on a child is 27 25 16 20 12
the prerogative right of a parent. (27%) (25%) (16%) (20%) (12%)
2. Religious education is mandatory for every 35 35 14 8 8
child. (35%) (35%) (14%) (8%) (8%)
3. Religious education can be used to 23 43 26 6 2
proselytize, preach and educate a child in (23%) (43%) (26%) (6%) (2%)
doctrines other than his or her own parent’s
religion. It is right.
4. Religious education can be manipulated by 13 30 34 9 14
religious bodies hence should be controlled (13%) (30%) (34%) (9%) (14%)
by the secular society.
5. The secular society should leave religious 17 33 26 18 6
education to the parents as their (17%) (33%) (26%) (18%) (6%)
responsibility.
91
45
Forcing religious
education on a child is the
40 prerogative right of a
parent.
35
Religious education is
mandatory for every child.
30
25
Religious education can

20
be used to proselytize,
preach and educate a
child in doctrines other
15 than his or her own
parent’s religion. It is
right.
10 Religious education can
be manipulated by
religious bodies hence
5 should be controlled by
the secular society.
0
SA A U D SD
Figure 5: Shows the comparison in participants view on religious stance about

religious education.
From the figure above it is obvious that more of the participants (52%) accepted
that forcing religious education on a child is the prerogative right of a parent while 80%
agreed that religious education is mandatory for every child an indication of religious
92
compulsion. 66% of the respondents also confirmed that religious education can be used
to proselytize, preach and educate a child in doctrines other than his or her own parent’s
religion. This implies that majority of the respondents are of the opinion that religious
education is compulsory and rights of both the parents and the religious bodies.
What is the perception of participant about religious compulsion concerning trade

in Yoruba land?
SA A U D SD
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1. A Christian should be able to trade and 42 51 5 0 2
work in Islamic (42%) (51%) (5%) (0%) (2%)
organizations/establishments.
2. A Muslim should be able to trade and 41 52 3 2 2

work in Christian (41%) (52%) (3%) (2%) (2%)
establishments/organizations.
3. A Muslim should have free-periods to 35 48 11 2 4

pray if he/she works in banking sector (35%) (48%) (11%) (2%) (4%)
or non-religious institutions.
4. Bossing over religious issues in a 20 21 42 6 11

secular establishment is a sin. (20%) (21%) (42%) (6%) (11%)
5. The call for Islamic banking is a mark 24 28 28 10 6

of religious compulsion. (25.0%) (29.2%) (29.2%) (10.4%) (6.3%)
93
60
A Christian should be able
to trade and work in
Islamic
50
organizations/establishme
nts.
A Muslim should be able
40 to trade and work in
Christian
establishments/organizati
30 ons.
A Muslim should have
free-periods to pray if
he/she works in banking
20 sector or non-religious
institutions.
Bossing over religious
10 issues in a secular
establishment is a sin.
0
SA A U D SD
Figure 6: Shows the comparison in participants view on religious compulsion

concerning trade.
From the figure above it is obvious that 93% of the participants yielded that a
Christian should be able to trade and work in Islamic organizations/establishments and
vice-visa. 78% confirmed that Muslim should have free-periods to pray if he/she works in
banking sector or non-religious institutions while 54.2% confirmed that the request for
Islamic banking is a mark of religious compulsion. This shows that respondents are
interested in accommodation of one another irrespective of religious difference but frown
94
at religious compulsion and enforcement in trade and employment which is the reality in
Yoruba society.
What is the perception of participants on religious syncretism and religious

