The Uke Stampede

EDITORIAL
Last weekend, 28 congregants at the Adoration Prayer ground of St. Dominic Catholic Church, Uke, Anambra State, died during a stampede that ensued when loyalists of political gladiators in the state brought politics into religion. Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obinma, who usually organises sessions for prayers, healing and spiritual retreats, is a crowd puller. That Saturday's spiritual session attracted an estimated 100,000 worshippers. Anambrarians, like most south-easterners, are sharply split into Catholics, Protestants and pockets of Pentecostal denominations of the same Christian religion.

The tragedy happened because Governor Peter Obi allegedly seized the opportunity of the coincidence of the day with the Feast of All Saints to start campaigning for the gubernatorial candidate of his party, when he was asked to address the crowd. This was great indiscretion on the part of both the organisers and the governor. Expectedly, it attracted shouts of disapproval, causing security aides of the governor to fire teargas into the crowd. Another report alleged sabotage when people raised false alarm of fire. Whichever version is correct, it is a sad signal that political Neanderthals have continued to exploit and mix politics with religion.

With increasing religious diversity alongside ever more sophisticated micro-targeting, religion may just be a sullen partner with politics, especially the Nigerian version. But then, the "melting pot" is clearly not melting. Instead, it bubbles and boils with ferment, confusion, division and theological competition in the way it shapes the public sphere and governance. Ignorance of this precept precipitated these needless and avoidable deaths. It also foreshadows the discomforting dimensions that the gubernatorial election in the state on November 16 portends.

The south-east chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in its reaction, angrily banned all political campaigns in churches across the zone. The directive is coming too late. While it is not unconstitutional to campaign in places of worship, it should be borne in mind that things that are legally permissible may still be damaging. Religious tolerance and political discourse have limitations. They have a pernicious mix - like manure and ice cream. It doesn't do much to the manure but it sure does ruin the ice cream. Such strange bedfellows should be discouraged from cohabiting. It is not illegal to use a prayer rally to expand on public discourse but, like the Uke case has shown, it is an inappropriate decision for people in political contest in a volatile state like Anambra.

We also do not feel comfortable with the alacrity with which the state government set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the remote causes of the incident. It is unacceptable under the rule of law: Governor Obi cannot be a judge in his own case. That panel should be disbanded immediately. An independent panel of enquiry at the national level should take the place of the Obi panel to unravel the mystery of the stampede, and those found culpable should be sanctioned.