Publisher's Synopsis
French Philosopher, Scientist, Mathematician and Writer, Blaise Pascal, in 1660, posed the question: "God is or God is not - which way should we incline?" He attempted to unravel the struggle between reason and decision on the reality or existence of God . His thoughts are quite poignant and fitting theme in this book.As a Nigerian, no race or nation profess love for religion as Nigerians! Not even Israel and Saudi Arabia. However, the Nigerian brand of religiosity, I believe is second to none. Nigerians will and have killed, joyfully too, for their faith! Nigerians will defend the superiority and authenticity of their faith passionately and vigorously and deem others as "unbelievers going to hell fire!" I could go on. Thus, here lies my dilemma; "How can a nation that professes such religiosity become totally overtaken by evil in all spheres of national and corporate life?" How can a Nation, and indeed, the continent of Africa, where religion is truly an opium, be so economically wretched, technologically backward, politically retrogressive and especially, spiritually anemic? Religion ought to be an experience in spirituality, with its attendant virtues, as manifested in nobility of character, but that is not the reality here.This has led me to discover that a nation can be religious and yet at the same time, not be godly. "Is Nigeria a godly nation or more appropriately, "are Nigerians, godly people?" This is the one crucial and most important question this book attempts to answer. "Godly" here connotes some of the attributes and personality traits of God. God has certain essential attributes, which are peculiar to Him only, but some of His general attributes man shares with Him. And these are; Love, Truth and Justice. A godly person will manifest these character traits in their daily interactions with God and other human beings. A godly nation will hold these divine attributes to be sacred and inviolable, not only in words but more crucially, in practice.Nigeria, perhaps, has the largest number of mosques and church buildings than any other nation on earth, but does this necessarily connote 'godliness'? Does daily attendance at religious activities and the strict observance of religious traditions interpret to mean 'godliness'? In fact, as is the case with a typical Nigerian, does the constant reference to God, Jesus or Muhammad as the case may be, during public and private discussions, connote 'godliness'? These questions have become germane since an average Nigerian will pray strenuously before committing a heinous crime such as armed robbery, kidnapping, internet (advance fee) frauds, etc., while most public functions since independence in 1960, begin and end with solemn prayers but the nation has regressed terribly to Stone Age conditions. This book attempts to situate or analyze our conduct and attitudes as Africans in general and Nigerians in particular, with a view to ascertaining whether we have lived according to that divine precept; "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" and to confirm my personal conviction, based on many years of observation and reflections, that, it is our failure to properly and adequately align with the these divine attributes that man shares with God, that is solely responsible for the woeful disaster that Africa, and indeed Nigeria, has become! This is NOT a religious book! far from it. is this a philosophical work? Maybe, maybe not. You be the judge of that.This work, however, is my humble contribution to the intellectual discourse among men of good conscience within and in Diaspora, to the paradoxical question; "How can a nation or continent, be so religious and yet so blatantly overtaken by evil acts?" Also, deriving from the first is "how can a continent and nation be so thoroughly blessed, yet remain so obviously cursed?"