Opinion

The Tragedy Of Institutional Religion

Published

6 years ago

August 7, 2019

Of all the inventions made by man throughout centuries of history (his story) and civilization, the most lethal, insidious and devastating is institutional religion. Across the world, there are numerous religious organizations ranging from the arcane schools of Egyptian mysticism through Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mithraism, Christianity, Islam, Baha’i, Zoroastrianism to countless others that jostle for space in the hearts of man. The extent to which they cater to the spiritual needs and growth of the individual is a subject of eternal intense debate; what is certain is that they effectively feather the nests of their ostentatious clergy and underwrite the grandeur of their humongous complex organizations.
Institutional religion has divided the world along a multiplicity of jaded philosophical and theological lines thereby creating socio cultural and economic hedgerows that have pitched husband against wife, mother against child, siblings against each other, neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend all in the search for a humanly unknowable and eternally inaccessible Entity. Claiming knowledge of the mind of the Unknowable, the clergy on every side of the multiplicity of religious divides has justified atrocious and dastardly actions that reflect the evil in man and perpetrated in the name of God. With the permissive philosophies of vicarious remission of sins in Christian theology and the promise of voluptuous rewards in heaven for heinous crimes in Islam, Christians and Moslems have over the centuries demonstrated and acted out the evil in them in the name of God and Allah, respectively.
Man’s quest for the face of God is likened to the cells of human anatomy questing knowledge of the mind of man. More than seven hundred years ago, Chinese biologists informed that there are millions of “little men” in the human body who ensure that air, chemicals, fluids and other materials are processed and transported to various parts of the body to ensure the wellbeing of man. Today, modern science has identified these “little men” as cells of the human anatomy. Modern science furthers that these cells perform every function including reproduction and that there are various colonies of cells that are in charge of various parts of the human body. Again, science offers that the colonies work in isolation of each other, are oblivious of the existence of other colonies and all die and are replaced every two years. In other words, brain cells are oblivious of abdominal cells, muscle cells etc. and vice versa. It has been argued that humanity may just be part of the Divine anatomy the same way the cells in their various colonies are in the human anatomy.
Furthermore, the persona of God has been a subject of wild conjecture since man became conscious of his environment; also, the unimaginable vastness of the universe has occupied the curiosity and endless scientific enquiry and endeavors of man. The point remains that much as the millions of cells of human anatomy will never know the relative vastness of the human anatomy, so also can man never know the mind of the entity known by various names in different cultures but generally referred to as God; man is also not capable of knowing the accurate vastness of the universe, which scientists say is expanding at a humanly unimaginable speed. After all, man is confused regarding the persona of God: in Judeo-Christian-Islamic theology, God is masculine and female in Vedic Scriptures; in Anunnaki tradition and other thoughts man’s Creator is perceived as a plurality, a civilization while yet another thought sees God as amorphous.
In averring that “Religion is a matter of faith, of belief, not evidence,” Yahaya Bello drives home the imaginary essence of religion. Yet, the crimes to humanity perpetrated by the Holy See during the Inquisition are being repeated by Islam today in the name of God and based on conjectural anecdotes and narratives. Humanity should therefore leave God alone; yes, leave the unknowable God alone; just be consistently conscious of His presence in everything you do and focus on being His instrument towards the wellbeing of human beings and your lower neighbors who are nonetheless of much value in the sight of God. This is why Huist Thought is hinged on the belief that service to humanity and the community is service to God. People should focus on interpersonal accord, peace and global oneness towards harmony in humanity and atonement (at-one-ment) with the Divine, whoever or whatever that is.
Mahatma Gandhi it was who, in concise humanistic poetry, said thus: “there are enough resources for everyone’s need but not enough for one man’s greed.” Restated, if humanity would depart from ridiculous religiosity, come to terms with the falsehood of the permissive philosophies of Judeo-Christian-Islamic theology and embrace the inviolability of retributive justice, then such vices as acquisitiveness, corruption, ethnicity, xenophobia, injustice, war etc. would be wiped out, the abundant resources of the soil will be utilized equitably to the satisfaction of all and there will be peace and progress on earth; then and only then “[His] kingdom [will] come on earth as it is in heaven.”
A trending clip shows a cassock-clad clergy preaching to mammoth crowd; suddenly, a chubby lady in jeans and T-Shirt rushed at him and pushed him off the platform. The narrative is that the clergy preached that fat women will not go to heaven. If that is so, then the priest is so uninformed that his priesthood is a clear case of the blind leading the blind. In his unquestioning belief, he does not understand that the Narrow Way of the path to heaven has absolutely nothing to do with matter, the human body; it is purely a spiritual phenomenon. The individual must shed the weight of earthly baggage before he or she can go through the narrow door of heaven.
It has been consistently said that the most insidious canards in the advent of human civilization are intoned in the softly spoken supernatural spells of institutional religion. Sadly, the mind controls machination of this albatross to humanity is leading a naïve, cross-eyed and credulous flock in the opposite direction of oneness with the Divine One. Rather tragically, any attempt to deprogram the full fanatical faithful from the psychological stranglehold of this phenomenon is usually confronted with very vicious campaign of calumnies and physical onslaught. Man should constantly strive for spiritual purity devoid of conditioning by institutional religion and thus commence a voyage to discover his soul; that journey begins and ends with loving your neighbor as yourself in the true sense of the word love. Seemingly simple, this journey is avidly arduous; it is not undertaken in man-made structures: synagogues, churches, mosques or chursques; it is a journey within you, the temple made by God and it begins with the mind. “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind.”
Osai is a lecturer in Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.

