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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The command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, made this known on Thursday in a statement issued in Abeokuta.

Odutola explained that Lowe was arrested on Wednesday at about 1:05p.m. by the Divisional Police Officer in Ilaro following a credible information received from an anonymous resident.

“The Divisional Police Officer in Ilaro received credible intelligence that a man identified as Godonu Lowe of Omolende Village, Idogo, was attempting to flee the community with the body of a woman concealed in a sack on his motorcycle.

“Acting swiftly, police operatives intercepted the suspect and a sack tied to the back of his motorcycle was untied.

“The content was discovered to be the corpse of an adult female, later confirmed to be the suspect’s wife.

“The body bore marks of violence, bleeding around the neck, suggesting foul play. A blood-stained cutlass was recovered at the crime scene,” she said.

Odutola said the suspect had been taken into custody while the remains of the victim deposited at the state morgue in Ilaro for preservation and autopsy.

The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, while commending the anonymous informant, urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to assist the police in crime prevention and detection.

He emphasised that even the slightest suspicion reported to the police could save lives.

Source: NAN

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CSP Omolola Odutola, the command’s spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abeokuta.

According to her, the combined tactical team demonstrated its operational efficiency by successfully rescuing a kidnap victim unhurt in Onipanu area of the state.

She explained that the incident occurred on October 27, about 8.16 p.m., when five unidentified armed men invaded the compound of one Alhaji Atoyebi and switched off the generator to lure the occupants outside.

Odutola said that unaware of the danger, the victim and another resident came out of the house to inspect what happened, but were ambushed by the assailants who subsequently abducted the victim.

She said that they carted away a Point of Sale, POS,  machine, ₦900,000 cash, three mobile phones, a power bank, and keys to a Highlander and Corolla vehicles in the process of kidnaping the victim.

Odutola added that a few hours after the abduction, the kidnappers used the victim’s phone to contact the family, demanding a ransom of N30 million.

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“Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, promptly deployed a combined tactical team of operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Anti-Crime Section, Surveillance Team, Vigilante Group, So-Safe Corps, and local hunters.

“The joint team traced the hoodlums to their hideout along the creeks and two of the kidnappers were neutralized while others fled with gunshot injuries.

“The victim was rescued unhurt and has since reunited with his family. His mobile phones and vehicle keys were recovered at the scene while efforts are on to recover the vehicles,” she said.

Ogunlowo commended the gallantry and synergy displayed by the combined security teams in the rescue of the victim.

He assured members of the public that the command remained resolute in ensuring the safety of all residents.

He reiterated that Ogun would continue to be unsafe for criminal elements to operate in any form.

Source: NAN

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Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) in his remarks as chairman of the event, said Nigeria had emerged as one of Africa’s most vibrant fintech ecosystems in the last decade.

“We have witnessed the rise of mobile payments, digital lending platforms and wealth management applications that have transformed how Nigerians access and interact with financial services. At the Nigerian Exchange Group, we have recognised this trend not as a disruption to be resisted, but as an opportunity to be embraced. Our mission has always been to democratise access to investment opportunities and to deepen participation in the capital market. To achieve this, we have consistently opened our doors to fintech innovation.”

On the role of NGX in driving financial inclusion, Kwairanga stated:

“From deploying API-driven market data solutions that allow fintech companies to seamlessly integrate trading information into their platforms, to creating regulatory sandboxes that encourage innovation, and supporting digital trading applications that provide retail investors with direct market access, we have worked deliberately to ensure that fintech inclusion in the capital market is not just an aspiration but a tangible reality.”

During the panel session, the stakeholders agreed that harmonisation of relevant policies by such regulatory agencies as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) would ensure public confidence and mitigate various operational risks in the fintech space.

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Dr. Olayinka Odutola, Director-General/CEO, Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals (AERMP), commended the rising level of fintech and financial inclusion practice in the country, insisting however that the greed factor remained a potent danger in the market.

“Fintech and financial inclusion have started very well in Nigeria but we must consider the greed factor in terms of risks and cyber breaches. People can hack into systems and engage in identity fraud. People-risk is a major risk. Prevention is still better in terms of players and institutions to contain digital fraud.”

Odutola bemoaned the regulatory fragmentation in the system and called for harmonisation of policies and information sharing by the CBN, SEC, NDIC, NAICOM and NIMC to protect both operators and institutions in the system.

He lamented that data privacy and ethical hacking were still under-rated.

