RELIGIOUS EXPLOITATION

IN
ADEYEYE ADETUTU’S SACRILEGE AND TADE ADEDIGBIN’S “THE
SAINT”

CHAPTER 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Princess Adeyeye Adetutu hails from Ise-Ekiti, Ekiti State. She attended Elite
Primary School, Ise Ekiti. She proceeded to Mary Immaculate Grammar School, Ado-
Ekiti for her secondary education which she completed at Mercy Grammar School Ado-
Ekiti. She later studied Medical Laboratory Technology, Akure. Princess Adeyeye
Adetutu is currently a staff of Ekiti State University Health Centre, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
She is a prolific motivational and literary writer. She is the author of Didactic
Message. She also has other yet to be published works. As a chosen ideology, the writer
delights in building lives and making positive social impacts.
Sacrilege is a play that projects the traditional African culture. King Adelegan
rides on the vehicle of the tradition of his people to become their king but later chooses to
desecrate same. Propelled at the immediate level by the false information from his
daughter and remotely by his blind embrace of western culture and disdain for his
people’s belief, he does the unspeakable. The consequences are what stands out the play
as one projecting its convictions.
On the other hand, Tade Adegbindin holds a doctorate degree in philosophy from
the University of Ibadan where he is a lecturer. He was a consistent feature writer for
Stranger Than Fiction, and Weekend Fiction, two thought-provoking columns of The
Sketch. He is the author of Rage and The Last Verse.
The Saint is a social satire. It exposes some of the social ills in society. It is the
story of a father and son, each strong-willed, loquacious, learned, rebellious and highly
opinionated. Ladepo, a teacher-turned pastor is a hypocrite who carried the Bible in the
day and sought occultic powers in the night. Ladepo, with the use of his father’s spiritual
powers, opened a church where he performs miracles. because he wants to make a lot of
money, and with the support of his father’s spiritual activities, he was able to perform a
lot of miracles. The people who attend his church did not know that those powers are
from occultic power. People in the city do come to consult Baba Agba in Alabata Village
where he live. Men and women, soldiers, traders, politicians and others do consult him
too for either promotion or protection. Even his grandson Aremu is amazed by the
number of people and quality personnel that visits his grandfather. Ladepo had to send
his son, Aremu, to London to study theology in a seminary school. This is because
Aremu went against his father’s choice, insisting that he wants to study philosophy.
Though Ladepo already had prepared his son to study a course in religious studies at a
university so that he can take over from him.

As time goes on, Baba Agba kicked the bucket (i.e. he died). His son who is a
hypocrite refused to attend the burial of his father. His reason was that his father was a
pagan. Despite that he collected money from his church members, they still commend
him for not willing to attend his father’s burial, not knowing that he is a hypocrite. After
insisting not to go to London, Aremu finally accept and travel with Rev. Ferguson who is
his father’s friend to study Theology. But Aremu went on to study his dream course,
which is philosophy. He got a degree in philosophy, then returned home, got a job and
married too. When Aremu visited his grandmother, she told him how they burnt her
husband’s shrine and other objects of worship. She converted to Christianity, while all
Baba Agba’s legacy was burnt to ashes. Aremu’s wife, Adetoun, made sure that a
reconciliation meeting was fixed with Pastor Ladepo. Atiba, Yele, who are Aremu’s
uncles, including his mother, were present in the meeting. The meeting ended in a
quarrelsome way. Aremu had to send his father out of his house. Jimi accompanied
Aremu to a shrine in Irefin village. At that place, Ladepo and Aremu met each other.
They had gone to seek the blessings of the gods when they collided. Aremu came to look
for a solution to his wife’s infertility (unable to conceive a child). During Aremu’s search
for solution to his wife infertility, he was duped by Alamutu. When he found out, he left
him and decided to visit another native doctor. He later went to visit Fawolu, where his
father (Ladepo) receives spiritual powers. Each time Ladepo comes there for renewal of
spiritual strength, he does lie to his wife that he is going for a Christian conference at Ile-
ife. And that was a deep secret his wife never knew about.

