The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its decision to remove ethnicity and religion from the 2005 census, warning that the two variables could threaten peace in the country. Both Christians and Muslims have threatened to boycott.
The National Population Commission Chairman Samu’ila Makama said that the Federal Government had closed further discussion on the matter in the interest of peace and unity. Last month, Makama had explained the rationale behind the decision.
"Since each religious and ethnic group would prefer numerical superiority over the other, it might be safer to ignore religion and ethnicity since there would be the temptation by each group to explore ways to have an edge over the other," said Makama according to the Inter Press service.
Northern Nigeria is mostly Muslim, while the south contains a majority of Christians and some animists. The CIA Fact Book estimates that Muslims make up 50 percent of the population, while 40 percent are Christians, and 10 percent having "indigenous beliefs."
In 2000, there were several clashes between Muslim and Christians in northern states after Shariah – Islamic Law – was introduced there.
Last month, the Christian Association of Nigeria had threatened a boycott of the census if religion and ethnicity were not included, according to This Day.
CAN Secretary General Saidu Dogo said that knowing the religious makeup of the nation was important because it is common practice around the world to know.
He said that ethnicity should also be included because Nigerians from different parts of the nation were being discriminated against based on their state of origin.
The Methodist church in Nigeria had also protested the decision to remove ethnicity and religion from the 2005 census.
In addition, at the end of its 43rd Lagos Diocese Synod, it issued a communiqué saying that important issues such as religion and ethnicity should not have been excluded from the ongoing National Political Reform Conference.
"It was the considered opinion of the synod that such issues as religion, tribe and Sharia should be thoroughly debated at the conference judging from the experience of the Kano and Kaduna religious riots," said the Church in a statement, according to the Vanguard.
Also, the President of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmed said that not only was the census flawed but that the composition of the census directors was biased towards Christians.
He expressed his belief that the Nation’s President, Olesegun Obasanjo "has a hidden agenda against the Muslims on both matters."
"We complained to him about the census. The NPC had 15 directors out of which 12 are Christians and three Muslims. This has never been the case until the time of Obasanjo," said Datti according to This Day.
The last census in 1991 resulted in over a hundred lawsuits due to contested results.
Francis Helguero
Ecumenical Press