Dr. Jeff Duru, the Managing Director/CEO of Universal Insurance Plc., stated that both fintech and insurtech provided great opportunities for the insurance market in terms of financial inclusion.

“There is little level of financial inclusion in the hinterlands but fintech and insurtech will close the gap in the area of insurance penetration. Insurance companies alone cannot handle financial inclusion. There must be collaboration to ensure reality and no longer a talking point.”

Duru added that both fintech and insurtech were tools to grow the business of insurance in Nigeria in terms of speed, which is a critical issue for operators because it builds trust.

Mrs. Bukola Ifemade, the former chairperson, Lagos Area Committee of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), said the Council was passionate about insurance penetration through fintech and financial inclusion.

“We believe in collaboration. We are making efforts on insurance penetration through the deployment of fintech and financial inclusion.”

In her submission, Ms. Maureen Chigbo, President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) raised the issue of credible communication in the expanding space of fintech and financial inclusion in the country.

“Communication is key in advancing financial inclusion and fintech operations in Nigeria. We need to combat the rising level of misinformation and disinformation in order to deal with the issue of trust in the system.”

Chigbo added that the emerging online publishing community stood ready to combat such communication threats and become a veritable tool for businesses to market their products and services for sustainable growth of the Nigerian economy.

“Fintech can also support human capital development through training, re-training and financial literacy programmes in schools and communities.”

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This is contained in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Saturday by the command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola.

He said that the officials were arrested in Iperu Remo,  during the Remo Federal constituency by-election .

She noted that at 12:45 a.m, a police patrol team, attached to Iperu Remo Division, intercepted a Mitsubishi Space wagon, with registration number AKD 887 HT, with three occupants.

She added that the INEC officials were arrested alongside their driver.

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Odutola stated that a search on the vehicle led to the recovery of N2.5 million cash from one of the officials.

“During interrogation, he confessed that the money was collected at Kehoy Hotel, Iperu, from a man he referred to as “Political Solution”, acting on the directive of his supervisor,” she said.

The police spokesperson stated that the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, had ordered that the suspects be transferred to the State CID, Eleweran, for immediate discreet investigation.

He assured members of the public that monitoring of the election was ongoing, and the command would keep the public abreast of the outcome of the investigation.

Source: NAN

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This is contained in a statement issued by the commands spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, on  Saturday in Abeokuta.

Odutola said that on July 25, at 8:20p.m., a joint team comprising operatives from Odeda Division, Aregbe Division, Anti-Cultism Unit, and SWAT, led by SP Adejoh Israel, acting on credible intelligence raided the hotel and executed the arrests.

According to her, the operation was targeted at suspected members of the Aiye confraternity gathered at the hotel.

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She said that 22 suspects including two soldiers were arrested during the operation and one cut-to-size locally made gun, one UTC axe, and several blue beret caps were recovered from the suspects.

“The arrested suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Anti-Cultism Unit, Eleweran, for further investigation.

“The Ogun State Police Command remains resolute in its fight against cultism and other violent crimes and urges residents to continue providing useful information to aid ongoing operations,” she said.

Source: NAN

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The command’s spokesperson, Mrs Omolola Odutola, made the confirmation in a statement issued to newsmen on Sunday in Abeokuta.

According to Odutola, the incident occurred at Osara community in Odeda local government area of Ogun.

She said that on June 21 at about 4:40 p.m. two herders from the Osara community reported to the police divisional headquarters at Aregbe, that 32 of their cows were found dead in a nearby forest after a heavy rainstorm.

“The herders, who were jointly responsible for the livestock, suspected that the deaths may have resulted from thunderstorm with intense lightning.

“At the time of the report, the total monetary value of the livestock could not be ascertained.

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“A prompt on-the-spot assessment was conducted by the divisional police officer, whose initial observations revealed that no visible injuries were on the cows.

“The cattle were found lying lifeless in various positions in the forest and the owners confirmed they do not suspect any individual or group, nor made any allegations or accusations,” she said.

In response to the incident, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Lanre Ogunlowo, urged the community to remain calm and treat the incident as a natural phenomenon.

Source: NAN

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The command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday in Ota that the incident was recorded at Ilogbo road in the Sango-Ota area of the state.

“On Monday, at about 3 p.m., our officers received information about a suspicious vehicle along Ilogbo road at Oju-Oore.

