Karl Marx, the man who taught the world the Marxist ideology and after whom it was named, described religion as the opium (or opiate) of the people. His exact words, in his 1844 work titled “A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right”, goes thus: “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.”

Is it not surprising that Marx said those words 182 years ago – and it looks as if he has just analyzed today’s living conditions of the oppressed and their oppressors? Tell me, are living conditions not making the people sigh, wail, weep, moan and mourn? Isn’t our world heartless and our leaders soulless despite our monstrous religiosity?

Today, is religion not “the sigh of the oppressed”? Always, their cry and consolation is: “God dey!” and “God will judge!” To quote the variant made popular by our erstwhile First Lady, Patience Jonathan: “There is God o!”

Leaders and vendors of religion must be heartless to keep taking from the poor, making them poorer, and giving to the rich, making them richer and widening the gulf between the rich and the poor, thereby making a mockery of the “great gulf” that the Bible says separates poor Lazarus and the rich man in the world beyond (Luke 16: 19-31).

Virtually all those stealing millions and billions and mismanaging our affairs on all fronts profess one religion or another.

Max Romeo crooned: “Stealing, stealing, stealing…Stealing in the name of the Lord…My father’s house of worship…Has become a den of robbers…They fed our mothers with sour grapes…And set our teeth on edge…Strike the hammer of justice…And set my people free…Or let my people be…They tell us of a heaven…Where milk and honey flow…They say this place called heaven…No rich man can go…Yet the reverend drives out fancy car…Buys everything tax-free…The people have to sacrifice…To give in charity…Stealing in the name of the Lord!”

Exactly what Karl Marx had said; not so?

While myopic, uninformed or deliberately mischievous religionists often (mis)quote Karl Marx and say Marxists abhor religion in its totality, what Marx actually meant – and this is a fact – is that religion, which may serve as a pain-relieving and comforting force, is also liable to being perverted and misused to dull the reasoning capabilities of the people, justify their oppression, divert their attention from discovering their real mission here on earth and, thus, prevent them from addressing the root causes of their problems and miseries. Religionists impose dogmas on the people to serve their own selfish ends.

In St. Matthew chapter 23, Jesus described the forefathers of today’s religionists severally as “hypocrites”, “attention-seekers”, “blind guides”, “fools”, “serpents”, “whited sepulchres”, and a “generation of vipers” who “strain at a gnat (but) swallow a camel”, who “clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess”, and who “bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”

These, I dare say, were the harshest words spoken by Jesus during his earthly mission.

Like Fela also crooned, the people are taught to suffer here on earth so they can enjoy in heaven – as if there is necessarily a correlation between both! – whereas the teachers teaching them this nonsense enjoy to the hilt here on earth and still hope to live in houses built with gold in heaven!

Is religion – or, better still, spirituality – in all its forms and variants oppressive, repressive and unproductive? Not necessarily!

The disciples of Jesus Christ started out by practising communalism or Communism (Acts 4: 32-37); check it out! The Marxist creed of “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”, spelt out by Marx in his 1875 “Critique of the Gotha Programme”, takes a cue from this.

Until Ananais and Sapphira showed up to torpedo it with the greed, selfishness and avarice associated with Capitalism (Acts: 5 -1-11), communal living, not Capitalism, was the form of government practised by the earliest followers of Christ. Not any more! We now live in a Capitalist world of dog-eats-dog, of survival of the wickedest, and of everyone unto himself but God for us all!

Like Caesar’s wife, religious organisations must be above board in all their dealings. They must obtain necessary approvals or permits and obey relevant building regulations.

To quote Marx again: “The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears which religion is the halo.”

Again, like Fela crooned, patrons and vendors of religion today sow “sorrow, tears, and blood”  to press the people down and hold them captive. This has become, to borrow Fela’s words, the religionists “regular trademark.”

For instance, the religion of empathy and fellow-feeling bequeathed by Jesus Christ – and this is true to a large extent of the originators of other religions – thrived in the hands of his disciples up to the point that a greedy and capitalist couple came to mess things up. Capitalism, greed, selfishness, and self-centeredness took over and that is what has survived to this day.

Patrons and vendors of religion serve the people illusions (“illusory happiness”) while keeping “real happiness” for themselves and their offsprings. And it is this that Marx described as the opium of the people. It is a religion that feeds the masses with illusions to deny them the opportunity of understanding or going after “their real happiness”, which now is the exclusive preserve of the patrons and vendors of religion.

And like their Nigerian-politician counterparts, they line up their wife and children to take over from them, turning it into something like family business!

Marx’s call, therefore, is to the masses to give up this kind or form of religion, which covers the face – and social consciousness – with illusions, so we can appreciate and contend with our real material existence. Marx’s criticism of religion, therefore, is the criticism of the dubious and deceitful cover with which the patrons and vendors of religion hypnotize the people and dull their intellect, thus holding them captive and preventing them from fulfilling their manifest destiny and realising their full potentials here on earth.

