He was tall, dark and handsome. As his ebony skin glistened in the sunlight, he looked like a Nigerian king. John Lawale was introduced to Jesus by the preaching of Josephine Scaggs, a Southern Baptist missionary from Sapulpa, Okla. She…
An interview with a Nigerian orphanage founder in custody battle with a state government
In terms of paying a price for one’s work or commitment, Solomon Musa Tarfa has seen and experienced a lot. Starting off as an evangelical worker for a U.S. faith organization in his native Nigeria — which involved teaching the…
Pastors, politics and the unending controversies about prophecies in Nigeria
Politics and prophesies go together in Nigeria, where a recent presidential election brought out religious figures speaking of divine visions. Weeks ahead of Nigeria’s election, a video of Passion Java, a Zimbawean pastor, made the rounds. In the video, Java…
USCIRF ‘outraged’ by omission of Nigeria and India from State Department’s List of Countries of Particular Concern
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has expressed outrage that the U.S. Department of State did not include Nigeria or India in its latest designations of Countries of Particular Concern. Although a government organization, the USCIRF does not have the same…
Amazed by its win against the U.S., Nigeria’s U-17 soccer team ascribes its victory to God
In the usual post-match analysis of soccer matches, many players and coaches like to ascribe their team’s success to tactics and skills. Some openly talk about God’s influence. One such team is the Nigerian Women’s U-17 soccer team that participated…
USCIRF warns of dangerous use of blasphemy laws in Nigeria
Blasphemy laws and their discriminatory enforcement are becoming another major threat to religious liberty in Nigeria, according to a report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The USCIRF study also found that blasphemy bans contained in the nation’s…
USCIRF again draws attention to attacks on worshipers ahead of country’s independence anniversary
Four days before anniversary celebrations of Nigeria’s independence from Britain, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom issued yet another statement condemning attacks on worshipers in the country. The terrorist attack reportedly claimed 15 lives. It happened in Bukkuyum, which…
Violence in Nigeria threatens religious freedom for Christians and Muslims alike, USICRF reports
Religious intolerance and deep partisan divides have given rise to nonstate actor violence in Nigeria that increasingly threatens freedom of belief and practice in a nation once known for its widespread religious diversity, according to a new report by the…
Is Nigeria really the world’s most dangerous place for Christians?
Over the past several months, two Christian NGOs — Open Doors and the Voice of the Martyrs — have been persistent in their claims about religious violence in Nigeria. Both organizations believe the many acts of terror recorded in the…