Chrislam

in South-West Nigeria Chrislam occupies a distinct geographical space, being pioneered in the ethnically diverse and highly ethnically populated Yorubaland region. Yorubaland is known as a cultural region, being home to a population with a remarkable degree of cultural affinity. The region stretches from south-west Nigeria, across the Republic of Benin and to central Togo. The continual intermixing of ethnic peoples in Yorubaland precedes colonization and the modern-day borders of Nigeria, Togo and Benin. Yorubaland is home to three major ethnic groups: the Yorùbá, the Aja and the Ìbààbá peoples. As a result, cultural and inter-ethnic tolerance has been a characteristic feature of the region. According to Professor D. Laitin, "Muslim and Christian Yorubas see themselves culturally as Yorubas rather than as Muslims or Christians," and place a higher degree of value on common ethnicity over religious affiliations. Hence, Chrislam has been able to thrive in Yorubaland as a Yoruba phenomenon: whereby shared ethnic identities makes religious mixing possible. Although cultural distinction has been blurred, Yorubaland proves unique as the social and ethnic interaction has not led to the extinction of the unique characteristics of each group. Rather, the groups remain distinguishable, yet coexist in a densely populated and highly interactive ethnic region. == Muslim–Christian tensions in Nigeria ==

The Sharia debate (1977–1979) The question of Sharia in Nigeria greatly exacerbated Muslim–Christian tensions in the late 70s, when Nigeria adopted a new constitution after shifting from military to civil political rule. Given the relatively even split of Nigeria's Muslim population—constituting almost 50% The promise of being born again provided many Nigerians with spiritual grounding and optimism amidst economic devastation. Furthermore, Nigerian Pentecostalism drew many followers away from mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic and African Independent churches. This further contributed to religious polarization and cleavages in the country, with conflict between sects of Christianity as well as non-Christian faiths. Muslim–Christian tensions in the 1970s are characterized as primarily youth-based and mutually demonizing campaigns, using rhetoric to pit each group against the other. Pentecostal theology condemned Islamic healing practices, Sufi rituals and Islamic symbols. Pentecostalism also played a prominent role in opposition to Sharia law and fueled conspiracies of an Islamic takeover of the continent by 2005. Moreover, Nigerian Pentecostalism iterated rhetoric of "a life and death battle with the enemy," which was widely interpreted as a reference to a battle against Muslims. Muslims responded through the rise of Reformist Islam, calling for a revival and strict adherence to Islamic traditions. This included the rise of proselytization campaigns, and mirroring the rhetoric of Pentecostal groups through vilifying rhetoric against Christians. == Development ==

First wave: Ifeoluwa (since 1976) The first dated Chrislam movement is traced to a Yoruba man named Tela Tella. Tude is the religious ritual of "running deliverance," during which worshippers run 7 times around a replica of the Kaaba which contains a well of holy water, while shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "Hallelujah." It is believed that running deliverance will free individuals of evil forces and allow possession of the Holy Spirit. A PBS special aired in 2008 featured a sermon from a small church in Lagos, Nigeria. When speaking of his divine revelations, Saka stated that "Then there is a lot of people killing themselves in Nigeria 19 years ago. So I was praying and lying down and the Lord told me, 'Make peace between Muslims and Christians.'" Saka operates his main Chrislam worship center in Lagos, with three smaller Oke Tude branches in Lagos, three in Abuja, one in Ibadan and a house fellowship in London. Sermons involve both the Quran and Bible, worship songs and dance, and Saka's sermons - which he calls lectures. Moreover, Saka emphasizes the shared origins of the two faiths as Abrahamic religions. In the 2008 PBS special, Saka tells his congregation that "Abraham has many children, and is the Father of Islam and the Father of Christianity. Why are the Muslims and Christians fighting?" The Oke Tude anthem states: Oke Tude membership To become a member of Oke Tude, conversion from previous religious affiliations is not necessary. Initiates must buy a copy of both the Bible and Quran, and are expected to run Tude for 7 consecutive days. During initiation, new members sometimes temporarily stay in the Oke Tude guesthouse, which is run by Saka and serves as an additional source of income for him. Oke Tude also offers a special spiritual outlet for women seeking to bear children. Many women who have been unable to conceive have joined Oke Tude due to its promise of destroying the 'yoke of barrenness' through specific prayer rituals. Additionally, Oke Tude has attracted many unemployed and disenfranchised youth from the Lagos area, thanks to opportunities of small loans, business opportunities, and social networking connections offered by Saka. == Ogbómòsó Society of Chrislam (OSC) ==

One of the newest and best-known iterations of the movement comes from the Ogbómòsó Society of Chrislam (OSC), founded in 2005. The society was pioneered by a small group of university students and claims to be formed as a "vision from God." Today, the group has over 200 active members and teaches that Islam, Christianity and African Indigenous Religions are derived from the same source and should be reunited into a single religious movement. The OSC emphasizes what they deem a "spirit of accommodation," working to synthesize texts and traditions from Muslim, Christian and traditional African faiths. During the weekly service, the OSC consults the Quran, the Bible, and the Odu Ifá (the Yoruba literary corpus) and "The God of Africa, Jesus and Muhammad" are called upon in unison. A frequent liturgical creed of the OSC states "There is no God but God and only one religion. There are many prophets and divinities but only one God." The OSC reiterates Chrislam missions of the past, whilst emphasizing a syncretic approach that amasses traditional African religions to the same extent as Muslim and Christian elements. Moreover, the mission emphasizes that there is one overarching God which unites all faiths, yet many prophets and divinities exist to spread the word of God. Rituals include Yemaya Wudu, which incorporates the Islamic practice of washing in preparation for prayer and worship, and fusing it with Christian baptismal practice and prayer to Yemoja, a Yoruba river deity. == Contemporary religious violence ==

concentrated in North-East Nigeria Chrislam serves as a counterweight to the prolonged and ongoing violence between Muslim and Christian groups in Nigeria. Both Tella and Saka preach of the need for love between Muslims and Christians in an era of violence. In the 2008 PBS special, Saka tells his congregation that "Abraham has many children, and is the Father of Islam and the Father of Christianity. Why are the Muslims and Christians fighting?" alluding to the rising Muslim–Christian violence as a result of Boko Haram. ==Syncretic religion in Africa==

Religious syncretism has been a phenomenon across Africa since the spread of Islam and Christianity across the continent. The blending of traditional African religions and global mega-religions has existed since colonization, as the arrival of Islam and Christianity never erased the practice of traditional faiths. Moreover, the polytheistic tradition has been common across the continent, which has been conducive to the rise of religious pluralism. Similarly, Nigeria has also seen syncretism between Igbo Muslim and traditional African religions predating the rise of Chrislam, particularly in Lagos State. == See also ==