By Dele Sobowale

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen..Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882.

Ordinarily, I would not have tried to offer any explanations to those asking this question, except that last week, the matter was raised by the Publisher of VANGUARD, our dear Uncle Sam, in Abuja. We had gone to the nation’s capital for different reasons and accidentally met at the VANGUARD office. On our way to lunch (for me a free lunch which no ajeru Area Boy would turn down) Uncle Sam informed me that he was with some friends who were “disappointed” that Dele Sobowale, who writes mostly philosophical articles, would descend so low as to start introducing religion into politics.

Then the next day I received a text message from one of our readers: 0803-691-0602 ..Sir hope you read Femi’s back page column in today’s SUN? He has a different perspective from yours about Lagos gov & religion. Aminu, Birnin Kebbi. I was deeply touched by both, especially Aminu’s. I opened the VANGUARD office in Birnin Kebbi about fifteen years ago and I have fond memories of the city both when I was working in Sokoto and when I went to find an office for our paper.

I was happy to know we still reach the old city. Although I replied Aminu by saying that Femi is entitled to his views, so am I, it had occurred to me that a fuller discussion is required. To be honest with you, I never thought my columns affect so many important people. So, I owe them an explanation – despite the fact that I know that on an emotional subject matter, like religion, it is impossible for people to keep an open mind. This might be a labour in vain.

First, it is surprising that anybody, with the minimum knowledge of history, would consider that it is possible to separate religion from politics in a heterogeneous and multi-cultural society like Nigeria. With all due respects, that appears to me as a deliberate denial of all we observe and practice everyday. For instance, at every public function, e.g the CONFAB 2014, two religious leaders, one Christian and one Muslim, are asked to pray.

Yet, there are millions of Nigerians who practice other religions or have no religion at all. We have established Pilgrims’ Boards for Christians and Muslims and spend billions of public money on them. We have ignored all the other religions. No Ifa, or Ogbanje Pilgrims Board. Who among those complaining has failed to notice this? The truth is; the Federal, State and Local governments of Nigeria have unambiguously adopted two religions – Islam and Christianity. They introduced religion into politics; not me.

Second, who among my critics is not aware that in states where there is a heavy population of Christians and Muslims, the Governorship and the Deputy Governorship are shared between the two religions. In the Yoruba states, where there are Ifa worshippers, no political party would dare present a candidate for Governor or any other post – if the candidate openly announces he is an Ifa or Egungun or Ogun worshipper.

Irrespective of his/her other qualifications, the vast majority of our people would not vote for her/him. A Christian candidate has no chance in Sokoto; neither does a Muslim in Imo State; we know it; but we pretend that religion is not a factor in elections. The bulk of the overwhelming votes cast for Jonathan in Lagos State in 2011 were delivered by Christians. I know because many of them voted for Fashola and Kuforiji – both Muslims. So, who introduced religion into politics? Hypocrisy, by my definition is saying one thing and doing something else. So save me the hypocrisy and let us face the fact that religion has always been a part of our politics; and will remain so.

That religious politics has been subdued in Lagos State can be explained by the fact that there is hardly any Lagos State family which does not have a mixture of Muslims and Christians. And it would have remained so if events since 1999 had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the “Progressive” leadership which had assumed power in the state had not only been practicing religious-clensing but indigene-clensing as well.

Lagos State has been the only state in Nigeria, since 1999 where the number of non-indegene appointees to office exceed the indegenes. No single South West State has a Lagosian as a Commissioner or Chief of Staff or Special Adviser. That alone demonstrates that the orientation of the political leadership had changed drastically.

The same has been true of the sly introduction of religious discrimination – while all the while pretending it was all based on merit. What are the merit criteria for choosing an Iyaloja such that only individuals from one family possess them? The same sort of absolute power, which we know corrupts absolutely, has been subtly employed in practicing religious politics in Lagos while all the propaganda machinery imaginable is brought to bear to deceive the public that ALL appointments are based on merit.

Will someone tell me by what criteria of merit had it been possible that, since Governor Jakande’s government, only once has a Christian been Governor and only once Speaker of the State House of Assembly? The three most powerful positions in any government remain the Governor, the Chief of Staff and the Speaker of the House. With the exception of Olorunfemi Mamora, who was hastily shipped off to the Senate, since 1999, ALL the three positions had been occupied by Muslims. The first Chief of Staff was not only Muslim; he was from Kwara State !! So who introduced religion into Lagos State politics?