Who here is actually an Atheist living in Nigeria?

I'll be very surprised to see many that actually live in Nigeria as most of the posters here i.e. Huxley, Mazaje and so on are based abroad.

Please say so if you are, just curious.

Peace

Very good question bloodshed, if i had been born and bred in nigeria i don't think i would be have been an atheist due to the religious dogma doctrination etc. They don't teach evolution in schools there because they don't believe in it. But thanks to the power of the internet and people like you and me on nairaland  i believe small small a small minority of nigerians will begin to findout the truth about religion. 

No I know there are many in Nigeria but they're staying in the closet for obvious reasons (witch hunts, attacks etc).

I've been here for like 6 months now (I grew up in London, UK) and I'm still yet to find an atheist, or maybe they're just scared to say they are because they think I'll overreact, as I think they will lol. All I get here is stupid chicks at work or on the streets inviting me to their church and blah blah blah and the usual ''I feel sorry for you'' comment. But if someone tries to hurt me because of my non-beleif they its them that'll be bleeding on the floor, not me.
It was seriously cringeworthy for me when I heard my 8-year-old cousin believing and getting scared by those stupid Juju stories my idiot cousins were telling me, as if I should blindly believe what they're saying *shakes head*. My little cousin was terified and I kept assuring him that they were just stories and those idiot cousins kept saying NO, ITS TRUE, and I was like ''can't you see there's a kid here, he doesnt need to hear this''. I wanted to beat them up for that.
If you fill you're child's mind up with superstitious nonsense and images of Satan and Hellfire and so on then I don't care how nice of a person you are, you are SICK IN THE HEAD!! Actualy, maybe not so bad, because you yourself have been brainwashed so you don't even realise how much damage you're doing. I keep stresing to my god-children, and my other youngers that thinking critically regarding every aspect including religion is VERY IMPORTANT, and if you blindly follow anything then in life you'll be a victim.

I know there are some Atheists here in Naija though.

So people, PLEASE e-show yourselves.

And it'll be nice meet a chick (in the real world of course lol) who is an Atheist in Nigeria for a change, that'll be such a breath of fresh air, especially since most chicks in nigeria always preach bullshit when they're clearly the hoe-ish type.

I am one, I am presently living in Nigeria, I have learnt the hard way to keep a very low profile with regards to my beliefs because you could easily get killed or harmed if you openly display your disregard for religious beliefs here in Nigeria, but come to think of it most Nigerians believe in God or religion purely because of money, prosperity and what they believe the religion or the Gods they worship will offer unto them. I have come to realize that its all a farce that Nigerians put up to hide their evil minds and and intensions, despite all their very high and extraordinary beliefs(Gods, Juju, Human scarifice etc) they still are the worst people I know and I mean It. I have been to other countries that do not believe in any God or Gods and I can attest that the people in those countries are good to each other at least, besides their goodness for each other can be seen every where you go. But that can not be said of Nigeria. Nigerians feel more aligned to the people living in Gaza or Israel at the moment than their fellow Nigerians. You can't all claim to be very religious and higly moral and still have a country that is a cesspool, a country that remains in this very sorry state with little or no future to look up to.

I am one, I am presently living in Nigeria, I have learnt the hard way to keep a very low profile with regards to my beliefs because you could easily get killed or harmed if you openly display your disregard for religious beliefs here in Nigeria,

What closet? Tai Solarin was an atheist, and very widely respected. Wole Soyinka, as far as I know, is an atheist.

Seun:

What closet? Tai Solarin was an atheist, and very widely respected. Wole Soyinka, as far as I know, is an atheist.

They were rich, famous and excelled greatly in their field of academics, so their fame and money had them covered. Go to the market and start telling people that their is no God in Lagos or Kano and see what will happen to you. In short just go for a job interview and tell the interviewer that you are an atheist when he/she asks you for your religion and see what will happen. The bottom line is people will NEVER take you seriously if you tell them that you are an atheist. Most will treat you badly and feel it is their duty as christains or muslims to treat you badly because they believe you are the son of the imaginary devil even though they have never seen the devil  .

I thought Wole Soyinka was an Ogun worshipper.

