MORAL EDUCATION AND THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN NIGERIA

The main purpose of this paper is to examine moral education and the role of religion in Nigeria. The fact of the logical distinction between religion and morality is taken in some circles as implying and even requiring a necessary conflict between their respective aims and objectives. Consequently, it has been proposed that moral Education must be kept completely separate from religious education. such separation, it, has been argued, is necessary in order to ensure among other things, the development of truly rational and autonomous moral agents. It is however, argued that although morality is logically independent of religion, certain religious beliefs and practices provide strong psychological incentive which may be effectively employed in the service of moral educational. This paper recommends, among others things, that the different organs of the Government should do the needful in this regard. Workshop, seminars, -conferences e.t.c, should be organized in this regard to raise the consciousness of our people towards critical ethical intelligence.