At Fawolu’s shrine, both Ladepo and Aremu were present for their personal
issues. Fawolu the native doctor didn’t even know that Ladepo is the father of Aremu.
The native doctor told Aremu that the cause of his wife’s infertility is not from his/her
organ. He went ahead to tell Aremu that the issue is from the atrocities his father
committed. His father have been using a lot of innocent souls for sacrifice. Immediately
his father was about to offer sacrifice with a cloth he brought, Aremu and his friend
jumped at Ladepo. He ran away and left the shrine. The native doctor started begging
Aremu and Jimi for forgiveness. On the other hand, Ladepo had an accident along Ibadan
– Ife expressway. The news came on the television, and Aremu was shocked, suggesting
that his father (Ladepo) must have committed suicide to avoid embarrassment, shame and
unveiling of the atrocities he committed.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY.

NIGERIA is a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse federation, which consists of 36
autonomous states and the Federal Capital Territory. Apart from this indispensable fact, it
is also religiously diverse but the two most prominent religions practised are Islam and
Christianity.
As rightly said by Jonathan Swift: “We have just enough religion to make us hate,
but not enough to make us love one another”; such exactly is the case in Nigeria.
Religion that is supposed to keep people together in love has turned into a cord of enmity
leading to an irresolvable difference between the already disjointed tribal groups’
problems.
Nigeria was amalgamated in 1914, only about a decade after the defeat of the Sokoto
Caliphate and other Islamic states by the British, which were to constitute much of
Northern Nigeria.
Going further, in Nigeria, violent religious crises, more especially between
Christians and Muslims have claimed thousands of lives and property worth hundreds of
millions of naira have been destroyed. For example, between 1980 and 1992, 26 religious
riots were recorded with death toll put at 6,775, official figures. In 1993 the Human
Rights Committee, an independent body of 18 experts selected through a UN process,
described religion or belief as “theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the
right not to profess any religion or belief”.
In addition, Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that
everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes
freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with
others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice,
worship and observance.
Unfortunately, the reverse is the case in Nigeria as the two most prominent
religions are at loggerheads over which religion is supreme and which religion should
dominate. This in effect has turned what should be the basis of peace to war, and this
makes one wonder what generated the enmity. Research shows that the 1980s saw an
upsurge in violence due to the death of Mohammed Marwa (“Maitatsine”). In the same
decade, the military ruler of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida, enrolled Nigeria in the
Organisation of Islamic Conference.
This was a move, which aggravated religious tensions in the country, particularly
among the Christian community. In response, some in the Muslim community pointed
out that certain other African member states have smaller proportions of Muslims, as well
as Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with the Holy Sea. The fear of domination is a major
problem fuelling the religious crisis in Nigeria. Despite that, the country is battling with
the fear of domination of a particular tribe over the others; the two most eminent religions
are also engaging in a battle for supremacy.
 As rightly reasoned out by Voltaire: ”If you have two religions in your land, the
two will cut each other’s throats; but if you have 30 religions, they dwell in peace”. These
two religions are in disagreement owing to the higher percentage they each share in the
population of the country compared to the percentage shared by the other religions.
The rule of law has been displaced and there is no respect for human right of
freedom to practise their chosen religions and human lives are wasted on daily basis
under the aegis of religion. Factors stimulating poverty in Nigeria”, that poor access to
education is a major problem aiding poverty in Nigeria; poverty ensues from lack of
education and education brings about enlightenment. It should be stated that even some
youths who are enlightened and educated are still not worried or bothered about their
rights as they tend to be more prayerful than voting. They believe God will come down to
elect a leader for them.
Gabriel once showed a video of youths praying violently in a church and wrote:
“The only way to know a lost generation is to understand that while their DEAD
and DYING GRANDFATHERS are busy campaigning round the country, they are inside
the church halls praying to a God who CANNOT be fooled as the youths have been
