When we as a race focus the vast majority of our intellectual effort on religion for the sake of religion rather than for the sake of societal progress, we will not fulfil our potential as a people.
Has Religion Underdeveloped Africa?
Do you want to know why Africa is not as developed as it could be? Then consider this: Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther published the first Lukumi Yoruba Bible 141 years ago, in 1884. The first Swahili Bible was published 135 years ago, in 1890.…
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) May 12, 2025
Has Religion Underdeveloped Africa?
Do you want to know why Africa is not as developed as it could be? Then consider this: Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther published the first Lukumi Yoruba Bible 141 years ago, in 1884. The first Swahili Bible was published 135 years ago, in 1890. The first Igbo Bible was published 112 years ago, in 1913. The first Hausa Bible was published 93 years ago, in 1932.
Sub-Saharan Africa has been way too focused on translating sacred religious texts of foreign faiths into our own languages. But how many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics books have we translated into African languages?
Let’s take Lukumi Yoruba, for example. It was not until two years ago, in 2023, that Dr. Kayode Fakinlede wrote the first (to the best of my knowledge) science books in Lukumi Yoruba. That is 139 years after the first Lukumi Bible
And it was not till 2024 that Maazi Ogbonnaya Okoro wrote the first science textbook in Igbo language. Again, this is 111 years after the first Igbo Bible.
I am told that there is a science textbook in Hausa, but that it is not quite ready and undergoing some review.
But if you look through history, no nation has become technologically advanced by depending on only the Jewish Tanakh, the Christian Bible or the Islamic al-Quran.
In fact, the very first word in the Quran is Iqra, which means “read.” Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasalaam, encouraged Muslims to read not only the Quran but also other areas of academic research and study.
The Quran, for example, in Ayats, traditionally known as Verses of Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, encourages the study of science and the natural world. That is why many scientific innovations, such as algorithms, hospitals, and universities, are of Islamic origin.
For example, the oldest university in the world is the University of Al-Karaouine, founded by Muslims in 859 AD in Fez, Morocco.
Modern Israel is better known for scientific innovation than religious conservation. There are over ten thousand scientific, technological, technical and mathematical books written by Israelis in Hebrew. They have more science texts than religious books.
While we in Africa call on the God of Israel to save us, Israelis are using the brains that that God gave them to save themselves.
When we as a race focus the vast majority of our intellectual effort on religion, and especially religion, for the sake of religion rather than for the sake of societal progress, we will not fulfil our potential as a people.
That is why I want to urge African governments to see this as a challenge and start prioritising the localisation of technology by funding research that results in Mass translations of science texts into African languages.
Inferiority begins in the mind, and that is where Africa has to fight it. One way we can do this is through early education.
We program our kids from youth to see themselves as inferior to Westerners by teaching them:
A for Apple instead of A for Akara
B for Ball instead of B for Boli
C for Cake instead of C for Cedi
We must Africanise Africa’s Europeanised education system.
We must stop teaching African children that Mungo Park discovered River Niger, that John Speke found the source of the Nile or that Richard Lander discovered River Benue. These are not just historical fallacies. They also condition the African child to see himself as inferior to Europeans.
Instead of London Bridge is Falling Down and Cinderella fairytales, let us teach African children right from primary one about the 1000-year-old Ife bronzes, the ancient Benin civilisation, Queen Amina of Zaria, Shaka the Zulu and his defeat of Britain, Mansa Musa and his fabulous wealth, and other historical facts about their great Black African heritage.
If we can initiate this intellectual revolution, our next generation will have a mental shift. Instead of cruise, we will have youths capable of manufacturing cruise missiles.