“On our arrival at the scene at Omowo Filling Station along Ilogbo Road, we discovered that the victim raised an alarm which drew the attention of passers-by who intervened and attacked the suspect.

“A swift police response led to the rescue of the victim, Coutroupis Peace, a 22-year-old female of No. 17 Fisher Street, Cement Bus Stop in Lagos,” she said.

Odutola disclosed that preliminary investigation revealed that the victim had booked a ride through an online car service from Lekki in Lagos to Off Freedom Way at Lekki.

“During the journey, the driver had claimed that his navigation system malfunctioned and deviated from the intended route.

“He subsequently overpowered the victim and restrained her hands with two plastic tyre clips,” the Police spokesperson said.

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Odutola said officers of the Onipanu Divisional Headquarters at Oju-Oore area consequently arrested Yusuf for the abduction of a female passenger.

She added that the suspect, who had earlier been assaulted by the angry mob, is currently in police custody while investigation had commenced.

Odutola said both the victim and suspect were taken to the police station, with the suspect receiving medical attention due to injuries sustained from the mob attack.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Lanre Ogunlowo, was said to have since enjoined members of the public to avoid taking laws into their hands.

Odutola quoted him as urging citizens to report any suspicious activity to the authorities for proper investigation and legal action.

“The Police in Ogun also cautions against mob justice. We appeal to citizens to report incidents to the authorities for proper investigation,” she said.

Source: NAN

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CSP Omolola Odutola, the command’s spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta on Thursday.

Odutola explained that the move was in line with the commitment of the command to ensure the safety and security of commuters and residents, following rise in incidents of kidnapping and armed robbery on the highway.

She explained that the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, was resolved to put an end to criminal activities on the expressway.

“On Wednesday, CP Ogunlowo personally inspected the security operations at the newly established intervention post, strategically located before Odogbolu, in between Celplas Industry, Mikano Generator and Ladgroup Company, on the stretch of the road.

“The outpost, consisting of a makeshift roof shed fortified with sandbags, serves as a rapid response center for distress calls from the Ijebu Ode, Sagamu, and Owode Egba area commands.

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“It also serves as distress point for commuters who require emergency assistance from the police.

“This calculated approach is designed to complement other security pin-down points along the expressway, ensuring comprehensive coverage.

“Key security deployments include two OP MESA security points positioned inward and outward Lagos on the Long Bridge.

“Shed posts with Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) at the Sagamu Interchange and the makeshift security posts on the Ijebu Ode–Sagamu Highway to reassure road users of the active presence of armed policemen,” she said.

Odutola further said that the proactive security initiative followed an earlier surveillance operation conducted on February 27, during which the commissioner identified and blocked escape routes frequently used by kidnappers.

She stated that the police command remained resolute in its mission to combat crime and ensure that road users travel without fear or apprehension.

Odutola urged members of the public to report any suspicious activities via the command’s emergency hotline, 08099401875, when in distress.

Source: NAN

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The command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, confirmed this in a statement issued to journalists in Ota, Ogun state, on Sunday.

She said before the tragic incident at about 1:20 p.m. on Friday, the deceased officer was on special duty at Goodwill Ceramic Company.

“According to preliminary reports, Tolorunloju Stephen, an officer attached to the Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, who was also on special duty at the company said he had just returned from Ikeja when he entered the security office.

“He found Oloyede resting his head on a table. After exchanging pleasantries and briefly inquiring about his well-being, Oloyede responded positively.

“Shortly after, Stephen proceeded to the restroom but moments later heard a gunshot.

“Rushing back, he found Inspector Oloyede lying in a pool of blood.”

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Odutola said that with the assistance of private security personnel, the injured officer was immediately rushed to Ota General Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by the attending doctor.

She added that the firearm used in the incident had been recovered, and the officer’s body deposited at the hospital for an autopsy.

“The Ogun State police command has launched an investigation into the tragic death of Inspector Oloyede, who was reported to have shot himself while on special duty at Goodwill Ceramic Company, Igbesa,” Odutola said.

She noted that the Commissioner of Police had ordered a full-scale investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the possibility of foul play or mental health concerns.

Odutola assured that the police swiftly contacted the deceased officer’s family.

According to her, the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Eleweran, for a thorough investigation.

She extended the Nigeria Police Force’s deepest condolences to the officer’s family, colleagues, and loved ones.

“The command remains committed to the well-being of its officers and will ensure all necessary support is provided during this difficult time,” she added.

Source: NAN

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