Jason Osai

Opinion

Kudos Gov Fubara

Published

19 hours ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Please permit me to use this medium to appreciate our able governor, Siminalayi Fubara for the inauguration of the 14.2-kilometre Obodhi–Ozochi Road in Ahoada-East Local Government Area. This inauguration marks a significant milestone in the history of our communities and deserves commendation. We, the people of Ozochi, are particularly happy because this project has brought long-awaited relief after years of isolation and hardship.

The expression of our traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Prince Ike Ehie, JP, during the inauguration captured the joy of our people. He said, “our isolation is over.” That reflects the profound impact of this road on daily life, economic activities, and social integration of the people of Ozochi and other neighbouring communities. The road will no doubt ease transportation, improve access to markets and healthcare, and strengthen links between Ahoada, Omoku, and other parts of Rivers State.

The people of Ahoada, Omoku, and indeed Rivers State as a whole are grateful to our dear governor for this laudable achievement and wish him many more successful years in office. We pray that God endows him with more wisdom and strength to continue to pilot the affairs of the state for the benefit of all. As citizens, we should rally behind the governor and support his development agenda. Our politicians and stakeholders should embrace peace and cooperation, as no meaningful progress can be achieved in an atmosphere of conflict. Sustainable development in the state can only thrive where peace prevails.

Samuel Ebiye

Opinion

… And It Came To Pass

Published

19 hours ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:“Leadership is not measured by how hard one strikes back, but by how steady one remains under provocation.”

Tell it in Rivers State, publish it in the streets of Port Harcourt, so the daughters of the State could rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph and know that Fubara is not vindictive”. And it came to pass that Rivers State emerged from one of the most delicate chapters in its political journey, the period of emergency rule that spanned from March 18 to September 18, 2025. It was a season that tested institutions, strained loyalties, and exposed the fragile balance between power and principle. During that time, the suspended Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara DSSRS, was widely believed to have suffered not only political setbacks but personal betrayal, allegedly from some top civil servants within the state apparatus. These were individuals expected to uphold neutrality and professionalism, yet were accused in public opinion of taking sides against the very government they served.

As the emergency rule ended and Governor Fubara resumed office, expectations were shaped less by policy and more by emotion. Many assumed that revenge would quietly find expression through governance. The loudest suspicion centered on the 2025 Christmas bonus of ?100,000 traditionally paid to each worker. The thinking was simple and cynical: a wounded governor would surely withhold goodwill. Some voices even mocked workers openly hoping that the governor would refuse to pay the bonus. To them, denial of the bonus would serve as proof of political strength and justified retaliation. In reality, such thinking revealed a troubling desire to see governance reduced to personal vendetta. Yet, it came to pass, the governor chose a path that confounded suspicion. Against all expectations, the 2025 Christmas bonus was paid.