Kongi is not an atheist he is an avowed Olakaaye Oshin-irunmole worshipper

bindex:

They were rich, famous and exceled greately in their field of acedemics, so their fame and money had them covered. Go to the market and start telling people that their is no God in Lagos or Kano and see what will happen to you. In short just go for a job interview and tell the interviewer that you are an atheist when he/she asks you for your religion and see what will happen. The bottom line is people will NEVER take you seriously if you tell them that you are an atheist. Most will treat you badly and feel it is their duty as christains or muslims to treat you badly because they believe you are the son of the imaginary devil even though they have never seen the devil  .

So you're based in Abuja too? And how did you ''learn the hard way''?

Thank goodness I'm not based in Lagos right now, or anywhere else in Naija for that matter. It's bad enough that the idiot cousin I was telling you about had my little cousin actually believing that I was a demon during that conversation just because I said I don't believe in Juju (I didnt even say I didnt believe in Christianity so imagine what could have happened then) until I had to stress the fact that I'm not and he eventually believed me. I swear I wanted to knife him up for that comment, not because I believe in imaginary beings like demons, but the fact that he was trying to imbed dangerous lies onto the mind of an eight-year old boy. And the poor boy was frightened of me for like 5 minutes. I love my little cousin to death, I'm like his big brother, I do everything for him, then this idiot is going to try to turn him against me with such lies. And for what? *Kisses teeth*

I'm not going to lie I'm fuming about that, I haven't been this angry for a while.

But this is typical of religious people. They are the worst group of people, especially African Muslims/Christians. That they will go as far as pulling off things like this just to prove a point, not realising how much damage is actually being done.

I am an atheist. And am proud to be one. I am a Nigerian and i have never left this country for once. i became what i am here and from here.
Though i don't come out preaching atheism but when u go into a religious dialogue with me, i cant help but expose my true identity.

i am an athiest living in Nigeria. though it is hard to be an athiest in Nigeria. i dont hide my opinion from friends and people close to me.

I am an atheist. Though I was born into a christian home, to a pastor (more or less), raised in a christian home, where we were raised to wake up by 5;30 a.m to pray, pray before every meal, pray before going to bed, e.t.c.
But when I got into the university, I had an epiphany, and realised just how silly this whole religious thing is.
I havent told my parents yet, as I believe that they just cant handle the truth yet, but I havent been to churc in over 6 years.

Blood_Shed:

So you're based in Abuja too? And how did you ''learn the hard way''?

Thank goodness I'm not based in Lagos right now, or anywhere else in Naija for that matter. It's bad enough that the idiot cousin I was telling you about had my little cousin actually believing that I was a demon during that conversation just because I said I don't believe in Juju (I didnt even say I didnt believe in Christianity so imagine what could have happened then) until I had to stress the fact that I'm not and he eventually believed me. I swear I wanted to knife him up for that comment, not because I believe in imaginary beings like demons, but the fact that he was trying to imbed dangerous lies onto the mind of an eight-year old boy. And the poor boy was frightened of me for like 5 minutes. I love my little cousin to death, I'm like his big brother, I do everything for him, then this idiot is going to try to turn him against me with such lies. And for what? *Kisses teeth*

I'm not going to lie I'm fuming about that, I haven't been this angry for a while.

But this is typical of religious people. They are the worst group of people, especially African Muslims/Christians. That they will go as far as pulling off things like this just to prove a point, not realising how much damage is actually being done.

I had the same experience about 3 weeks ago in Maiduguri, a guy was being mobbed for stealing another man's genitals, I had to intervene and plead with the ignorant blood sucking animals to please try and hear the guy out, to cut the story short I was accused of being one of the guys friend and accomplice because I said that I do not believe that a man can steal another man's genitals using magic,the entire story was a joke,we asked them to show us the guy whose genital was stolen and they showed us one guy in his mid 20s, my soldier friend asked them to show us his genitals so that we can confirm that it was stolen and some in the mob started to shout and say that Islamically its wrong for a man to see another man's genitals, how they knew that the guys genitals was stolen is what I just can't understand . If not because of my friend who is a military officer and was in uniform that was together with me I believe I would have been killed or mobbed. After the whole drama the guy now said that his genital has been returned . My friend together with some of the animal savages then took the accused person to the police station, when he became lucid he was asked to explain himself and he swore that he doesn't know what the people were talking about, the accused man said that he once did something very bad to the young man's uncle and the guy promised to revenge, he said he believes the young man's uncle sent the young man to set him up and disgrace him for the offence he did to him a very long time ago.The whole saga was just a joke. I have learnt not to say anything again to anybody again when it comes to any of these rubbish, nonsensical and stupid beliefs. Nigerians/Africans are just too blind and stupid. Its only in Africa that you hear this kind of ridiculous stories and yet we get mad and angry when white people call us animals. I still have some few months to finish my NYSC and after that goodbye Nigeria. Atheist are not welcomed here at all.

