Public affairs analysts and policy experts have called for a review of government funding of religious activities, particularly pilgrimages, arguing that public resources should be directed towards measurable national development priorities rather than personal religious obligations.
The position was canvassed during Freedom Square Live, a programme on Solid 100.9 FM, Enugu, hosted by Dr. Uchenna Cyril Anioke. The programme examined the topic, “Faith, Politics and Public Funds: Should Government Finance Religious Education, Events and Travels in a Multi-Religious State?”
Speaking on the constitutional implications of government sponsorship of religious activities, Secretary of the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter, Dr. Chikezie Obasi, argued that Nigeria’s establishment of agencies such as the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission and the National Hajj Commission contradicts the secular character of the state as provided in Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the separation of religion from state affairs, which followed the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, laid the foundation for industrialisation and modern state development in Europe, while colonial powers later employed religion as an instrument of conquest in Africa. He maintained that government should not use taxpayers’ money to fund religious pilgrimages or related activities, describing such expenditure as unacceptable in a secular state.
Dr. Obasi also endorsed the position of Burkina Faso’s President, Ibrahim Traoré, who discouraged government-sponsored religious studies abroad, saying African governments should prioritise development-oriented investments over funding overseas religious activities.
Also speaking, Independent Consultant, Social Science Researcher and Chartered Mediator, Brian Onwurah, maintained that Nigeria’s development agenda must be evidence-driven, stressing that there is no empirical data showing that government-funded pilgrimages have contributed to economic growth or national development.
He noted that despite huge public expenditures on pilgrimages over the years, there has been no measurable assessment of their impact on sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure or national productivity. According to him, religion should remain a private matter, warning that introducing religious considerations into public policy encourages subjectivity rather than objective, evidence-based governance.
Onwurah argued that government should concentrate on creating an enabling environment for economic growth and formulate policies based on measurable outcomes instead of financing personal religious obligations.
Offering a different perspective, Member of the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter, Emeka Odom, said the debate should focus less on whether government supports religion and more on whether public expenditure is guided by prudence, accountability, transparency and fairness.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s constitutional provision against adopting a state religion, Odom argued that religion remains an important aspect of national life and should not be completely excluded from public affairs. He observed that governments across the world adapt policies suitable to their peculiar circumstances, adding that if public support is extended to religious activities, it should be governed by clearly defined principles, transparent procedures and equitable allocation of resources.
Responding to concerns over the exclusion of African Traditional Religion from government recognition, Odom admitted that fairness remains a major challenge, recommending the principle of utilitarianism in public policy, under which resources are allocated to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people while ensuring transparency and accountability.
Speaking via telephone, Founder of Igbo Love Themselves, Ezeaku Mathias Ejiofor, described it as unfortunate that Africans continue to regard foreign countries as the only holy lands while neglecting their indigenous religious and cultural heritage.
Ejiofor called for greater recognition of African Traditional Religion and indigenous cultural festivals, urging government to support cultural and educational initiatives rather than finance pilgrimages abroad. He maintained that while government may support faith-based educational institutions and programmes that contribute to human development, sponsoring trips to Israel or Saudi Arabia amounts to an unnecessary drain on public resources and reinforces Africa’s dependence on foreign religious centres.
Throughout the discussion, host Dr. Uchenna Cyril Anioke questioned whether government sponsorship of pilgrimages and overseas religious activities could be justified under Section 10 of the Constitution or by any measurable contribution to national development. He announced that the programme would revisit the subject in a future edition with broader religious representation, including Christian, Muslim and traditional religious leaders, to further examine the role of public funding in religious activities.