Thus, liberating the poor is the very essence of the “Liberation Theology” movement made popular in Latin America in the 1960s and 70s, which combined the Christian faith with social justice; according priority to the poor and actively fighting against all forms of oppression. This is true religion or, better still, the salvation message of Christ.

Religion, thus, is a two-edged sword which can serve both positive and negative ends. It can liberate; it can also enslave. Currently, this sword is wielded against the people by the patrons and vendors of religion. Our people, who daily troop to places of worship, hold the short end of the stick.

This was the import of a post on social media last week. Are the places of worship business outfits that should be asked to pay tax or are they charity organisations providing social services and, which, therefore, should continue to enjoy exemption from paying tax?

Catholic Archbishop Olubunmi Okogie once raised a storm when he referred to some of these religious organisations as “business centres!”

Another storm was raised when Jim Obazee, Executive Secretary/CEO of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, initiated regulations requiring religious leaders to retire after 20 years in office or upon attaining the age of 70 years. But because Nigeria is a place where the right things are seldom done, the patrons and vendors of religion stirred, Obazee was booted out of office, and his innovations died with him!

There is a reason why retirement ages are set. Old age slows down pace and agility; it compromises competence and effectiveness, thereby allowing stagnation and frustration to set in, and organisations are the worst for it. It is not only in political offices that sit-tightism should be abhorred. Leaving when the ovation is loudest is wisdom. That was the example set by the iconic South African leader, Nelson Mandela.

So my thoughts are that we should revisit the Obazee initiative again.

Places of worship proliferate all over the place, blaring megaphones and loudspeakers incessantly disturb our peace and shatter the serenity of the environment, roads are blocked by worshippers demonstrating scant regard and consideration for other road-users; yet, run-away corruption, burgeoning moral laxity, and all manners of unimaginable criminality that leave no one behind are all we have to show for our contrived piety!

If charity organisations, then religious organisations must be discouraged from encouraging capital flight. Funds raised in local assemblies should principally be retained there for their own use. Funds raised within Nigeria should remain within the country and not be moved outside.

Religious organisations that run schools – or any other business venture for that matter – should be mandated to run them as charity – no fees of any kind should be charged. Collecting money publicly and turning around to run business enterprises with such funds without accountability is unethical, if not outrightly fraudulent.

Like Caesar’s wife, religious organisations must be above board in all their dealings. They must obtain necessary approvals or permits and obey relevant building regulations. Swearing to affidavits and telling lies on oath to circumvent building regulations is a criminal act. Religious leaders should pray for, and encourage those who flock to them to shun corrupt practices as well as pay their tax. Like someone said, it is the taxes that we pay, not zakat or tithe, that will help revamp the economy.

The video that got me thinking dwelt on the life of opulence of many religious leaders in the face of the grinding poverty of their members. Same time, social media was awash with stories of the stupendous wealth of Nigerians like the late Azeez Arisekola-Alao, Christopher Alao-Akala, Chief Adeola Odutola and Herbert Wigwe!

I marvelled at the list of properties, home and abroad, attributed to these fellows. To think that they left everything behind and took nothing with them – only for gossip, controversies, and litigation to trail their exit, scarring their memories and denying them RIP!

Should religious leaders also prepare such an end for themselves?

Compliments of this season to my highly esteemed readers!

*Bolawole (turnpot@gmail.com 0807 552 5533), former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, was also the Managing Director/ Editor-in-chief of the Westerner newsmagazine. He writes the “ON THE LORD’S DAY” column in the Sunday Tribune and “TREASURES” column in the New Telegraph newspapers. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.

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Obazee, at the award ceremony by ThisNigeria Newspaper in Abuja that held on June 27, 2024, where he and four others were awarded, stated that those who could not account their stewardship while in office should be made to face the consequences so that the country could be cleaned up and returned to the path of progress.

Speaking at the occasion, Obazee celebrated President Tinubu for granting the opportunity “to take a good look at the malfeasance in the country and find a way to wash them off.”

He highlighted that the biggest problem in the country was that “we seem to be building permanent structures with temporary sticks”.

He added that “as a country, if we don’t provide for the poor we cannot protect the rich.”

Obazee thanked the newspaper for recognising him and others who served the country wholeheartedly, and was elated by the award which he said, encouraged those in public service to ensure that they served with the object of making humanity better.

“The award encourages those of us who believe in service and who believe in the country. I’m actually delighted that at this time when the journalism industry is facing headwinds, one can still have newspapers that have come out to demonstrate strategies that involve celebrating those who contribute to humanity.

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“I’m also delighted that Nigerians know that everybody will account for his actions especially now that the government has commenced trials while some are still in the process. We are looking forward to a situation where we will begin to demand for accountability, probity, transparency and statutory code of corporate governance so that people can be held accountable and responsible.

