Faith and Freedom Africa Rallies Voices in Makurdi, Pushes for Equal Religious Rights for All Nigerians
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Faith and Freedom Africa (FFA) has called on the Federal Government to give equal recognition to all religious beliefs in Nigeria, warning that continued exclusion of certain groups threatens unity and deepens the country’s security challenges.
At a one-day colloquium held Wednesday at Batoha Hotel in Makurdi, FFA Country Coordinator, Felix Samari, expressed concern over what he described as discriminatory recognition of only Christianity and Islam by government, leaving adherents of African Traditional Religion (ATR), as well as atheists, treated as “second-class citizens.”
“With Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) advocacy, we are not only speaking for Christians and Muslims but also for practitioners of African traditional religions and even atheists,” Samari told participants. “Every citizen deserves equal respect and the freedom to worship — or not worship — without discrimination.”
The town hall, themed Freedom of Religious Beliefs (FoRB), attracted religious leaders, activists and community members who shared experiences of exclusion, intolerance and marginalisation.
An atheist, Mr. Terna Sam-Kange, lamented that Nigerians who do not practise Christianity or Islam are often sidelined, calling for “a more open-minded Nigeria where religious belief or lack of it does not determine one’s access to opportunities.” His view was reinforced by Ms. Doosuur Sue, a practitioner of African Traditional Religion, who insisted that ATR adherents deserve official recognition. “We are Nigerians too and should have equal opportunities and privileges like every other citizen,” she said.
Adding his voice, FoRB trainer, Dr. Longji Dambok, faulted government’s exclusive funding of Christian and Muslim pilgrims’ boards, describing the practice as “discriminatory and unhealthy for national unity.” He urged the authorities to embark on sustained enlightenment campaigns that would promote tolerance and mutual respect in Nigeria’s culturally diverse society.
The FFA town hall is part of an ongoing nationwide push by the organisation to build awareness and promote peace through religious inclusion. By anchoring its advocacy on Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, FFA is pressing for a Nigeria where the right to believe — or not believe — is respected without exception.
For participants in Makurdi, the message was unmistakable: the nation’s long-term stability depends not on privileging dominant religions but on ensuring equal treatment for every citizen, regardless of faith.