ambivalence‫ج‬within‫ج‬Yoruba’s‫ج‬religious‫ج‬activities‫ج‬and‫ج‬compulsion‫ج‬in‫ج‬religion?
SA A U D SD
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1. Christians should have nothing to do with 22 18 10 20 28
Islamic mode of worship and Muslims should (22.4%) (18.4%) (10.2%) (20.4%) (28.6%)
have nothing to do with Christian’s mode of
worship. Religious Segregation is a MUST.
2. Taking chieftaincy titles by either Christians or 16 27 31 12 14
Muslims are evidence that there is religious (16%) (27%) (31%) (12%) (14%)
syncretism; compulsive stance needed be
maintained against such.
3. A Christian should desist from visiting 36 24 16 10 14
herbalists, other traditional practitioners and (36%) (24%) (16%) (10%) (14%)
Alfas for spiritual help and a Muslim should
desist from visiting herbalists, other traditional
practitioners and Church ministers for spiritual
help.
4. The practice of two religions at the same time 31 19 28 12 10
is an evidence of religious ambivalence. Such (31%) (19%) (28%) (12%) (10%)
ambivalent adherent should be forced to adopt
one religion else is not part of the professed
religion.
5. The indiscriminate use of public address 20 29 23 18 10
system during religious activities is another (20%) (29%) (23%) (18%) (10%)
way to identify religious compulsion in our
society.
6. Both Christianity and Islam evidently are 24 15 43 10 8
combating against syncretism and ambivalence (24%) (15%) (43%) (10%) (8%)
though religious compulsion.
95
40
Christians should have
nothing to do with
Islamic mode of
35 worship and Muslims
should have nothing to
do with Christian’s
mode of worship.
Religious Segregation is
30
a MUST.
25 Taking chieftaincy titles

by either Christians or
Muslims are evidence
that there is religious
syncretism; compulsive
20 stance needed be
maintained against
such.
15
A Christian should
desist from visiting
10 herbalists, other
traditional practitioners
and Alfas for spiritual
help and a Muslim
5 should desist from
visiting herbalists, other
traditional practitioners
and Church ministers
0 for spiritual help.
SA A U D SD
Figure 7: shows the comparison in participants view on religious syncretism and

religious‫ج‬ambivalence‫ج‬within‫ج‬Yoruba’s‫ج‬religious‫ج‬activities.
From the chat above it is obvious that 49% of the participants objected to
religious segregation, they seem to promote religious syncretism. 60% of them supported
96
the view that a Christian should desist from visiting herbalists, other traditional
practitioners and Alfas for spiritual help and a Muslim should desist from visiting
herbalists, other traditional practitioners and Church ministers for spiritual help. They
also confirmed that the practice of two religions at the same time is an evidence of
religious ambivalence. Such ambivalent adherent should be forced to stick to a religion
else is not part of the professed religion, which indicates the presence of religious
compulsion. This implies that respondents agreed that individual should have one religion
and maintain it.
4.2 IMPACTS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION ON RELIGIOUS HARMONY

IN YORUBA LAND
4.2.1 MARRIAGE
Based on the findings of the research, religious compulsion adversely affects the
institution of marriage. Though most of the participants strongly agreed and agreed on the
importance and relevance of religion in marriage, however the impacts became
manifested when over half of the respondents agreed that Christians and Muslims should
be able to marry one another. In the institution of marriage, negative impact of religious
compulsion glaringly becomes manifested because the expectation is quite different from
the reality in Yoruba society. According to a Yoruba Islamic website,115 the issue of
115
Why Muslimah not to marry Kitaabi when opposite permitted, retrieved from
http://www.esinislam.com/Articles201103/WritersArticles_IHWhyMuslimahNotToMarryKitaabiWhen
OppositePermitted_0325c.htm#AllahIsGreat on December 15, 2015.
97
marriage in Islam is a one-sided coin only, the Muslim men are allowed to marry the
chaste women among the people of the book, either the Jews or the Christians but
Muslim women are disallowed from marry Christian men or an unbeliever:
It is well known that the husband is in charge of his wife

(qawaamah) and his status within the family is higher than that
of his wife. Perhaps this higher position may make him force his
wife to leave her religion and follow his, or it may influence her
to do that, and this is something that Islam cannot accept.
The higher status held by the husband may also cause the
children of this woman to follow their father's religion, which is
a great error, if these offspring grow up and do not follow the
final religion of Allaah.
This is the important reason which Allaah mentioned when He

forbade Muslim women to marry non-Muslim men. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And give not (your daughters) in marriage to Al-Mushrikoon till