“There was a time in this country when a company came out and said it lied on stock taking. Instead of being punished through a slump in their stock price people rushed the shares, and the shares appreciated. It means we are not conscious of the need for accountability. But from now, I think Nigerians will know that there is need for people and institutions to be accountable and that such accountability should come with consequences,” Obazee said.

The former Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council, FRC, the premier regulator in Nigeria, got the Gold Prize in Public Service from ThisNigeria Newspaper for unearthing and cleansing the Augean stable of malfeasance in the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, under the immediate past governor of the CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

The said embattled ex-CBN Governor is currently facing trials in courts in Lagos and Abuja.

Obazee was appointed the Special Investigator on July, 28, 2023 by President Bola Tinubu to probe the CBN, related entities and other key Government Business Entities (GBE) in the country.

The appointment is rooted in Section 15(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, which places responsibility on him and his team to investigate and block the leakages in CBN and others as well as provide a comprehensive report on public wealth currently in the hands of corrupt individuals and establishments (whether private or public) to the President.

The Publisher of ThisNigeria Newspaper, Eric Osagie, commended Obazee and his team that throughout the investigation, they did “not succumb to inducements to sway them from the path of rectitude, unlike probes of similar nature.”

Other awardees are the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, who got a Gold Prize for Infrastructure Revolution and Exceptional Leadership in the FCT; Governor Kabir Abba Yusuf of Kano State who was awarded Gold Prize for Courage in Leadership; Governor Umo Bassey Eno of Akwa Ibom was awarded Gold Prize for Peace Building and Innovative Leadership while Comrade Issa Aremu also got Gold Prize in Public Service for effective government-workforce engagement.

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Obazee , former Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, FRC, was appointed to carry out the investigation on July 28, 2028.

The investigator upon conclusion of investigation has submitted his report to the president.

The announcement of the conclusion of work by Obazee was made on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale.

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In a press statement, the media aide said President Bola Tinubu thanked Obazee for his services.

The president, he said, commended Obazee for the dedication and professionalism he exercised in handling the complexities of the assignment described as a critical one.

“Subsequent to the conclusion of the assignment and the submission of a final comprehensive report, and with the winding up of all apparatuses used during the scope of the task which terminated on March 31, 2024, the investigation is formally closed, with all appropriate law enforcement and regulatory agencies already conducting follow-up action.

“The President thanks Mr. Obazee for answering the call of duty while wishing him success in his future endeavours,” Ngelale stated.

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The Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department of the CBN, Mrs Hakama Sidi-Ali, gave the assurance in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Sidi-Ali, the assurance was informed by reports about a recommendation for the Federal Government to take over some CBN-supervised financial institutions.

There have been unconfirmed reports by some media outlets about plans by the CBN to take over Titan Trust Bank (former Union Bank) and Keystone Bank.

This is allegedly linked to a report by Mr Jim Obazee, CBN’s special investigator, that former governor of the apex bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, used his proxies to acquire the two financial institutions.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerian banks remain safe and sound.

“The CBN encourages the public to continue their regular activities without being alarmed by reports that have not emanated from the CBN about the health status of Nigerian banks.

“The CBN is fully equipped to carry out its statutory duty of upholding a stable financial system in Nigeria.

“We assure the general public and depositors about the safety of their funds in Nigerian financial institutions,” she said.

She advised bank customers to proceed with their banking transactions as usual, as there was no cause for concern.

Source: NAN

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He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, FRCN, Jim Osayande Obazee.

The appointment is contained in a letter dated July 28, 2023, titled Appointment as the Special Investigator of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Related Entities and signed by the president.

Tinubu explained that the appointment of a Special Investigator was in continuation of the battle against corruption in the country.

According to him, the Special Investigator whose appointment was immediate effect would investigate the CBN and Related Entities.

While directing the Special Investigator to report directly to his office, the president said he would expect a weekly briefing on the progress made.

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The letter reads: “In accordance with the fundamental objective set forth in Section 15(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), this administration is, today, continuing the fight against corruption by appointing you as a Special Investigator, to investigate the CBN and Related Entities. This appointment shall be with immediate effect and you are to report directly to my office.

“The full terms of your engagement as Special Investigator shall be communicated to you in due course but, require that you immediately take steps to ensure the strengthening and probity of key Government Business Entities (GBEs), further block leakages in CBN and related GBEs and provide a comprehensive report on public wealth currently in the hands of corrupt individuals and establishments (whether private or public). You are to investigate the CBN and related entities using a suitably experienced, competent and capable team and work with relevant security and anti-corruption agencies to deliver on this assignment. I shall expect a weekly briefing on the progress being made.

“Find attached, herewith, my directive suspending the Governor of the CBN from office with effect from 9th June 2023.”

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