By Desire Emmanuel
Some Nigerians on the X handle expressed their satisfaction and joy regarding the way people in the southwestern part of the country display high levels of religious tolerance, making them live peacefully for years.
The Nigerians said it is obvious that many families in the South-West have adherents of the two religions—Christianity and Islam while some even have those who practice traditional religion, with all of them showing love to themselves and living together in harmony.
An X user started the debate when he posted the photograph of the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who sat quietly among Muslims while they were praying inside a mosque in the state, saying the act shows how people from the region relate.
The X user, @PastorMarvy, who said he is a pastor, disclosed that he grew up in a setting where he saw his grandmother who was a Christian going to Mecca for Hajj pilgrimage with his grandfather every year.
He added that during his time at the University of Lagos, the used to break Ramadan fast with the Muslim classmates and they always celebrated festivals of the two religions together.
He wrote: “We grew up in homes where both religions shared a bed every night. My grandmother who was a devout Christian never missed travelling to Mecca every year with my grandfather.
“During my time as an undergraduate at the University of Lagos, Ramadan was important to us all. DLCF, RCF, CACYOF and other Christian friends would wait patiently by the mosque from 6:40 p.m. for prayers to be over, collect meal tickets (which were free), sit down in the mosque and eat with our Muslim friends.
“We never felt out of place. Our Muslim brothers never complained. Instead, they would call if they ever noticed your absence. We were so interwoven because we saw people as people.
“This is how religion should be practiced. My closest friend is a practicing Muslim. He has never tried convincing me to be a Muslim and I have never tried convincing him to be a Christian. The mutual respect is what typifies religion in Yorubaland.”
His post elicited reactions from his followers who also shared their own experiences.
@ArcSadam wrote: ” For generations, Yoruba families have lived with both religions under the same roof. It’s normal to see a Christian grandmother who prays with her rosary yet joins her husband on Hajj. It’s normal to grow up celebrating Christmas with Muslim cousins and breaking fast with Christian neighbours. No one forces, no one competes, and no one raises suspicion, because identity is bigger than doctrine.”
@unclescholes123: “My Muslim friends would bring us oranges, bananas and I think moi-moi and àkàrà. Can’t really remember. But I think I applied once for the early morning ogi and àkàrà. It’s been years, I can’t really remember again.”
@Senatortwt: “To buttress your point sir, my dad is a Christian, my mum is a devout Muslim, out of four children, I’m the only Christian and we do all things together regardless of our different religions. The bottomline is, in Yorùbáland, humanity comes first, others are secondary because we’re Yoruba.”
@onimasai: “My father’s siblings are mostly Muslim, he would always travel to my home town to celebrate Sallah with them. Even after his death over 35 years ago, we his children will always travel home to celebrate Sallah with our extended family members.”
@AkogunSmart: “Religion here in the South-West of the country is humanity. Nothing more than that. During my days in University of Ado Ekiti, I received an award along with some other Christian brothers during the weekly programme of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN). My extended family, who are based in Ilorin, used to travel all the way to Lagos for our church harvest programme. Ileya is another Christmas for me, I must reach Ijebu and most time follow them to Eid ground. I once lived with my uncle, who was an Alfa, and he never stopped me from participating in my church activities. I pray other regions study Yoruba coexistence approach and their beliefs.”
@DbPragmatic: “A friend’s son once stayed with someone I know. The man is a Christian, the friend will spread his mat and say his prayer in his sitting room around 4:00 p.m. and after that, the man will hold his house fellowship. Such is the type of religious tolerance and accommodation that wẹ have in South-West.”
@kasshoggi: “There’s hardly any Yoruba family that does not have both Christians and Muslims in its extended family. In fact, Christians looked forward to Ileya while during Christmas, the house is full with all, no segregation. This is why humanity will always come first in Yorubaland.”
