ABSTRACT

Religion can serve as a strong tool in fostering development in any country, but when not properly managed it can also mar same. In this case, the negative effect comes when man fails to assert himself existentially but depends absolutely on religion to do everything for him. More often than not, he resorts to seeking for spiritual solution to most of his existential problems in various prayer houses. The consequences of such approach to issues cannot be far- fetched as it leaves the individual’s rational faculty dormant, and such individual cannot positively effect a desired change in himself and his environment. No wonder a country like Nigeria whose religiosity is high is still labeled a third- world country. This work is a wake-up call to all Nigerians who still wallow in religiosity to wake up and take charge of their existence. The work employs the philosophical methods of evaluation and appraisal. However, the work does not condemn the practice of religion in its totality, rather it decries the extreme notion in the minds of most Nigerians as it has a negative implication.