COVID-19, food and freedom to worship: An analytic approach to Nigeria's religioscape

ABSTRACT

Thinking about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Slavoj Zizek (Pandemic Covid-19 Shakes the World. New York and London Or Books, 2020 3) says "It is only now, when I have to avoid many of those who are close to me, that I fully experience their presence, their importance to me." The outbreak of the COVID-19 and its global spread have continued to have diverse effects on humanity. Some literature, commentaries, policies and preliminary studies have since been had focusing on different dimensions of the pandemic at global levels. Although a few theological and religious commentaries have emerged, this present work focuses on the polemic undergirding food and freedom (to worship) discourse, which is in turn defining the relationship between the church and state in Nigeria. Why would the government place higher premium on food by allowing the markets to open and shut down religious houses? When is food more important than freedom or freedom more important than food? These questions and more others become pertinent in the sudden awareness that COVID-19 has placed on humanity. Using historical and theological approaches, I will analyze how the sharp realization of the importance of food and freedom during COVID-19 is affecting the secularity of Nigeria. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023. All rights reserved.