FOOLED, first by the religion and then by themselves. Considering Nigeria which is the
focus of this project, religion is one of the factors that make Nigerians in fact people
prefer to be religious than humanity.
Chiluba Kabinga puts it, Religious Exploitation refers to making use of spiritual ideas
for personal gain or selfish motives. In other words, religion becomes a means of
acquiring wealth and fame and not a way to help people. Religious Exploitation occurs
when religious leaders use their power or influence to take advantage of people by
manipulating them to provide money, sexual favours and even property in exchange for
healing and financial transformation. Spiritual leaders often ply on the faith and
especially the ignorance of people to meet their selfish ends.”
In his poem "DO-GOODER’ Olu Obafemi, a lecturer at the University of Ilorin,
Department of Dramatci Arts condemns the deceitful nature of most of our religious
leaders, who live big at the expense of their poor and ignorant but devoted followers . He
painted religious leaders as hypocrites. They deceive their adherents by asking them to
close their eyes against the things of this world while the so called Pastors, Imams,
Aladuras and the Babalawos open their own eyes towards the luxuries of this life.
Also, in The Saint by Tade Adegbindin which is a social satire. The Playwright
uncovers a few of the social ills in society. It is the story of a father and child, each
strong-willed, talkative, learned, defiant and exceedingly opinionated. Baba Agba was a
reliable businessman who was steadfast to his clients and everyone who associating with
him until his death. To his father's daunt, he chose the conventional hone and way of life,
in spite of his father's wishes for him to connect the vineyard. He was unyielding almost
his position from the begin, and he never let anyone else appreciate his life for himself.
It should be noted that religious exploitation crosses all other spheres of life,
including politics, religion, marriage, childbearing, Parenting etc. It is not just restricted
to religious leaders and tradition, politicians have found their way into the religious
groups as they tend to influence the decision of the electorate to vote for them. As we can
see even in the choice of running mate by a presidential or governorship flag bearer,
religion plays a prominent role as all religions want to be represented and their voice
must be heard. It was discovered that some religious leaders are now campaigning for a
particular candidate because the said candidate is of the same religion with them. In spite
of the protests for freedom of religion and other fundamental human rights, some people
still enforce their will on their children, followers as majority of parents and religious
followers are now “spiritual capitalist|” Islam, simply put, forbids women from
participating in leadership, religion, or political activities of a nation; this is one of the
problems that feminism (either Western or African) is fighting against. Islam holds that
women are not meant to lead but rather to stay indoors while the husband runs errands.
Also parents influence the decision of their children on choice of religion
irrespective of the child’s age. Some children honour and obey religious leaders than their
parents which later degenerates to violence, indiscipline and social vices. Influence is the
effect that somebody or someone has on a way a person thinks or behaves. It is the power
that somebody has to make someone behave in a particular way.
 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is the aim of this research to elucidate the various shades and attributes of in
Religious exploitation in Africa studying " Sacrilege" by Adeyeye Adetutu and "The
Saint " by Tade Adegbindin and at the same time look at the role of religion and its
contribution to the development of Africa. Even though there are many religions in
African with three predominant religion - Christianity, Islam and traditional religion. It
would be discovered that all of them have traces of exploitation in them. For instance, it
is a belief in Islam that anyone that fight for his God and also dies in its course would
resurrect in their paradise which means they would automatically entered into paradise
and at the same time have access to different virgins in the paradise. Also, the project
will also educate the effects of religious exploitation on the society and how it affects
homes with children becoming disobedient to their parents all in the name of obeying the
tenet of their religion as well as their religious leaders., the negative impact of parental
influence on child's choice of what religion to do using the experience of Aremu in The
Saint by Tade Adegbindin as a case study where is father- Oladepo wants him to
practice Christianity and support his pastoral business but the former refuses. Oladepo is
regarded a businessman because he is not a real man of God but the one who uses charms
to perform miracle. In fact, he is regarded as wolf in sheep clothing.

