Nigeria is a country with a rich religious history. Christianity and Islam are the two leading religions, but there is also a set of people who do not identify with any religion.
Over the years, there has been a growing number of Nigerian celebrities who have come out publicly to say that they do not believe in God.
These celebrities have come from all fields of life, including music, and film, they have expressed their atheism or agnosticism in a variety of ways, from interviews to social media posts. Their decision to speak out about their beliefs has been met with mixed reactions, but they have all said that they felt it was important, to be honest about their beliefs.
In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the most notable Nigerian celebrities who do not believe in God. We will also talk about the reasons for their non-belief, and we will discuss the impact that their public statements have had on Nigeria.
1. Seun Kuti
Femi Kuti is a controversial Nigerian singer, songwriter, human rights activist, and son of the Afrobeats genre pioneer, the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
During an interview, the Afrobeats superstar disclosed that he is not and doesn’t believe in God.
In his words;
“I do not believe in God. I am not a believer of anything supernatural. I don’t believe in God, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Ifa, Ogun, or whatever anybody uses as a reason to explain simple actions of nature. God, to me, is in existence,” he said”.
2. Bisi Alimi
When it comes to mentioning one of the most popular gay activists in Nigeria and the United States, Bisi Alimi’s name will make the list. He has taken it upon himself to fight for others who share his beliefs and activities.
In an interview in 2018, the gay activist come out to speak about his belief in Christ. Alimi was seen granting the interview with his Oyinbo husband. Alimi agreed that he does not believe in God but rather he believes in his Husband.
Part of his interview says:
“I believe in my husband because I can see him, I can touch him and I can converse with him, we can talk about things and make plans for the future.”
3. Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature.
He was born and raised in a Christian home that included regular church and Sunday School attendance. He rejected Christianity as a college student and later began to seriously research the traditional Yoruba religion.
When asked about his religious belief, he said;
Do I really need one (religion)? I have never felt I needed one. I am a mythologist.
“But religion? No, I don’t worship any deity. But I consider deities as creatively teal and therefore my companions in my journey in both the real world and the imaginative world”.
4. Temmie Ovwasa
Temmie Ovwasa widely known as YBNL princess, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and artist. She was signed to YBNL Nation in August 2015 but left the label in 2020 after having a disagreement her label boss, Olamide.
Temmie is openly lesbian and non-binary. In 2020, she released the first openly gay album in Nigeria.
She often shares her religious belief on social media via her Instagram story & Twitter page. She has revealed many times that she doesn’t believe that he’ll fire exist and if it truly exists, she would like to end up there instead of going to heaven with Christians.
She also shared her option about the existence of God. She said, “I don’t believe God exists because I am a God.”
5. Seun Osewa
Seun Osewa is a Nigerian tech guru and the founder of Nairaland, one of the most widely visited forums in Nigeria. Seun Osewa who appears to be brought up in a Muslim background is an open atheist.
The billionaire doesn’t attribute his success to God. According to him, the success of his forum, Narialand came as a result of hard work and not God.
6. Leo Igwe
Leo Igwe is a Nigerian human rights advocate and humanist. Igwe is a former Western and Southern African representative of the International Humanist and Ethical Union and has specialized in campaigning against and documenting the impacts of child witchcraft accusations.
In conclusion, there is a thriving trend of Nigerian celebrities who do not believe in God. This trend is probably due to several factors, including negative experiences with religion, a lack of convincing evidence, and a desire for personal freedom. The impact of this trend on Nigerian society is still unclear, but it is important to consider the implications for our shared values and beliefs.
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