That single decision quietly but firmly reframed the narrative. It showed a leader focused on governance rather than grudges, on institutional continuity rather than emotional satisfaction. The payment was not a favor, nor was it a concession; it was a statement that public administration must rise above personal injury. By honoring the bonus, Governor Fubara demonstrated that leadership is not measured by how hard one strikes back, but by how steady one remains under provocation. He made it clear that workers’ welfare would not become collateral damage in political disagreements. This action also served as a moral rebuke to those who celebrated division and hoped for punishment. Governance is not validated by the suffering of workers, nor is leadership strengthened by withholding entitlements. At the same time, the issue of alleged sycophancy and betrayal within the civil service cannot be brushed aside. If proven, such conduct deserves firm, lawful, and institutional correction. Civil servants are bound by duty to the state, not to political conspiracies or shifting loyalties.

However, justice must never be confused with revenge. The strength of governance lies in correcting wrongs without destroying the system itself. Governor Fubara’s restraint suggested an understanding that the future of Rivers State mattered more than settling scores. For workers, this moment carried an important lesson. Celebration should be rooted in good governance, not in the expectation of another’s downfall. Rejoicing in rumors of denial or punishment undermines the very stability that protects workers’ welfare. Public service thrives where professionalism, mutual respect, and accountability are upheld. Pettiness, gossip, and political scheming only weaken institutions and erode trust. History often remembers leaders not for the crises they inherit, but for the character they display in response. In paying the 2025 Christmas bonus, Governor Fubara chose legacy over impulse, maturity over malice.

And so, it came to pass that focus defeated revenge, governance triumphed over bitterness, and Rivers State was reminded that true leadership is proven when restraint is expected least but delivered most. Beyond the symbolism of the Christmas bonus lies a deeper question about the kind of political culture Rivers State intends to cultivate in the years ahead. Periods of emergency rule, anywhere in the world, often leave behind residues of suspicion, fear, and silent realignments. Institutions do not emerge untouched; individuals recalibrate loyalties, some out of conviction, others out of self-preservation. What distinguishes stable democracies from fragile ones is not the absence of such moments, but the discipline with which leadership manages their aftermath. River.

King Onunwor

Opinion

That Withdrawal of Police Orderlies From VIPs

Published

19 hours ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”Balancing VIP security with public safety remains a tightrope walk in a country where the majority of citizens are still under-protected.”

The Presidential announcement on the removal of police orderlies from persons in authority and their relations ( Very Important Persons ) last month came as a relief to many Nigerians who felt deprived of one major role of government ; security of lives and property.The higher population of Nigerians missed needed security because the VIPs and the VVIPs kept retinue of Police Officers totalling over 100 ,000 to themselves and their family members as if they are all that matter while some communities under attack of terrorists have no single unit of police station located there in. While many hailed the announcement , some said perhaps the government has just woken up to her major responsibility of securing the lives and property of all citizens while many expressed indifference on the note that it may be one of those pronouncements which come only in words but no action .Many keep their fingers crossed watching how it will play out , how Mr President will go about the implementation of the seemingly dicey policy .

Benjamin Franklin said “well said is better than well done ” It is sufficient today to say that many Nigerians including me are still waiting and watching to see how well and how long this return of the Police service to the ordinary people will go . Wishing hopes will not be crashed , It is note worthy, that the recent complaints by the VIPs of being exposed to attacks may in a way affect the action on implementation. Recently, at Senate plenary , another worrisome angle came up as Senator Abdul Ningi coming through a motion disclosed that he had only one police officer attached to him ( his office ) and that the officer was recalled the week before following Mr President’s directive . Senator Ningi said the withdrawal exposed him to high risks but underscored the angle that while his orderly was recalled , many other politicians , men and women in authority, business concerns foreigners and even children of some VIPs are still enjoying retinue of police protection ( officially attached to them ).

