Compare and Contrast Essay on Abuja and Nassau Religions

Introduction

Identity is described as an experience of self-hood that determines the larger unit of a society that an individual belongs. This cognitive representation influences various identity dimensions from social, religious to a broader perspective of culture (Salvan & Cross, 2016). In this regard, different factors, most importantly religious denomination is used to distinguish different people living in Nassau, Bahamas, and Abuja, Nigeria as a basis for cultural identity. Identity is an essential construct of religion that defines the religious affiliations a specific group of people relates with. Religion refers to the specific beliefs and practices that a particular group of individuals engages in passionately. Religion defines the type of spirituality adopted by the group of people towards a supernatural controlling power. Bahamas and Nigeria are two distinct countries located in different continents. Therefore, a comparison of religious beliefs in these two countries gives insights into the similarities and differences of spiritual beliefs and practices that exist amongst the people living in these two nations.

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Religion influences health aspects in both Nassau and Abuja. In particular, religion has played a critical role in the delivery of maternal health services in Abuja. Both Christian and Muslim women prefer not to attend antenatal clinics which has a ripple effect on maternal mortality. For instance, Muslim women are required to obtain permission to visit maternal health facilities and prefer to be attended to by female medical practitioners (Mujtaba et al., 2016). This limits their accessibility to maternal health-care services. By a similar token, religious beliefs have significantly influenced the attitude of people in Nassau towards various health aspects including male circumcision. According to a report by George et al. (2012), male circumcision is a religious and cultural practice that has been linked to the prevalence of HIV. As a result, policy formulation based on religious and cultural aspects will play a significant role in reducing the risk of HIV through male circumcision.

Abuja and Nassau are multi-religious cities; as a result, accommodating religions such as Islam, Christianity, traditional beliefs, atheism, Baha'i faith, Hinduism and Buddhism. Abuja and Nassau have both realized a significant rise in religions present in the city due to the mushrooming of new religious movements. Christians are a highly dominated religion in Nassau with the Catholics as the oldest religion. The Catholics are also located in Abuja, and they all recognize the hierarchical structure that puts the Pope at the topmost position. However, Abuja has two unique religious movements the reformed Ogboni fraternity and the grail movement that are not found in Nassau. The grail movement has its root in Germany and is principally known by its participants as the light of truth affiliation. The reformed Ogboni fraternity is secret movement considered to be exhibit a significant influential power.

Nassau is majorly occupied by Christians; however, the Muslim population has significantly risen over the current years resulting in the building of more mosques to host the proclaimers of the Muslim faith. In this regard, the Muslims are the minority group limiting their indulgence in activities that are likely to disturb the peace of Nassau. The Muslims in Nassau are still focusing on building their religion by converting the Bahamian Christians into Muslims through friendly mechanisms. As a result, the Muslim Bahamians peacefully co-exist with the Christians and other religions. Additionally, Bahamas has varied denominational views and practices; however, the differences do not result in conflicts since the people in the nation have high-level tolerance and respect or the various types of religions. Religion is significantly valued in the Bahamas and can be illustrated by its incorporation into the country's curriculum. People living in Nassau gain knowledge and skills on religious ideas through various platforms including discussions and role play (Commonwealth of Bahamas).

Contrary, there are a significant number of Muslims located in Abuja. The substantial Muslim population can be further emphasized by the location of the national mosque in Abuja. The Abuja national mosque is the largest mosque in Nigeria where the Muslims congregate to fellowship together. Nigeria is amongst the West African countries that have the highest Muslim populations. As a result, the Islam faith is further subdivided into groups such as Sunni, Shia, Sufi, and Boko Haram among others. Islamic extremism has had a significant impact on the societies they live amongst. In particular, the Boko Haram movement is well known for its violent missions aimed at achieving ambitious Islamic and national goals that are based on selfish interests. According to Agbiboa & Maiangwa, Nigeria's recovery of democracy in 1999 initiated various violent attacks based on the religious identity that resulted in the death of ten thousand people. Boko Haram began its terror attacks in 2009, and its terror campaigns have intensified every single year. Albeit the inclusion of other factors to spur the wars, religious militancy has played a significant role in the radicalization of the Boko Haram Muslims resulting in a killing society.

Religion has been used as a force that drives goodness or evil within specific cities within a country. Factors such as secularism and materialism contribute to the source religion is channeled. Some religions are viewed as a source of joy while others a source of fear and tension. As a result, the religions accommodated into a town have a significant influencing power towards the various activities affecting the lives of the occupants in the city. For instance, Abuja has experienced a rise in violent attacks linked to religious beliefs. By a different token, the peaceful coexistence of various religious affiliations has been compromised by the increase in religious violence whose initiation dates back to the 1987 (Sulaiman, 2016). The violence has been attributed to factors such as the press, theology, religious fanaticism, and intolerance. Every religion holds its specific sacred beliefs in a number of literature which get misinterpreted; as a result, sparking off emotional responses through violent attacks. On the other hand, intolerance develops as a negative attitude towards a particular religion while fanaticism entails irrational reasoning towards defending one's faith. Lastly, the press through improper information on sensitive issues is known to spur the religious conflicts.

Conclusion

Conclusively, the religion practiced in Nassau and Abuja exhibit more differences than similarities. Additionally, the differences have significant impacts on the nation at large. To exemplify, the Islam faith has been linked to radicalization in Abuja, a factor that has significantly undermined the peaceful co-existence of other religions found in Nigeria. By a different token, Nassau is more civilized and have a developed religious system that advocates for a peaceful coexistence of all faiths. The major similarity of religion in Nassau and Abuja is the influence the identity dimension has on health factors. Religious beliefs play a crucial role in the delivery of various health services.

References

Agbiboa, D., & Maiangwa, B. (2013). Boko Haram, Religious Violence, and the Crisi of National Identity in Nigeria. Journal of Developing Societies. 29(4): 379-403.

George, C., Brennen, D., Roberts, R., & Read,S. (2012). Getting to Zero: Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention in the Bahamas. The West Indian Medical Journal. 61(9): 921-3.

Mujtaba, M., Cornellius, L., Galadanci, H., Erekaha, S., Okundaye, J., Adeyemi, O., Sam-Agudu, N. (2016). Evaluating Religious Influences on the Utilization of Maternal Health Services among Muslim and Christian Women in North-Central Nigeria. BioMed Research International. 2016(3645415): 1-8.

Sulaiman, K. (2016). Religious Violence in Contemporary Nigeria: Implications and Options for Peace and Stability Order. Journal for the Study of Religion. 29(1): 1-10

Sullvan, J., & Cross, W. (2016). Meaning-Making, Internalized Racism, and African American Identity. USA: Sunny Press.