bindex:

I had the same experience about 3 weeks ago in Maiduguri, a guy was being mobbed for stealing another man's genitals, I had to intervene and plead with the ignorant blood sucking animals to please try and hear the guy out, to cut the story short I was accused of being one of the guys friend and accomplice because I said that I do not believe that a man can steal another man's genitals using magic,the entire story was a joke,we asked them to show us the guy whose genital was stolen and they showed us one guy in his mid 20s, my soldier friend asked them to show us his genitals so that we can confirm that it was stolen and some in the mob started to shout and say that Islamically its wrong for a man to see another man's genitals, how they knew that the guys genitals was stolen is what I just can't understand . If not because of my friend who is a military officer and was in uniform that was together with me I believe I would have been killed or mobbed. After the whole drama the guy now said that his genital has been returned . My friend together with some of the animal savages then took the accused person to the police station, when he became lucid he was asked to explain himself and he swore that he doesn't know what the people were talking about, the accused man said that he once did something very bad to the young man's uncle and the guy promised to revenge, he said he believes the young man's uncle sent the young man to set him up and disgrace him for the offence he did to him a very long time ago.The whole saga was just a joke. I have learnt not to say anything again to anybody again when it comes to any of these rubbish, nonsensical and stupid beliefs. Nigerians/Africans are just too blind and stupid. Its only in Africa that you hear this kind of ridiculous stories and yet we get mad and angry when white people call us animals. I still have some few months to finish my NYSC and after that goodbye Nigeria. Atheist are not welcomed here at all.

What a story! Africa is in dire straits and it appears to be getting worse. I had a thread here calling for more atheist activism in our communities. I think for political reasons, I should have worded this as rationalist activism. That would achieve the same goal without the theist finding the atheist confrontational.

Riff-Raff:

i am an athiest living in Nigeria. though it is hard to be an athiest in Nigeria. i don't hide my opinion from friends and people close to me.

Riff raff and

Ascony:

I am an atheist. And am proud to be one. I am a Nigerian and i have never left this country for once. i became what i am here and from here.
Though i don't come out preaching atheism but when u go into a religious dialogue with me, i can't help but expose my true identity.

Ascony i take my hat off to both u guys. To become an atheist in a country like Nigeria is one thing, but to openly argue your opinions is another. Whenever i visit Nigeria i hardly voice out my opinions i ususally keep my views to myself. But u can u both please briefly jist me on what made u become atheists? 

I agree with manmustwac, it is not easy to openly proclaim oneself as an atheist in Nigeria or to even broach the possibility that God does not exist, Bindex, Riff-Raff and Ascony; you guys must be quite courageous and we do need more people like you in Nigeria if the country is to rise from its present greed/religion induced comatose state.

bindex:

I had the same experience about 3 weeks ago in Maiduguri, a guy was being mobbed for stealing another man's genitals, I had to intervene and plead with the ignorant blood sucking animals to please try and hear the guy out, to cut the story short I was accused of being one of the guys friend and accomplice because I said that I do not believe that a man can steal another man's genitals using magic,the entire story was a joke,we asked them to show us the guy whose genital was stolen and they showed us one guy in his mid 20s, my soldier friend asked them to show us his genitals so that we can confirm that it was stolen and some in the mob started to shout and say that Islamically its wrong for a man to see another man's genitals, how they knew that the guys genitals was stolen is what I just can't understand . If not because of my friend who is a military officer and was in uniform that was together with me I believe I would have been killed or mobbed. After the whole drama the guy now said that his genital has been returned . My friend together with some of the animal savages then took the accused person to the police station, when he became lucid he was asked to explain himself and he swore that he doesn't know what the people were talking about, the accused man said that he once did something very bad to the young man's uncle and the guy promised to revenge, he said he believes the young man's uncle sent the young man to set him up and disgrace him for the offence he did to him a very long time ago.The whole saga was just a joke. I have learnt not to say anything again to anybody again when it comes to any of these rubbish, nonsensical and stupid beliefs. Nigerians/Africans are just too blind and stupid. Its only in Africa that you hear this kind of ridiculous stories and yet we get mad and angry when white people call us animals. I still have some few months to finish my NYSC and after that goodbye Nigeria. Atheist are not welcomed here at all.