It’s note worthy also that the Deputy Senate President , Distinguished Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session revealed that the leadership of both chambers are already in discussion with President Tinubu on the need to exempt the law makers from the new policy . Senator Ningi may not be wrong . After all he emphasized he is okay provided that the removal of the Police Orderlies be done across board . Senator Barau noted that talks are on over the issue of law makers’ in line with international practice . Further details from the Presidency noted that Presiding officers will retain their police officers , others would have Civil Defense officers ( NSCDC) as orderlies while any other VIP who feels he or she deserves personal police protection should get clearance from his office . In the midst of all issues weighing in on the proper implementation , it becomes necessary to bear in mind that the decision hinges on the realization that Nigeria has peculiar security issues (of kidnappings, banditry, and terrorism.) and that majority of Nigerians are under protected.

More so, that if well implemented, Police officers will focus on core duties; even as 30,000 new police officers are to recruited to enhance security .That implementation must be made in a way that leaves no room.for selective treatment loss of confidence and controversies. Looking at previous attempts of implementation of this policy gives faint hope as several attempts consistently failed . Former IGPs like Tafa Balogun (2003), Ogbonnaya Onovo (2009), and Ibrahim Idris (2018) tried the policy but all failed due to political resistance from various angles. All the failed attempts were tied to lack of political will mostly due to the fact that the directives came from police chiefs, not the president. Selective Enforcement was another killer to the policy as partial implementation met resistance and later reversal . Egbetokun (2023) and Adamu (2020) saw minimal impact.

Further more entrenched corruption in the system saw Politicians and VIPs quietly regain police escorts due to ‘transactional economics”and pressure. Worse still the mindset of the police officers withdrawn didn’t help the policy Underpaid police prioritize VIP duties for extra benefits. Many wish President Tinubu’s move can break this cycle. As at today, he still insists the move is non-negotiable while stressing collaboration with states to upgrade training facilities. As citizens look forward to success of the policy without undue exposure of both sides, balancing VIP security with public safety remains a tightrope walk. Talk fades ; action echoes. How the Presidency implements this policy. has much to tell on the governments stand on national / community security , choice of priority and the ability to stand uncomprised . The known goal is clear: The outcome is not yet certain. Fingers crossed , we await . Definitely , time will tell.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi.

s State stood at such a crossroads in September 2025. The temptation to rule with a long memory and a heavy hand was real. Yet, the choice made signaled a preference for healing over hardening. Leadership after crisis demands more than administrative competence; it requires moral clarity.

Governor Fubara’s decision reminded the state that authority is not best exercised through silent punishment or selective generosity. Rather, it is strengthened when rules remain rules, irrespective of personal injury. By keeping faith with workers, the government preserved an essential firewall between politics and public service. That firewall, once breached, turns governance into a battlefield where livelihoods become weapons. Rivers State narrowly avoided that descent. In doing so, it affirmed that institutions must outlive tempers, and governance must not mirror the bitterness of political seasons. This moment also invites sober introspection within the civil service itself. Allegations of partisanship, if left unresolved, corrode professionalism and weaken public confidence. A civil service that drifts into political camps loses its moral authority and operational effectiveness.

Therefore, reform, where necessary, should be guided by due process, transparency, and institutional review—not whispers, witch-hunts, or mob verdicts. Accountability strengthens systems when it is fair; it destroys them when it is arbitrary. The restraint shown by the executive places a corresponding burden on administrative leadership to restore discipline, neutrality, and pride in public service. For the wider political class and the commentariat, the episode serves as a caution against normalizing cruelty as strategy. The eagerness with which some anticipated workers’ suffering revealed a dangerous appetite for scorched-earth politics. When governance becomes a spectator sport where pain is cheered and deprivation is weaponized, society inches toward moral exhaustion. Rivers State has seen enough turbulence to know that stability is not sustained by triumphalism, but by restraint.

The lesson is simple yet profound: power is fleeting, but institutions endure; leaders pass, but precedents remain. In the end, the payment of the 2025 Christmas bonus was more than a fiscal act—it was a civic statement. It told workers they were not expendable. It told political actors that revenge would not be policy. And it told the state that maturity in leadership is not weakness, but strength under control. In a climate where many expected fire, restraint prevailed; where bitterness was predicted, balance emerged. Thus, Rivers State was offered a rare reminder that governance, at its best, is an act of discipline, and leadership, at its highest, is the courage to rise above provocation.