@Holar_Folarin: “In Yorubaland, no one cares about your religion. Everyone just wants to coexist peacefully, drink, eat Eid El Kabir food, eat Christmas food and go to owanbe. Kilo kan wa?”
@ravolts01: “My name is Raheem Victor, a family mix, and everywhere I go, it raises some questions. In my university days, one hausa manager of NSTA refused to give me a ticket to board a bus home because I joined a Christian name with a Muslim name, but Yorubas see it as a norm.”
@thetommyk: “In University of Lagos, Jaja, A201, there was a mixture of Christians and Muslims in the room. Oken Terror, a Christian, never missed one Muslim fast, he used to join his Muslim guys to fast! I only discovered Kolade was a Muslim after almost a year. Everybody just dey. That’s how life is meant to be.”
@folunator: “Growing up, our house was along the route to the Muslim praying ground in Abeokuta. We would fetch water in large bowls and lay mats in front of our house so that the overspill from the praying ground can observe ablution and pray in front of the house.”
@AdamOlasumbo: “Almost all my uncles, both from mother and father side, are Alhaji. My mum and dad were previously Muslims but are now Christians. Everyone still visits each other and they are good to themselves. Sometimes I represent my dad at the general family meetings.”
@TheRealMakinde1: “Is it the way some Christians visit Muslim clerics for spiritual guidance and some Muslims go to church vigils for prayers? In Yorubaland, we tolerate one another so much.”
@jyderhames: “My late parents were Muslims, my brothers Christians, my extended family, some Muslims, some Christians and some traditional worshippers. So I should beef my family because of religion? I can proudly say I’m the only ogbontarigi that all are courting to join them. I tell them I am 3 in 1.”
@Offial_Lekan: “In the family of seven, I am the only Muslim and the rest are Christians.”
@nice_albert19: “Since I was born, I’ve never missed any Sallah with my grandma. Even my dad who is a son of a prophet will be the one to remind us that Sallah is coming soon and will send transport fare to us to come home to celebrate with my maternal family. And during Christmas too, our house is always fun.”
@Yobolistic9: “During my NYSC days in Bayelsa State, my fellow corps member, Wale, a Yoruba Muslim, used to follow me to Winners since there was no mosque in the small community but still, baba na confirmed Muslim. Twale for Yoruba Muslims, Dem tight.”
@9jahoncho: “Back in my university days, I, as a Christian, would follow my friend, roommate, course mate and friend to even Lailatul Quadri and wait for him on the sidelines. We cooked together, ate together and did everything together. We mutually accorded respect to each other’s religion.”
@NojeemofLagos: “During one Iftar that year in the mosque. I called my friend from Shodeinde Hall to quickly come and get some free food. As he entered the mosque, I shouted “Samuel maa bo nibi.” That was how the Islamic preacher himself burst into laughter.”
@Larry_Woofah: “I have a distant family member, he is Christian. He was posted to ilorin for his NYSC, we lived together, ate, and slept on the same bed. He would wake me up for subhi prayers and I did the same on Sundays whenever he was too lazy to go to church. Most times, I would even see him off to church.”
@Chimeriri_Kay: “My landlord is a Muslim, I called him one Easter period, he told me he won’t be around, that he was going to celebrate Easter with a family.”
@BelloFuhad21625: “I do not think there’s any family in the South-West that does not have both Muslims and Christians. Many years back, when we were growing up, some of our best friends were Christians. South-West is too enlightened, educated and sophisticated to be part of religious intolerance.”
@AlabiSilas: “We do not believe we serve the same God, but we love each other no matter the religious belief. As much as I am critical of Yoruba recently for tribalism, Yorubaland is the most tolerant of religions. I have Muslim friends who live together with us. My best friend in the university was a Muslim.”
@edoborjohnsonw1: “When I was living in Ibadan, I knew some Christians that used to go and play football near Bodija Estate mosque just to wait after Ramadan prayer to eat evening food. Islam is not a bad religion, but some northerners are very wicked.”