You're serving here too? That's why I'm here LOL. Jeez.

Where did you grow up?

You in Batch B? Because I know Batch A finish in February so I'm guessing by a few months you mean July? Explain lol

But LMFAO Damn, this is typical in Africa. When I was debating with my idiot cousin that time, I always asked him why this stuff only happens in Africa, or Black African/Caribbean communities abroad, i.e. London, Brazil, US etc, and not to your regular Sally and Pat (white people basically lol). Then he was like ''they do, you just don't know'', and I asked him how he even knows how it works and then he started calling me a demon etc. *shakes head*. How gullible can people be? I asked him whether the western superstition idea of cracking a mirror and receiving seven years of bad luck is true and he said no, and I was like ''why? It's the same thing, why is yours true, they both have no evidence?'' then he just said Ineed to ''believe in it to understand''. *shakes head*.

I won't lie, the longer I've been here the more I realise that as much as I'm liking my stay in Nigeria, I can't se myself living here, even if there are more job opportunities out here for me than in the UK. I might just look at America or Canada as a place to settle in the future instead.

@okijajuju
my guy , how can we relate? hook me up on YIM abeg. we really need to get in touch because u are the only atheist i know here in Nigeria.
I also think that seun (nairaland CEO)is an atheist too. abeg someone shud tell him to come and identify himself.

Ascony i take my hat off to both u guys. To become an atheist in a country like Nigeria is one thing, but to openly argue your opinions is another. Whenever i visit Nigeria i hardly voice out my opinions i ususally keep my views to myself. But u can u both please briefly jist me on what made u become atheists? Smiley Smiley

well, as for how i became an atheist, it was a long and gradual process before i finally realised that the God philosophy is a fake.
i think if u go to my profile, click on "show last post" scroll down down, u will see some of my old posts where i narrated my journy to atheism.

its a long long story and i dont have much time to start now, but i will later

Blood_Shed:

You're serving here too? That's why I'm here LOL. Jeez.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Kano mostly, but lived in Benue and Niger state while growing up.

You in Batch B? Because I know Batch A finish in February so I'm guessing by a few months you mean July? Explain lol

Yes I will finish in July.

But LMFAO Damn, this is typical in Africa. When I was debating with my idiot cousin that time, I always asked him why this stuff only happens in Africa, or Black African/Caribbean communities abroad, i.e. London, Brazil, US etc, and not to your regular Sally and Pat (white people basically lol). Then he was like ''they do, you just don't know'', and I asked him how he even knows how it works and then he started calling me a demon etc. *shakes head*. How gullible can people be? I asked him whether the western superstition idea of cracking a mirror and receiving seven years of bad luck is true and he said no, and I was like ''why? It's the same thing, why is yours true, they both have no evidence?'' then he just said Ineed to ''believe in it to understand''. *shakes head*.

I won't lie, the longer I've been here the more I realise that as much as I'm liking my stay in Nigeria, I can't se myself living here, even if there are more job opportunities out here for me than in the UK. I might just look at America or Canada as a place to settle in the future instead.
 

December 2008 and Nigerians are still killing each other over stolen genitals , People still believe that if you kill and scarifice another person to the imaginary demons or devils you will become super rich Its really pathetic. I am presently touring the Country and LMAO while doing my NYSC . Its really stupid and wired how our people think and reason. Witch here witch there, God this, Jesus that, Allah this, Prophet Mohammed that, Its CRAZY. Apart from poverty, disease and premature death what have Nigerians really got to show for their over religious activities? I have an athiest friend that studied in Coventry who is seriously considering becoming a pastor because according to him that is where the money at these days in Nigeria , he told me about his intension in the NYSC camp. Nigeria is fun any way because unbelievable things are happening here. Mass delusion and utmost stupidity is the order of the day. Nigerians are hopelessly blind.