1.3 THESIS STATEMENT

The issue of exploitation in Africa is as old as man himself. It is a psychological
problem that had brought Africa to penury before the advent of her former colonial
master. In fact, it is a continuous phenomenon that ravages the socio-political and
economy of Africa. Exploitation has been from ages as Karl Marx put it " The history of
all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle". Religion is the oldest form of
control. From the implicit consequences of pre-colonial missionary efforts to the tangible
control over rhetoric shaped by King James’ Bible, the pervasiveness of religious
institutions throughout history cannot be ignored. By placing themselves in positions of
 religious authority, individuals enable themselves to construct generalized structures of
life that actively define community. Even today at Oberlin, we find organized religion
influencing the periphery of our lives, both personally and over intangible distances.
Therefore, this project work aims at exposing the religious practices and
psychological effects of religious exploitation in Africa using ‘THE SAINT’ BY TADE
ADEGBINDIN AND ‘SACRILEGE’ BY ADEYEYE ADETUTU as a case study.

1.4 - RESEARCH QUESTIONS.

The following questions will be answered in this project work to structure our
work.
I. What is religion?
II. What are the roles of religion?
III. What is religious exploitation?
IV. What are the various shades of religions exploitation?
V. Does the exploitation affect the society?
VI. What effects does religion has on the society?
VII. Why do people use religion to exploit people?
VIII. What is a religious abuse?
IX. Who abuses religion?
X. Do religious leaders have effect on parenting?

1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

We must have it at the back of our mind that the aim of education/ learning is to be
knowledgeable so as to remove ignorance by bringing some positive changes and
development to the society as a whole. Learning is the process of acquiring new 
understanding,  knowledge, behaviors, skills,  values, attitudes, and preferences. The
ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals, and some machines; there is also
evidence for some kind of learning in certain plants. Some learning is immediate, induced
by a single event (e.g. being burned by a hot stove), but much skill and knowledge
accumulate from repeated experiences The changes induced by learning often last a
lifetime, and it is hard to distinguish learned material that seems to be "lost" from that
which cannot be retrieved
Human learning starts at birth (it might even start before in terms of an embryo's
need for both interaction with, and freedom within its environment within the womb) and
continues until death as a consequence of ongoing interactions between people and their
environment. The nature and processes involved in learning are studied in many
established fields (including educational psychology, neuropsychology, experimental
psychology, cognitive sciences, and pedagogy), as well as emerging fields of knowledge
(e.g. with a shared interest in the topic of learning from safety events such as
incidents/accidents, or in collaborative learning health systems. Research in such fields
has led to the identification of various sorts of learning. For example, learning may occur
as a result of habituation, or classical conditioning, operant conditioning or as a result of
more complex activities such as play, seen only in relatively intelligent animals.
  Learning may occur consciously or without conscious awareness. Learning that an
aversive event can't be avoided or escaped may result in a condition called learned
helplessness.  There is evidence for human behavioral learning prenatally, in
which habituation has been observed as early as 32 weeks into gestation, indicating that
the central nervous system is sufficiently developed and primed for learning
and memory to occur very early on in development
Therefore the purpose of this research work is for education, enlightenment,
especially to parents and society at large on the need to desist from allowing religious
leaders to dictate to them on what is right or wrong when everything is stated clearly in
religious books. It is also important for people to informed on the effect and danger of
religious crises on the society as it cuts across every area of life. Religious leaders should
also note that they occupy a very sensitive position in the society as whatever they do or
say will have serious impacts on the society either good or bad.