they believe (in Allaah Alone) and verily, a believing slave is
better than a (free) Mushrik (idolater), even though he pleases
you. Those (Al-Mushrikoon) invite you to the Fire, but Allaah
invites (you) to Paradise and forgiveness by His Leave, and
makes His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations, etc.) clear to mankind that they may remember"116
That was the situation on ground which often generated some bad feelings among
the people of these religions. Many who would have married one another based on love
and would have built peaceful homes were barred from marrying one another due to the
forms of religious compulsion within the guidelines for marriage in these religions. Many
116
Why Muslimah not to marry Kitaabi when opposite permitted, retrieved from
http://www.esinislam.com/Articles201103/WritersArticles_IHWhyMuslimahNotToMarryKitaabiWhen
OppositePermitted_0325c.htm#AllahIsGreat on December 15, 2015.
98
Christian denominations too often advised their members to marry within the church.
Weddings to other churches are often taken or accepted with caution in some of the
churches under study.
Many because of the love they have for their intending spouse would on pretence
joined a religion only to opt out having married the man or the woman of their choice and
revert back into their former religion, believing that love and interest should take pre-
eminence but not religion. More than often such situation has breached the religious
harmony as such issue keep to increase in Yoruba society.
Religious compulsion through marriage sanitizes marriage by making it a holy
wedlock, through various doctrinal checks on its religious adherents, religious
compulsion has modeled up religious adherents who are chaste and have made their bed
undefiled which has contributed to religious harmony in Yoruba society. Drawing from
the scriptures of these two religions marriage issues have been resolved and this is
another impact of religious compulsion in building virile and godly homes where God
rules supreme, another indication that the impact of religious compulsion in Yoruba
society promotes religious harmony. The Bible admonishes the husband to love his
wife117 while the woman is under compulsion to submit to her husband and also learn in
silence.118
4.2.2 FASHION
117
Col.3:18-21
118
Ephesians 5:22-33.
99
The impact of religious compulsion on the religious harmony in Yoruba society
through its influences in fashion at first is positive because the roles of these religions on
fashion correlates with Yoruba culture on moderate and decent fashion. In the absence of
religious moderating roles on the fashion within the Yoruba’s society, perhaps many of
the youths in Yoruba’s society race will be going out half-naked today.
The fact that secularism is yet to overcome religious potential in moderating dress
pattern is a clear proof that religious compulsion yields positive impact through fashion
in Yoruba society.
Secularism promotes and canvasses for morale boost on the general well-being of
human kind, everyone need to looks good in every bit of life,119 so in fashion, you can
dress up to your taste and looks kinky and good always, you can put on body straps, hot
pants to church, such is the agenda and goal of secularism. Today we can say secularism
has won a faction in the church and in Islam as well. The liberalists are often lenient
towards the members fashion lifestyles. In the Christendom you can dress as you like
says the liberalist churches and in Islam some of the liberalist inclined groups do not
emphasize on the daily use of the hijab and other forms of Islamic dressing.
However the groups of fundamentalist in both Christianity and Islam continue to
emphasize the scriptures against secular society stance on fashion.
119
The Oxford English Dictionary; A New English Dictionary On Historical Principles; Definition of
Secularism, Volume IX S-Soldo; Oxford at the Clarendon Press; Reprinted 1970; pg. 366
100
In Islam a Muslim woman is expected to always put on her hijab before non-
Muslim men. The impact of the compulsory wearing of the hijab has also affected
Muslim women from getting very good job in secular place like the Yoruba society. 120 A
Muslim woman with no one to help and support her is encouraged to migrate to the land
where she can serve and obey the obligatory commands of Allah to put on her hijab121 in
line with the traditions recorded in the Islamic holy book. Here is a quotation of some
scholars on this view:
Migration (hijrah) from dar al-kufr (kaafir lands) to dar al-Islam

