When the NBC came up with their ban of on-air miracles a few weeks back, it was clear, in retrospect, that they expected much opposition. It was clear, also, that they were well prepared for this opposition, and the frame of their organizational mind was to push it to the very end.

Their expectations were not disappointed. Nigeria is a fiercely religious country, in which the line has not exactly been clearly drawn between the myths, beliefs and superstition of African traditional religion on one hand, and the major Nigerian religions of Islam and Christianity on the other. Just as we balance with precarious unease between the Western and the Southern, the European and the traditional African, the benefits of technology and the lack of infrastructure in our lifestyle in general, so we seem to be perpetually stuck in the middle where religion is concerned.

For a Christian on the average, Christianity cannot be Christianity without the thousand and one, basically unbiblical myths about diverse issues such as the concepts of the Christ, the devil, speaking in tongues. Certain instructions in the bible appeal to our way of life than others, because we are used, traditionally, to serving gods for whom nothing goes for nothing. Therefore the idea of fasting, paying tithes, covering the head and other physical evidences of sacrifice have a special appeal.

It is the only reason why it would be believable in the first place, that a man, woman or child suffering from an ailment would have to attend a 'healing school' before they can 'learn' the faith by which they would eventually be healed. It is the reason why many of us, even if we do not believe deep within our own hearts in the credibility of the Chris Oyakhilome and T.B. Joshua's brand of miracle healing, would rather die than admit it in public.

Personally, I believe in miracles of any kind. I believe that the God of the Christians (of which I am one) can use anybody to heal anybody, and that would include the aforementioned preachers. I have met people who have, for a fact, been healed during Oyakhilome's sessions. Unfortunately, this is not the point. It helps that the voices which speak on behalf of the NBC are mainly those of Christians, and so it is unlikely for a civil war to start as a result of the ban. No one will ever accuse the NBC of banning miracles on air just because it is a Moslem dominated organization. Even if the whole thing smacks of a hidden war between the Othordoxes (who do not perform healings, miracles and so on in their churches) and pentecostalists (who do), it is still unlikely that a crisis could arise from the situation.

But it is still important. Not only because organizations such as the NBC must not be used to fight personal battles, but also because the organization would have considerable trouble convincing anyone that the ban is in the interest of the Nigerian consumers of broadcast services. The other ban (against the live broadcast of foreign news by a local TV station) can be easily understood to be aimed at fostering development within the local industry. Who does the ban on TV miracles hope to benefit?

This is particularly relevant, when it is considered that there have been miracle claims on TV long before the 'glorious' days of miracle healing by churches. At the moment, Ariel detergent promises to "make am clean kpata kpata". Royco promises, even if it does not expressly say so, to keep a woman's errant and wandering husband home.

Always sanitary promises its users nothing less than freedom, and these are just a few examples of those claims which, through the never-say-never world of advertising, are made and which do not need to be verified to be identified, at best, as exaggerated. And a healing program does not insult the intelligence of Nigerians any more than, say, the Bisi Olatilo show. For every Miracle hour there is a Livi Ajuonoma live, and they have not been taken off the Nigerian television for not adding value yet.

Banning the broadcast of unverifiable miracles will not make sick people patronize doctors more. In any case, it is not the availability of 'miracle' healing which keeps people from seeking conventional medical treatment. Rather, it is the other way round. People go to look for miracles because the government has not provided adequate and accessible medical facilities. Miracles are absolutely free. Directly, at least. It will not help, either, the cause of religious tolerance which is proving to be more and more of an issue in our country today.

The latest religious clash, which had started from Plateau and was adjudged to be more of an ethnic than religious problem before it found expression in Kano, has caused much anxiety throughout the country. The rumour had immediately broken out that the conflict had found representation in the Idi Araba area of Lagos, itself a clash hotspot, and the resultant anxiety is understandable. The civil war might be a distant memory, but a memory nonetheless, and one that does not come with fondness.

With the president and the CAN sectional leader Pam trading blame, exchanging words, demanding for apologies and generally giving a wonderful display of "How not to make peace", it can only be hoped that their ludicrous display of self centeredness would act as enough distraction from the underlying causes of the clash, which have nonetheless to be addressed to avoid future occurrence, which might be closer round the corner than we might think.

The first step to lasting peace in this situation is to use clergymen such as Pam as long term peace brokers, committed to preaching peace in the churches as well as the mosques, and the futility of life and revenge. When the true essence of religion is rediscovered; that is, the belief in the immortality of the soul, there would necessarily be less affinity for violence from either Moslems or Christians.

Another is to empower the people. Those who blame clashes such as the ones in Plateau and Kano states on poverty agree that the people need to be empowered. But, whether we speak of the empowerment of women or of citizens in general as is the case here, empowerment is often thought about in material terms, when in actual fact, empowerment only comes with knowledge, particularly in our globalized world where the person with the broadest mind who can relate with the most people is the one with the advantage.

In the meantime, it is important to discourage anything that touches on the frayed nerves of religion. Sharia is one of them. The NBC ban is another. It is not the nobility of the intentions which matter, but the effect on the common good.

Cross Rivers and HIV

The latest figures released on the HIV scourge in Nigeria about two weeks ago gave some a cause to smile. The growth rate of the infections has after all reduced, no matter how little.

But the experts say it is unlikely to be the case and that doctors are seeing more reported cases of HIV/AIDS than they saw two years ago. Could it be, rather, that the awareness campaigns have been successful, and that the stigma is shifting slowly but surely?

It is not such good times for Cross Rivers State, though, with the highest prevalence rate, and a new development. For a State which hopes to have a great future in tourism, it might not be a great reputation to have, even though South Africa just won the World Cup bid.

Still, putting the blame on the prevalence of prostitution in the State is a dicey approach for two reasons. A study done in Philadelphia, one of the places with the highest HIV rates in the United States showed that the disease was less prevalent with commercial sex workers than with other groups. This is because, more and more, the 'professionals' know how to protect themselves better.

That diagnosis, therefore, might well be totally off the mark.

The second reason is that such a conclusion increases the stigma related to the disease, by promoting the old beliefs that it is a disease for the promiscuous who deserve it and deserve no care or empathy.