Christianity and Boko Haram

Posted by Felix Okoli on Monday March 24, 2014 at 17:14:22:

In Nigeria, the two major religious practiced are Christian religion and Islamic religion. The two religions groups had co-existed side by side with little or no problem since Nigeria got her independence from the British colonial rule.

But since 2009 a violent sect has emerged claiming to fight for the cause and promotion of Islam with the goal of ensuring that the Federal republic of Nigeria becomes and Islamic republic. Boko Haram is the name which people know them as since they have shown their hatred for all forms of western education and English books.

Even though Muslim organizations in Nigeria have denied their support of the atrocities acts committed by the sect,the group of mostly masked and unknown men have unleashed grievous terror on people mostly living in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, and from all indications, it seems that there target is more on Christians.

Due to the number of Churches that are burnt every other Sunday and Christians being slaughtered in their numbers on daily basis, the group has since been regarded as a thorn on the flesh of Christians in Nigeria.

Since the attacks started, the Christian body has done little to stop the terrorist acts which sees innocent people being killed on a periodic basis especially during Christian feasts like Christmas and Easter. The wicked acts meted on them by Boko Haram allegedly in the name of Allah mostly goes unrevenged not because the Christians are weak or they do not know how to go about avenging the death of their fellow Christians, but because Christianity has always known to be a religion of peace as the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the founder of Christianity has taught his followers to always be peaceful and avoid violence.

For now, the only protector of Nigerian Christians seems to be the civilian govt headed by Jonathan Goodluck. The govt has since deployed lots of military men to stop the worrisome carnage as part of their civic duty in providing security for the country.

Will Christianity keep growing in a nation whose unity is being threatened by growing attacks from Boko Haram? Will Christianity in Nigeria outlive Boko Haram? Will it lead to a civil war?