(Muslim lands) is obligatory.122And from a land where
innovation is widespread, Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy
on him) said: It is not permissible for anyone to settle in a land
in which the salaf are reviled. And from a land in which haraam
things are prevalent, for seeking halaal is an obligation for every
Muslim.123
All these said in the Yoruba Islamic website124no doubt will adversely affect the
Muslim attitudes to the secular Yoruba society which in turn will have impact upon the
120
The issue of Hijab and Trade retrieved from
http://www.esinislam.com/Articles201208/IH_SheIsNotAllowedToWearHijabSoHowCanSheGoMeet
HerNeeds_0809b.htm#AllahIsGreat on December 12, 2015.
121
122
Ibn al-‘Arabi said so in Ahkaam al-Qur'an (1/612)
123
124
101
religious harmony within Yoruba society due to various manner Islamic society responds
to glamorous secular society of Yoruba land. It is hard for a half-naked dressed person to
obtain Qur’an where its being sold at the mosque and also its’ hard for such ones to
receive help from Islamic fundamentalists who are capable of helping out because to such
fundamentalist they are nothing more than Kaafir (unbeliever) who should be stayed
away from.
Linda Ikeji posted a blog on her website on the banning of ladies and women in
trousers from gaining access through the church campground premises situated at
Magboro along Lagos-Ibadan expressway125 the collision between the secular society and
the religious society on fashion resulted in that issue which leads into religious
compulsion. This happened within the first week of June 2014.
Prior to that, two years before that incident, the church authority through the
General Overseer on televised broadcast announced the banning of MFM female
members from putting on trousers. The ban was made available to every branch of MFM
125
Women in trousers barred from passing through MFM Prayer City,
http://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2014/06/women-in-trousers-barred-from-passing.html.
102
nationwide and beyond. As Eyoboka and Lantona put it, it was a war against indecent
dressing to places of worship.126
4.2.3 RELIGIOUS NAMES
The impacts of religious compulsion through religious names on religious
harmony in Yoruba society is both positive and negative impacts. The giving of religious
names is predicated on the religion one is born into and the religion one is converted into
and this helps to ensure religious identity among adherents of different religions. It is to
cement the conversion and ensure the individual actually is ready to become a part of the
religion. It also helps to cover and checks the past which can bring religious rivalry. The
perception of the respondent correlated with the reality within Yoruba society. More of
the respondents consented that religious name is a mark of identity with a particular
religion and that a change of religion should necessitate a change of religious name and
many more agreed rather than disagree that religious name should be enforced upon the
new converts upon conversion which amounted to religious compulsion.
The respondents’ perceptions on religious names as both divine and social
portray a negative impact of religious compulsion upon the religious harmony within
Yoruba society. If religious names were to be divine why the compulsory changes upon
126
Eyoboka &Lantona, MFM bans females from wearing trousers; Catholic Church outlaws headgears,
www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/mfm-bans-females-from-wearing-trousers-catholic-church-outlaws-
headgears/.
103
conversion into another religion as is being witnessed today in both Christianity and
Islam, this will be an indication of religious disunity among religions within Yoruba
society.
In the light of the above, religious names will yield implications for those who
answer them; it exposes the faith of such individual as people can easily deduce the
religion being practiced by such a person that may lead to favoritism, or misfortune.
4.2.4 TRADE
Trade implies employment, job and every area of specialization in a particular
skill which someone can become engaged in within an organization for the purpose of
making profit. The impact of religious compulsion on Yoruba’s religious harmony
through cannot be underestimated.
The research’s data analysis indicated that worship during office work should
always be permitted for a Muslim who needs to observe five salat in a day and that
Muslims should be able to work in a Christian organization and establishment vice versa.
Religious compulsion becomes manifested when the expectation from the data of
the research conducted above was in contrary to the reality in Yoruba land. The
participants mostly agreed that Muslims should be able to work in Christian
establishments’ e.g in church secretariats, church schools, etc while Christians as well
should be gainfully employed in Islamic establishments.
104
Today many Yoruba Muslims refused to employ Christians into their
establishments based on the scripture and the traditions from aṭ-Ṭurṭûshî that Umar used
to say:
“Do not employ Jews or Christians because they are dishonest

people in their religion, and dishonesty is not permitted in the
religion of God”127
These Islamic fundamentalists often quote the scripture which says:
“O you, who believe, do not make allies of those who were given
Scriptures before you and who consider your religion a joke and
a plaything, nor make allies of unbelievers. Fear God if you are
believers.”128
Christians who are truly under the influence of religion will avoid being unequally
yoked with an unbeliever and would desist from engaging in business partnerships with
people of other religion, particularly at the inception of such business.
Religious compulsion had dashed such hope and instead religious segregation
among these religions is the watchword.
4.2.5 JIHAD
Every Muslim is expected to wage Jihad by any means they are capable of
carrying it out when it is needed. The Muslims are under obligation to faithfully strive
against every form of opposition against their religion.
127
Joseph Kenny, O.P., 1999, Views on Christian-Muslim Relations, Dominican Publications Lagos, pg.72.
128
Q5:57
105
Hence such obligation amounts to religious compulsion and its impact on
religious harmony in Yoruba land is a negative one. Once applied it often yield distrust
and misunderstanding. A Muslim waging Jihad can never be faithful to people of other
religions and strivings against others in the name of religion often destroy any existing
platform of harmony among these religions.
Presently Jihad is being waged against Christians in Yoruba land, the Jihad of the
heart and Jihad of the tongue. There are many anti-Christians books, journals and
websites today in Yoruba society and these were establish to carry out Jihad against other
religions. The use of verbal remonstrations on people of other religions is another form
by which Jihad is being waged against non-believers. The Muslims often emphasized
Tawheed, the oneness of Allah, and by virtue of this accused the Christians and people of
other religions to be committing the sin of Shirk. More so, the Yoruba Muslims often
made religious confession that:
Olorun o bimo enikan o si bi

