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Christianity: The Religious Arm of the Colonial Master And The Question Of Coexistence

Islam, from its very foundation, established a clear principle of religious coexistence and protection of human dignity. In the Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad (saw) Allah commands that places of worship, churches, synagogues, and monasteries, must be protected. This divine instruction was not theoretical; it was implemented in practice. When authority in Madinah rested in the hands of the Prophet, non-Muslims lived under protection, enjoying freedom of worship, security of life, and dignity under Islamic law. That is the Islam known to history, an Islam of justice, restraint, and tolerance.

However, the story took a different turn with the advent of colonialism wrapped in modern Christianity. Colonisation did not come merely as a religious encounter or peaceful propagation of faith; it came with a clear political and ideological agenda—to rule, dominate, and reorder societies. Missionaries often functioned as the religious arm of the colonial master, softening the ground for imperial control while reshaping indigenous cultures, laws, and identities.

In Northern Nigeria, this agenda manifested violently. The assassination of Sultan Muhammad Tahir I of Sokoto, the last independent Sultan of the Sokoto Caliphate, alongside members of his family, symbolised not just the fall of political authority but the destruction of a long-standing Islamic governance system. This was not religious dialogue; it was conquest.

It must be stated clearly that not all Christians share this legacy or mindset. There are liberal Christians who genuinely believe in peaceful coexistence and harbour no hatred toward Muslims. These individuals support justice, mutual respect, and religious freedom. Unfortunately, they are often overshadowed by a more dominant group—those who act as ideological agents, consciously or unconsciously continuing a mission of control and exclusion.

One cannot ignore the persistent resistance faced by Muslims over basic religious rights, particularly the hijab. From schools to workplaces, Muslim women have had to fight through courts and prolonged legal battles—for what should be a simple constitutional freedom. These struggles are not imagined; they are documented realities. They reflect an unwillingness by some to accept Islam as an equal faith in the public space.

In Yorubaland, the often-celebrated peaceful coexistence between Christianity and Islam did not occur by accident. It is largely sustained by Muslim tolerance and patience. Muslims endured decades of exclusion from missionary-controlled education, waited through long legal processes for recognition of their rights, and consistently chose dialogue over confrontation. The question, therefore, deserves to be asked honestly: who has been more tolerant in practice, Muslims or Christians?

Muslims did not arrive in these lands as conquerors through colonial force. Christianity, in its modern Nigerian form, largely came alongside colonial administration. Christian met Muslims here, and Muslims tolerated them, lived with them, and shared communities with them. That tolerance is not weakness; it is strength rooted in Islamic teachings.

What Muslims are saying today is simple and reasonable: you met us here, we tolerated you, and we continue to tolerate you. True coexistence is not achieved by domination or suppression but by mutual respect. When tolerance is reciprocal, peace thrives. When it is one-sided, tension grows.

Nigeria’s development and unity depend on acknowledging historical truths, correcting present injustices, and committing sincerely to religious freedom for all. Tolerance must not be demanded only from Muslims; it must be practiced by everyone. Only then can peace, justice, and development truly take root.

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