I respect people that become atheist in nigeria.The religious indoctrinations,man made impossibilities and superstitions is too blind folding to see differently,the brain seems useless because every thing depends and evolves around the supernatural.

I found my true self and meaning of life outside nigeria.

redsun:

I respect people that become atheist in nigeria.The religious indoctrinations,man made impossibilities and superstitions is too blind folding to see differently,the brain seems useless because every thing depends and evolves around the supernatural.

I found my true self and meaning of life outside nigeria.

This is the perfect description of Nigeria. People will almost fight you when you tell them that you do not believe in witches or wizards. Its Super CRAZY. People are truly driven by fear, fear this fear that, never trust this, never trust that, fear the unknown fear every body around you, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear. White people would not have been able to create the aeroplane if they had this level of ridiculous and nonsensical fear, would they?

@Bindex

It is refreshing to see that gems do somehow come from the murkiest of cesspools, you don't fit the image of the typical Nigerian but you are definitely the image of what the typical Nigerian should be (if we are to have any modicum of development and peace in that country), I mean well travelled about the country, open minded about religion e.t.c.

I really hope you're able to achieve your dream of moving outside the country to get first hand experience of other cultures for a while after you are through with your NYSC, you do deserve the best Time and chance have to offer you in my opinion.

I am one, my mum, my dad my whole family just thinks its a phase, my friends think I have been one all my life, my girlfriend suspects but she cannot know.
My motto: Shut your mouth until you are asked, think before you talk or be ready to loose a lot.

bindex:

I grew up in Kano mostly, but lived in Benue and Niger state while growing up.

Yes I will finish in July.

December 2008 and Nigerians are still killing each other over stolen genitals , People still believe that if you kill and scarifice another person to the imaginary demons or devils you will become super rich Its really pathetic. I am presently touring the Country and LMAO while doing my NYSC . Its really stupid and wired how our people think and reason. Witch here witch there, God this, Jesus that, Allah this, Prophet Mohammed that, Its CRAZY. Apart from poverty, disease and premature death what have Nigerians really got to show for their over religious activities? I have an athiest friend that studied in Coventry who is seriously considering becoming a pastor because according to him that is where the money at these days in Nigeria , he told me about his intension in the NYSC camp. Nigeria is fun any way because unbelievable things are happening here. Mass delusion and utmost stupidity is the order of the day. Nigerians are hopelessly blind.

Were you in Kubwa camp? I swear I probably know you lol.

How do you send PM's? I seem to be finding trouble with that?

Trust me, I mention becoming a pastor to my friend for a laugh back in London becaue of all the money that can be made and he just laughed at the fact that all those pastors in Nigeria all have the same motives, yet all those gulible fools still dont question, asking me not to ''judge them''. At the end of the day, those in theVatican and other denominations are just raking the cash in, so the retards who follow religion over science are useful to them.

Chrisbenogor:

I am one, my mum, my dad my whole family just thinks its a phase, my friends think I have been one all my life, my girlfriend suspects but she cannot know.
My motto: Shut your mouth until you are asked, think before you talk or be ready to loose a lot.

Yeah my mum thinks its a phase for me too but I'm just like ''no''. My sister knows its not a phase, same for my bro. I remember when I heard my aunty praying one time saying ''may *insert name* continue to worship you'' with alot of passion, and I just whispered ''no he wont'' as if I were God responding. Everyone laughed, even she laughed LOOL.

At the end of the day the white man has moved on from this nonsense, thats why they are miles ahead of us.

Blood_Shed:

Were you in Kubwa camp? I swear I probably know you lol.

How do you send PM's? I seem to be finding trouble with that?

No, I am presently serving in kaduna state but my familiy lives in Abuja. I dont know how to send PMs here.

At the end of the day the white man has moved on from this nonsense, thats why they are miles ahead of us.