God gave birth to none and none gave birth to him
The call for the establishment of Islamic law within Yoruba land is an attempt to
wage Jihad and this has created enmity among these religions in the domain of Yoruba
land.
4.3 CONCLUSION
Generally, it is clear that the research work find correlation in the data obtained
from the field work.
106
Religious compulsion is believed to be behind some of the responses of religion
to its external threats. The forms of religious compulsion all attested to the attempt of
religions within Yoruba land to control and influence its adherents from being lured away
by external scavengers.
It was found that the impacts of religious compulsion upon the Yoruba society
were in response to the external world of that religion which actually might enhance
religious harmony or suppress it.
107
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY AND GENERAL CONCLUSION
5.0 INTRODUCTION
The impacts, both negative and positive are the precursors of the implications
generated from this study. This in turn shall be used to provide the summary, objective
evaluation, recommendation and general conclusion for the whole work.
5.1 IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY
As the Africans of the 20th century responded to the European missionaries and
founded indigenous churches of African origins, which is by the Africans for the Africans
and made in Africa, there is similar possibility that such responses would surface when
the Yoruba land comes to grip the facts and challenges of religious compulsion within its
society. Today, either many are forcing themselves out of religious organizations into
others or that they are being forced and excommunicated from such religious bodies to
form their own religious organizations or be joined to the secular society, such situation
in Yoruba society, is likely to keep repeating itself times and times over again.
Secondly, a tendency whereby members want to take over their religious
organizations by fashioning it to their own taste is a possibility.
However some religious fundamentalist groups are likely to lose their intensity,
religious fervor and focus in the face of strong and intense influence from the secular
world, which implies the possibility of religious fundamentalist groups succumbing to
108
liberalistic views of the society, losing all their fundamental claims to become garbed and
be lost in liberalism. Responses from the secular body is inevitable which consequently
would have positive and negative effects upon the Yoruba society, but the time for such
response, no one can accurately predict. However, the knowledge of such expectation
could boost and energize such fundamentalist religious organizations into actions to
continue to checkmate the onslaught of the enemy of religion.
There is going to be increase investment in the establishment of religious
institutions and organizations to cater for the needs and provide jobs for religious
adherents in order to further the existing structure of segregation among religions.
Technological implication for this study as well is inevitable. Technology would
have either positive or negative implication upon religious compulsion within Yoruba
society.
The literal application and interpretation of religious books often canvassed for by
the religious fundamentalists and the fanatics would continue to create cracks on the wall
of religious harmony in Yoruba society.
Lastly, religious war becomes inevitable if in a secular society every religion or a
particular religion enforces itself on other religions and the society in a negative way.
5.2 SUMMARY OF THE STUDY
Christianity and Islam within Yoruba land has made used of religious compulsion
as a mechanism to control and manage their adherents.
109
The phenomenon has been used and also being used to combat various enemies of
religion such secularism, religious ambivalence and syncretism capable of diluting the
richness of both religions in Yoruba land.
Religious compulsion in Yoruba land like some other places within the country
where it is being used as destructive weapon against people of other faiths has sown its
seed of rivalry in the society of the Yoruba people by breeding religious competition and
encouraging religious disharmony among the religions.
In essence this research has revealed that religious compulsion has been used with
both negative and positive intentions upon the society of the Yoruba people.
5.3 EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION
At this stage a salient question need be raised as to whether there should be
religious compulsion or not.
If there should be no religious compulsion the enemy of religion would advance
with their secularist agenda and the society would soon become profane. Critically
religious compulsion has helped check some malicious agenda of secular world capable
of wrecking the sanity of the public life. All these agenda have all been discussed in the
previous chapters and chief among these is the desire of secularism to stamp out all
pertaining to God and religion in the society.
On the other hand, the presence of religious compulsion in the society has caused
deep wounds in which there exist no hope of being healed in sight and which our world
would continue to nurse from time to time. The memory of the effects of religious
110
compulsion would make someone want to call for its complete removal from the society
because in the name of religion, religious compulsion has been used to wreck havoc upon
the history of human kind. People in the name of religion have been forced to turn their
hands and weapons against one another and against their fathers, mothers, brothers and
sisters.
The truth however is that we need religious compulsion but it should be applied in
each religion in a way that it would not harm the religion’s adherents or people of other
religions. Religious compulsion should unite Yoruba’s society rather than serve as
weapon of religious division and intolerance. The world can achieve no peace if it
practices only a religion, and if such situation arises in the future, the worst should be
