Religion, the core of the interfaith discourse, is the new ‘empire of the mind’. It has acquired the minds of our citizens; possesses the power of state; expressed in terms of money and wealth; guarantees influence; and controls resources. Religion is war; it is modern conflict, and the most dangerous threat to societal peaceful existence.

1. INTERFAITH & CONFLICT
MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA
BY
TANKO AHMED fwc
Senior Fellow, NIPSS, Kuru - Nigeria

2. INTRODUCTION
My views and contribution to a Forum
SYMPOSIUM ON INTERFAITH AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN
NIGERIA: A DISCOURSE WITH PROFESSOR JOHN PADEN WITH
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR POLICY AND STRATEGIC STUDIES
(NIPSS) AND ITS PARTNERS HELD ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13,
2014 AT THE NICON LUXURIES HOTEL, ABUJA

3. ‘The empires of the future
are the empires of the
mind’
- Winston Churchill

4. Churchill on Policy & Strategy
• Churchill considered as a leader and
thinker who put his ideas or intentions
into action, then monitored and
evaluated the outcomes.
• The same format, in modern
policymaking process and strategic
planning captures the NIPSS’s mandate
of ‘policy and strategy’.

5. Religion in Interfaith Discourse
Religion, the core of the interfaith discourse, is
the new ‘empire of the mind’.
It has acquired the minds of our citizens and
possesses the power of state.
Religion is expressed in terms of money and
wealth;
It guarantees influence and controls resources.
Religion courses war; it is modern conflict, and
a threat to societal peaceful existence.

6. Dangers of Modern Religiosity
The mind is the seat of the Spirit which is the
currency of religion.
Our spiritual ecosystem is sick because religion
has turned into poison instead of medicine for
the cure of societal ills.
Religion prescribes outdated sermons in
excess, like expired and overdosed drugs.
Unleashed on strong African natural, but naïve
spiritual base, modern religiosity is as tragic as
it is an apocalyptic disaster to all Africans,
particularly Nigeria.

7. A CHALLENGE FOR NIPSS
NIPSS in the business of knowledge
management, or policy and strategy.
The call for strategic response to issues of
interfaith puts the onus on NIPSS, to confront
the phenomenon headlong;
Public Officers in research and studies must
weld the instruments of ethics and social
justice.
It is time to be bold, not only on paper or
within the comfort of Kuru enclave, but to the
outside world - LOUD, CLEAR and EFFECTIVE.

8. THE WAY FORWARD
Internal reform of NIPSS’s mission and
vision must include ethical codes and
practice.
To provide institutional strength required
for confronting the spiritually-polluted
external environment.

9. Alternative Means
Failure in reform and institutional
strengthening might usher in ethical
dissent by committed Public Officers.
Guerilla government tactics, by small
pockets of disciplined, principled and able
public officials could effectively resist
religiosity in our personal and national
affairs.

10. CONCLUSION
• NIPSS is to see that all policies are
transformed from ‘intentions’ to ‘actions’
for ‘outcomes’ and subjected to
monitoring and evaluation.
• In attribute to Winston Churchill’s ‘the
empires of the future are the empires of
the mind’ we are already here.

11. THANK YOU!