1765: Moninuola Komolafe on Leaving Christianity and Nonbelief in Nigeria
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Medium (Personal)
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2026/10/14
“Religion was a major part of my family especially because my father owns a church. I began participating in three-day fasts, revivals, and vigils when I was barely eight years old.”
“Occasionally, I had doubts but the turning point came at an outreach my church organized sometime in 2012. About eight of us laid hands on this madman on the street. He appeared healed and we had a crowd behind us chanting and praising Jesus but looking at him, I didn’t think he was healed. We later realized this and two of us shipped him out of that community so that our ministry activities could continue because we knew people would question the message if they saw the man we healed roaming the streets. That raised questions that I just couldn’t push aside. Why wasn’t he healed? Why wouldn’t god heal him and convert unbelievers? Are miracles real? If miracles aren’t real, isn’t the bible just an ordinary book? Can the book be trusted?”
“I followed this questions and when I got my answers, I realized I no longer believed the Bible and its message.”
“Religion influenced impacted almost every aspect of our lives, from proscriptions against alcohol to relationships between people of different religions, to dictating how women should dress and how homes should be run, even sexual relations between unmarried people. It also played a major role on law-making with lawmakers refusing to pass laws on issues where their religious books had opposing views. Today, the influence remains but no longer has a stronghold because people are asking questions and are coming to the realization that times are changing and that some of those practices should become obsolete.”
“The truth, however, is that we do not apply faith to everything. We conduct investigations before moving to new locations. We check if the place is not constantly robbed if there’s constant power supply. We immunize our kids too and not rely on supernatural protection. Why not something that impacts our lives as much as religion?”
“For those that came out of my kind of setting, the absence of evidence to support the miraculous claims of the bible was a push for them. For others, it was the ridiculous stories of the bible and the disparities with our reality.” in-sightpublishing.com
“Growing but largely closed because the consequences can be severe for some. I have a number of young unbelievers who are feigning faith so they can have a roof over their heads or continue to enjoy their parent’s financial support. However, with online communities, both the openly irreligious and the anonymous ones have a breathing space.”
“Religion is infused into almost every aspect of the Nigerian society and has been a hindrance in fighting issues such as inequality. How do you make laws that establish equality between the sexes when the lawmakers believe that women are not equal to men because their religious books teach that the man is the head and the woman is to submit to the man? How do you protect young girls from underage marriage when you have Muslim lawmakers who can wave their religious books and claim divine permission for such? Gay marriage is also forbidden on the same grounds.”
“With regards to elections, all a politician needs is to get the support of a major church leader and he can secure their votes. The question of his competency or suitability is discarded because a certain general overseer has approved him. Religion is everywhere and it is a menace that needs to be checked.”
“We need to bring up more discussions about religion both online and offline, establish forums where religion is questioned. I am part of a Whatsapp group called Believers and Skeptics where we have members invite religious people and skeptics alike to ‘defend’ their beliefs. We have had a few religious people leave their faiths based on group discussions. I believe that having similar groups spring up will definitely play some role in reducing religiosity.”
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