expected because people have no other religions to ease off their tension and what a
miserable world such place would be!
My first recommendation would begin with this saying: live and let live. The
adherents of each religion need live and let others live as well. The religion here should
let religion there to live and religion there should let religion here to live as well.
The world’s history of religious compulsion is a clear proof that people should
not be forced into or out of a religion because the repercussion of such action is always
disastrous. In the same vein people being compelled to remain in their professed or
converted religion while practicing another religion has generated religious syncretistic
and ambivalence individuals. These ones are fake believers in the light of true religion.
111
The use of religious compulsion as religious whip over other religion has not help
created the peace needed hence these religions should desist from such actions.
Religious wears in Christianity can be used by fake believers on some
unsuspecting individuals, many has been robbed off of their hard earned savings by those
who dressed up as godly men and women and duped others. The same with the religious
wears in Islam which has been used by some nefarious group e.g members of Boko
Haram to perpetrate bombings and suicide killings. In the light of the above views,
religious wears should be controlled but not restricted.
In continuation my recommendation would be that more awareness should be
created in the field of religious dialogue and comparative religions on the need to see
religious compulsion as being exercised today as survival tool of religion against the
onslaught of secularism within the society.
More effort should as well be launched to study religious compulsion as found in
these religions, so as to be able to effectively predict the likely future clashes between the
two religions. However if people who should study this concept among the religions
remain undeterred and unmotivated, the solution to the problems of religious compulsion
will continue to be a mirage. I therefore recommended that at undergraduate level, RES
324-Religious Relations and Radicalism, an elective course to be upgraded from elective
status to either require or compulsory status for all students in this department.
I will also recommend that the student’s annual week be set aside for excursion to
study some of these religious organizations in their camp grounds, or if possible the
112
department should create a week prior to the beginning of the academic session or after it
that students of the 200 and 300 levels can go out for field work among these religious
institutions, within the metropolis of this state or in Yoruba land.
5.4 GENERAL CONCLUSION
This piece of research will conclude that religious compulsion is no illusion but a
reality among religions within Yoruba land.
Yoruba land has provided this research with a society so rare and unique, as a
society, Yoruba land manifested religious compulsion in both religions studied for this
project however the impact on the religious harmony may continue to be a cause for
concern.
Christianity and Islam have both used religious compulsion as a means to an end, that is,
to achieve absolute control over their adherents in Yoruba land through the various forms
of religious compulsion critically reviewed in this piece of research.
However religious compulsion mostly is being used as a way out of secularism
agendas purportedly aim against religion.
Many of the adherents too have learned to be faithful to their religions having
learned obedience in silence many however have become irreligious because while under
the burden of religious compulsion has yielded to the pressure of secularism and other
irreligious activities.
113
114
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Membership class at MFM Southwest 2 regional headquarter Ojoo.
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Eyoboka & Lantona,(2012) MFM bans females from wearing trousers Catholic Church
outlaws headgears,www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/mfm-bans-females-from-wearing-
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Iloanya and Asike, 2014, Curbing the Menace of Religious Fanaticism in Nigeria-Africa:
A Case for Philosophy of
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Asike.pd.
Kamal-deen Olawale Sulaiman (2014)A Study of Da’wah Activities of Late Shaykh Musa
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118
119
APPENDIX
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN
FACULTY OF ARTS
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Respondents,
I am an undergraduate student of the above institution. My project aims to unravel
compulsion as it is found in religions (Religious Compulsion) by seeking its
manifestation in the two major religions in Yoruba land i.e. in both Islam and
Christianity.
For clarity sake, religious compulsion is the acts of force or obligations found
within a religion, imposed on its religions adherents and capable of affecting non-
adherents of that religion as well.
I therefore solicit genuine contribution to the course of this research. Your
contribution is highly appreciated and will be treated with utmost confidentiality.
Thanks.
Yours’ faithfully,
OLOTU, Oluwaseun Ebenezer.
SECTION 1
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PART A
Please‫ج‬respond‫ج‬to‫ج‬the‫ج‬following‫ج‬questions‫ج‬by‫ج‬ticking‫ج]√[ج‬in‫ج‬the‫ج‬appropriate‫ج‬category.
1. AGE: 16-20[ ]; 21-25[ ]; 25-35[ ]; and above [ ]
2. GENDER: Male [ ]; Female [ ]
3. RELIGION: Christianity [ ]; Islam [ ]; Traditionalist [ ]; Others [ ]
4. INSTITUTION: University [ ]; Polytechnic [ ]; College of Education [ ]
120
121
PART B
Please tick one of the boxes where appropriate to you
1. To say someone is a religious fanatic, is it abusive? Yes No
2. Should the society be truly free of religious influence? Yes No
3. Indeed, is Nigeria truly a secular society? Yes No
4. Nigeria should be both religious and secular society? Yes No
5. Nigeria should only be a religious society? Yes No
SECTION II
Please take note of the following abbreviations in this section