1.6 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

 Religions’ fundamental goal are morality, equity, justice, harmony and peace but
all these have been bastardized by religious leaders who see it as an opportunity to enrich
themselves but little has been done on the effects of these acts of the religious leaders.
The current study focuses on religious exploitation and its effect on the society and
investigate the various religious sects in Africa and their impact on society.
Therefore, the purpose of this study is to raise awareness among parents and
children of the negative effects of religious exploitation . Nigerians, specifically, are the
focus of this study. Because some religious leaders have become power drunk to the
extent that they use every means to control their followers. Additionally, parents should
desist from imposing their will on their children especially who have of legal age on
matters pertaining to religion. This means that people should stop worshiping the
religious leaders rather they should worship the God of heaven. As some religious leaders
now see themselves as God and belief whatever they say must surely come to pass.
Children should also be educated on the need to reference their parents and obey them
not only their religious leaders.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

It is believe that whatever has a beginning must have an end. The researcher has
restricted himself to Religious Exploitation, its effects on the society using Sacrilege by
Adeyeye Adetutu and The Saint by Tade Adegbindin.
Chapter one of this study will do a thorough introduction of Adeyeye Adetutu and Tade
Adegbindin. It will give us their biography. The chapter will also do a background study
of Africa as a continent; it will look at religious among Africans. It will be on statement
of the problem, purpose of the study, significance of the study and scope of the study will
be discussed.
In chapter two, review of literature will be done, here, the researcher explains and studies
the existing work on religion, types of religions, religious crises, religious exploitation,
religion and parenting, religion and politics, etc will also be discussed here. Chapter
three will be based on research methodology and it will cover the detail explanation of
the methodology that will be used to make the project complete. It will look at concepts
like analytical research, data collection and sources of data to be collected. Chapter four
will be analysis of data collected. Here the researcher will analyse the common themes in
the two texts in relation to religious exploitation. Themes like poverty, deception, ritual
sacrifice, honesty, nemesis, death, political crises, parenting, sacrilege etc Chapter five
will be on summary and conclusion. After this, recommendation and suggestions will be
made for further research as well as list of books and sites consulted for the success of
this project.

1.8- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The Research methodology that is used in this in this thesis is Analytical
Research. Analytical research is a specific type of research that involves critical thinking
skills and evaluation of facts and information relative to the research being conducted. A
variety of people including students, doctors and psychologists use analytical research
during studies to find the most relevant information. From analytical research, a person
finds out critical details to add new ideas to the material being produced.

1.9 CHAPTER SYNOPSIS.

This chapter has introduced us to the biographies of the writers of the text used in
this project work. It has also given the summary of the texts- Sacrilege by Adeyeye
Adetutu and The Saint by Tade Adegbindin. we have also been introduced to the
background of the problem where Nigeria as major country in Africa is explained as the
base of religious exploitation even though its happening in other part of Africa. We have
been able to see that religious exploitation has effect homes, society financially,
politically and mentally etc. Also in this chapter, we have been able to raise thought
provoking questions in relation to religious exploitation.

REFERENCES
 I. Adeyeye Adetutu (2021): SACRILEGE. Rasmed Publication Limited, Ibadan Oyo
State.
II. Bamgbose,A.B. Atere and Nwanchukwu- Abada( 2003). Exam Focus: Literature-
in-English; 2001-2005( NECO). Foludex Press Limited Ibadan, Oyo State.
III. Christopher I Ejizu (1999). African Traditional Religion and the Promotion of
Community Living in Africa. Unpublished Manuscript.
IV. Hornby, A.S.et Al (2020) Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 10th Edition.
New York Oxford University Press.
V. Adeparau Damilola (2021): Religious crisis in Nigeria and way forward. Vanguard
Newspaper( December, 18 2021) .
VI. Nwosu, D (1988). The place of religion in National Development: Implementation
of Religious and Moral Education in Nigeria.
VII. Okoronkwo Vincent (2022). Summary of The Saint by Tade Adegbindin. (online)
VIII. SIKIRI ADEYEMI O (2010):RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN OLU OBAFEMI’S
DO-GOODER
IX. Tade Adegbindin (2017): THE SAINT. Extension Publication Limited, Ibadan
Oyo State.