Sacred contradictions: religion, conflict and peacebuilding in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

This article explored the ambivalent role of religion in Northern Nigeria’s ethno-religious conflicts in ways that move beyond reductionist interpretations. It aims to offer a nuanced and contextual analysis of how religion simultaneously fuels division and fosters peace and reconciliation. Methodologically, this study adopts a qualitative, literature-based methodology, engaging interdisciplinary scholarly sources on religion in Africa, African theology, peace studies and political theory. Drawing on Scott Appleby’s concept of the ambivalence of the sacred and Gerrie ter Haar’s multidimensional understanding of religion as descriptive and analytical framework, the article conceptualises religion as a holistic and embodied mode of knowing and being. This research revealed that religion in Northern Nigeria is deeply intertwined with identity politics, historical grievances and socio-political structures. It operates both as a catalyst for violence and as a resource for peacebuilding, depending on how it is interpreted, lived and mobilised. The article interrogated colonial legacies, postcolonial state formation and structural inequalities in Nigeria that shape the deployment of religious narratives, actors and institutions. Contribution: The findings of this contribution highlight the need for a transformative, context-sensitive ecclesial engagement that embraces the lived realities of faith communities. Such an approach affirms religion’s capacity to contribute to sustainable peace when grounded in historical consciousness and a hermeneutics of reconciliation. This study contributes to theological and interdisciplinary efforts to reimagine religion’s role in conflict transformation in Northern Nigeria, in particular and Africa, in general.