SA = STRONGLY AGREE, A = AGREE, U = UNSURE, D = DISAGREE, SD =
STRONGLY DISAGREE
PART A
RELIGION’S‫ج‬STANCE‫ج‬ON‫ج‬MARRIAGE‫ج‬AND‫ج‬COMPULSION‫ج‬IN‫ج‬RELIGION‫جججججججججججججججججججججججججججججججج‬
1. Religion should have a say in the person you get married to.
2. Christians should be able to marry from any other religions

and Muslims should be able to marry from any other
religions.
3. I prefer court marriage to any other existing types of
marriage.
4. Interest and love should determine whom you should get
marry to but not any religious or inter-denominational
doctrines.
5. Marriage within one’s religion is better than marriage to
someone who practices other religion.
6. Marriage is spiritual and divine.

7. Marriage is a societal norm and should be controlled by the
society, and not religion.
122
PART B
RELIGION’S‫ج‬STANCE‫ج‬ON‫ج‬FASHION‫ج‬AND‫ج‬COMPULSION‫ج‬IN‫ج‬RELIGION
1. Religion, in particular, Christianity or Islam is against secular’s
fashion lifestyle.
2. Religion’s stance on fashion can create fake-believers when it
comes to modulating believers’ fashion.
3. Fashion modulated and based on religious standards is the better
way of life
4. Fashion modulated and based on society’s secularglamour
standards is the better way of life
5. Fashion modulated by both religious and society’s secular
glamourstandards is the better way of life.
6. Religious attires should be worn only during religious activities.
7. Religion and secularism are at each other’s throats when it comes
to fashion
8. Religion and modern civilization’s fashion would never agreed
.
123
PART C
GIVING OF RELIGIOUS NAMES AND COMPULSION IN RELIGION

1. Religious names are religious markers therefore religion should have
pre-eminence in the naming ceremony of your child?
2. Religion’s presence is no big deal on the naming ceremony of your
child; hence you can do away with religion’s presence on such
occasions.
3. Do you think it is necessary to add religious name to the list of the
names of a child?
4. Every middle name of a child must be a religious name.
5. Religion is exercising its impact on the society by the compulsory

inclusion of religious names at every naming ceremony in Yoruba
land.
6. The giving of religious names at baptismal or right hand of fellowship
is a sign of religious compulsion.
7. Religious name is a mark of identity with a particular religion, a

change of religion should necessitate a change of religious name.
8. It is right to enforce religious name upon a new convert either at first

point of entry into that religion or even later.
9. Religious name is divine and should be included when someone
become religious.
10. Omission of religious names is normal and social.
124
PART D
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND COMPULSION IN RELIGION IN YORUBA

SECULAR SOCIETY
1. Forcing religious education on a child is the prerogative right of a
parent.
2. Religious education is mandatory for every child.
3. Religious education can be used to proselytize, preach and educate a
child in doctrines other than his or her own parent’s religion. It is
right.
4. Religious education can be manipulated by religious bodies hence
should be controlled by the secular society.
5. The secular society should leave religious education to the parents as
their responsibility.
PART E
TRADE IN YORUBA LAND AND COMPULSION IN RELIGION.
1. A Christian should be able to trade and work in Islamic
organizations/establishments.
2. A Muslim should be able to trade and work in Christian
establishments/organizations.
3. A Muslim should have free-periods to pray if he/she works in
banking sector or non-religious institutions.
4. Bossing over religious issues in a secular establishment is a
sin.
5. The call for Islamic banking is a mark of religious compulsion.
125
PART F
RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM AND RELIGIOUS AMBIVALENCE WITHIN