I was shocked to death when I went to europe and saw that the white people do not believe in christainity(even though the religion partly originated from there) or any religion for that matter. Even those of them that believe are mostly deist. Nigerians waste their time depending on imaginary Gods and miracles to help deliver them from their miseries and man made sufferings. White people are thinking about how to develop futher all the time for example by thinking and developing ways on how to end their dependency on fossil fuel in 50 years, while Nigerians are busy thinking of how Jesus or Allah will come and bring an end to the entire world as we know it and take them to their imaginary heavens in 20 years time. Its really pathetic.

bindex:

No, I am presently serving in kaduna state but my familiy lives in Abuja. I dont know how to send PMs here.

I see.

bindex:

I was shocked to death when I went to europe and saw that the white people do not believe in christainity(even though the religion partly originated from there) or any religion for that matter. Even those of them that believe are mostly deist. Nigerians waste their time depending on imaginary Gods and miracles to help deliver them from their miseries and man made sufferings. White people are thinking about how to develop futher all the time for example by thinking and developing ways on how to end their dependency on fossil fuel in 50 years, while Nigerians are busy thinking of how Jesus or Allah will come and bring an end to the entire world as we know it and take them to their imaginary heavens in 20 years time. Its really pathetic.

It's really sad. They are wasting their time, and ultimately their lives waiting for something that'll never happen. They live and die by mythology. Yet they have the cheek to say they feel sorry for me? *Shakes head*. And people are willing to kill each other for it as well? It really is sad.

Growing up in London, most of the overly religious people I knew were Black (whether African or Caribean etc), Asian, Arab, basically anybody that isn't a white Anglo-Saxon Brit. But even the Irish Catholics don't go over the top, its mostly the Blacks and South Asians that go over the top, and the Arabs too. I never heard Juju stories or any supernatual farytales from any white people, not one. I always used to wonder why that was the case.

I bet those missionaries and slavedrivers who converted Africans to Christianity and Islam are rolling over their graves like ''damn, I didnt mean fo all this, I created a monster''. No lie.

My motto: Shut your mouth until you are asked, think before you talk or be ready to loose a lot.

oh yes, i see we have a sizable atheist community on Nairaland. seun is an atheist, i thought we all knew this already

nice. A community of athiests here eh.

I know there are more Atheists here, show urselves lol

hello, i am the proudest atheist in the whole wide world, and cannot bring myself to belive that farce called religion,but that does not mean i go around braging about it,cause we all kow that if anything happens,christians will be the first to rise up and say that serves him right,they may even go as far as harming you just to prove their point,i have learnt my lesson.

Atheist here!!


I've been one for as long as I can remember, I had a pretty sheltered childhood in terms of socializing etc. So I always had a lot of "me time" to think about the universe etc, but the most powerful "religion repellents" to me was all the ridiculous contradictions in the bible. Personally the more I learnt about "God" the more I started to think, "wow this guy is quite an a**hole".

Anyway growing up in Naija, I never really shared my "sinful and blasphemous " thoughts with anyone except my closest friends, who would still verbally crucify me for having those beliefs(or lack of). But it was all in good fun, I guess they just assumed I was some attention seeking twit who would eventually "see the light" and "find God" pshh.

Kept my views from my family, not to protect myself from their wrath but to protect them from the worry that their son is a "blasphemer" and will "burn in hell forever".
I know no rational argument will ever convince them that there is no god so I just pretend to believe in god so they feel secure in their son's ability to make it to "heaven"

When I got to secondary school I became alot more "blasphemous" and would get into some serious arguments with my friends, I earned the nicknames "demon" and "satan" which I carried with pride.

Fast forward to college, moved to the states, met more atheists, felt less like an outcast. These days I'm not really combative about my beliefs, "live and let live" right?

I think the world will eventually realize that superstitious beliefs are for the most part bad for us, and as "ideas" just like "biological traits" are subject to natural selection, the ones that don't enhance our survival will eventually be phased out*

*The only quirk there is what if the environment changes in such a way that having superstitious beliefs actually are helpful to survival (which is the case in a lot of third world countries, and which is why I don't particularly judge those that carry such beliefs)

But every now and then I like to have a little bit of fun with the crazies and start an internet flame war.