It is high time we admitted that the world and her philosophy are leading mankind to a slaughterhouse. The world’s political, economic and religious ideologies which have been expressed through various schools of thoughts have, with the test of time, proved itself a fast lane leading humanity to a graveyard. The Dark Age with its bloody religious activities cannot be revisited without raising dust into the air. The renaissance period and her notorious aggressive inquiries which ran into Victorian era have its dirty political and economic expansionism. Then, finally, the 21th century, having been choked by her dangerous science and technology has vowed to permit no further exercise of intelligence. With this overview, it is certain that the world will not escape the great ululation that mankind’s activities have set in the air. Regrettably and inevitably but quite surprising and ridiculous, religion, which has, since the beginning of the world, been the chief advocate of paradise for all souls, has gone ahead to distribute swords by which man will destroy all his hard earned achievements.
Although religion is as old as man, from the 5th to 14th century was a time religion took over the world’s political and economic power. At that time, religion, being the only legitimate authority, attempted to reach out for various needs of mankind. Such position which religion held necessitated lots of engagements under which religion became notorious warrior. Streets in Byzantine and Jerusalem became flooded with the blood of helpless mothers. The greatest crime that religion committed during that period was the blessed war that Stephen the young shepherd and his fellow youths engaged in. The church prayed and people cheered as innocent children that are below the age of twelve marched into the forest to fight the war they never lived to see. To narrate how, why and where these wars were fought is irrelevant but the great crusade in Palestine and other parts Middle East stand as an image of horror. However, having taken over the world’s political power, engaged in dirty economic activities and finally, involved in wars, religion had begun a journey she could only end by herself. Although religion lost her power during the renaissance, since then, she has been emanating an inordinate interest in the world’s activities and such is the doom for humanity. For instance, the slaves brought to Western world during Atlantic Slave Trade were being baptized by the clergymen before taking to plantation. Also, during 1st and 2nd World Wars, religion was there to bless the soldiers. “Go in peace, God is with you”. That is the famous prayer by clergymen to soldiers.
With recent killings going on in Nigeria, it has become very clear that Nigeria will be the country to launch a new millennium holocaust. The world will, soon, watch with great shock, as blood overflows Nigeria, the land that flows with milk and honey. I am not sure that any country of the world has witnessed the level of massacre that has taken place and that is still going silently in Nigeria, just in the name of God. In 2006, just in a day, over one-thousand people were slaughtered in northern Nigeria in the name of God while the corresponding number, in the following week, was massacred in the eastern part just in name of the same God. Silently and slowly, since then, thousands of Nigerians are being exterminated from the surface of earth by reasons not unconnected to God. With this trend, sooner than the world imagines, Nigeria will be overrun with terror and the world will have no option but to join the exercise.
Now, the big question is: what is the fate of humanity? The giant economy of the western world, the great economic rise of China, the beauty of Dubai, the oil-wells in Saudi and the poor ones of the world, all these will be demolished by the wrath of religion. Well, I know that America will try her best and Europe will assist her while China and Saudi will preach peace as they watch fearful things that are overtaking humanity. Come what may, every corner of the world will not escape because humanity has been caught by the shackles of religion. It has become very clear that a time, when birds and animals will have their greatest feast on human flesh is at hand. I think my little drama titled: ‘‘The African Martyr” has done a lot to alert the world but if anyone were nurturing any feeling of doubt, let him or her turn attention to religious activities around the world. Nigeria should be an area of focus for a clearer picture of the pace by which religion is leading the world to the great holocaust.