YORUBA’S‫ج‬RELIGIOUS‫ج‬ACTIVITIES‫ج‬AND‫ج‬COMPULSION‫ج‬IN‫ج‬RELIGION
1. Christians should have nothing to do with Islamic mode of worship
and Muslims should have nothing to do with Christian’s mode of
worship. Religious Segregation is a MUST.
2. Taking chieftaincy titles by either Christians or Muslims are
evidence that there is religious syncretism; compulsive stance
needed be maintained against such.
3. A Christian should desist from visiting herbalists, other traditional
practitioners and Alfas for spiritual help and a Muslim should desist
from visiting herbalists, other traditional practitioners and Church
ministers for spiritual help.
4. The practice of two religions at the same time is an evidence of
religious ambivalence. Such ambivalent adherent should be forced to
adopt one religion else is not part of the professed religion.
5. The indiscriminate use of public address system during religious
activities is another way to identify religious compulsion in our
society.
6. Both Christianity and Islam evidently are combating against
syncretism and ambivalence though religious compulsion.
126

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THE MANIFESTATIONS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION

IN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM IN YORUBA LAND AND

OLOTU OLUWASEUN EBENEZER

A LONG ESSAY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

I CERTIFY THAT THIS RESEARCH WAS CARRIED OUT UNDER

MY SUPERVISION BY OLOTU OLUWASEUN EBENEZER OF THE

DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES, FACULTY OF ARTS,

Olusola Olotu (a Deaconess).

completion of this project. Hallelujah!

academic career. You are loved.

I want to appreciate the teaching staff of the Department of Religious Studies I

Gbadamosi (thanks Ma for teaching me philosophical way of life).

Glad as well am I to appreciate the non-teaching staff of the department; Mrs.

the New Testament better. Thank you all.

Okechukwu, Omowonola, Ebube, Emeka, Owonikoko, Ekemode Michael and Ik Awa.

my typist, thank you forever Ma.

CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER FOUR: IMPACTS OF RELIGIOUS COMPULSION

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND GENERAL

1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

their culture is no understatement.

That Christianity and Islam frown at religious syncretism and ambivalence

syncretistic and ambivalence religious attitudes found to be of no relevance in both

In essence, religious interaction often leads to religious suspicion and religious

competition in such society as described above, a situation whereby a particular religion

combat religious syncretism, religious ambivalence and secularism making it relevance

as religious background to this research.

compete as domineering forces of social control in Yoruba society. Religion want to

background for this research.

The forms of religious compulsion as found in both religions e.g. marriage,

control in Yoruba contemporary society.

historical background for this research.

1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Prophet, while in Medina said to the Islamic faithful that:

“There should be no compulsion in religion…”3

“Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly

The Nigerian constitution of 1999, amended in 2010, placed the

Hence, I resolved that the Problem Statement should go thus:

1.2 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Islamic sects within Yoruba land.

compulsion as “religious fundamentals, religious radicals and religious fanatics” shall

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

reactionary phenomenon against secularism, religious syncretism and ambivalence.

scholarship on what religious compulsion is all about in Yoruba land.

religions may serve as a uniting or linking force against enemies of religion.

1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Historical, the Questionnaire, Case study and the Comparative methods.

Questionnaire is provided at the Appendix’s section of this project.

good and evil end means.

1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

of reasons why religious compulsion is being scripturally exploited.

outside this continent.

1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Religious Syncretism, Religious Ambivalence, Secular, Secularism and Religious

fanaticism is all about said:

Religious Fanaticism like religion itself cannot be easily defined,

fanaticus a-um meaning:

Inspired by a divinity or enthusiastic, is applied to a person who

1.6.2 RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM: Microsoft Encarta12 raises two salient

Religious Fundamentalism in the light of the above definition is a strict belief of

in form of religious dogmas or articles of faith, drawn up as reaction to the perceived

Qur’an and the Sunna of the Prophet.

1.6.3 RELIGIOUS COMPULSION: In Microsoft Encarta, Compulsion is: