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Faith and Freedom Africa (FFA) has reignited conversations on the need for greater respect and protection of Nigeria’s constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, warning that continued discrimination could deepen divisions in the country.
At a one-day town hall colloquium held on Wednesday at Batoha Hotel, Makurdi, the group’s Country Coordinator, Felix Samari, said the Nigerian government’s recognition of only Christianity and Islam has left adherents of African Traditional Religion (ATR) and other belief systems feeling like “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 stressed. “Every citizen deserves equal respect and the freedom to worship — or not worship — without discrimination.”
The event, themed Freedom of Religious Beliefs (FoRB), drew together religious leaders, activists, and community members to exchange views on tolerance, inclusion, and the realities of Nigeria’s plural society.
One of the participants, Mr. Terna Sam-Kange, an atheist, shared his frustration with the marginalisation of people who do not subscribe to Christianity or Islam. He called for “a more open-minded Nigeria where religious belief or lack of it does not determine one’s access to opportunities.”
Also speaking, Ms. Doosuur Sue, a practitioner of African Traditional Religion, lamented how ATR adherents are excluded from government recognition and benefits. “We are Nigerians too and should have equal opportunities and privileges like every other citizen,” she insisted.
FoRB trainer, Dr. Longji Dambok, went further to criticise the government’s exclusive funding of Christian and Muslim pilgrims’ boards, branding it “discriminatory and unhealthy for national unity.” He urged authorities to support enlightenment campaigns that would encourage tolerance and foster respect for all faiths in Nigeria’s culturally diverse society.
The Makurdi town hall forms part of FFA’s broader effort to promote peace, tolerance, and the recognition of constitutional rights in communities across the country. By amplifying these voices, the organisation hopes to build a Nigeria where freedom of religion or belief is not just a constitutional promise but a lived reality.
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