Sociology is the study of the human environmental material and ideological components of

study. It analyses human ideas, behaviour, grouping organizations, law, crime and
punishment. Human problems of hunger, diseases, homelessness, unemployment,
ignorance, divorce and violence engage the attention of sociology. The founding fathers of
sociology such as Agust Comte, Herbet Spencer, Emile Dierkheim, Max Weber and Talcot
Parsons have various ideas as to the focus on sociology. Comte was of the opinion that
sociology should focus on social statistics refers to structures and social dynamics. Social
static refers to structures and functions of subsystem changes occasioned in institutions
over time. The task to the sociologists is therefore to make understandable the fundamental
laws of nature and why people behave the way they do under different prevailing
conditions.

Comte formulated the law of three stages of societal growth which are theological,
metaphysical and scientific. The theological stage is the premature or preliterate state
where the powers of priests and the clergy dominated human society and explanations to
events were purely religious. The metaphysical marks the period of enlightenment scholars
were pre occupied with seeking answers to questions of nature through reasoning based on
overt facts. The scientific stage is the stage of individual revolution and scientific discoveries
as well as technological growth and development.

Before the Comte era, Greek and Roman philosophers of old had reflected intellectually on the
societies of their time. They examined the basis of the organization and administration of
society as well as the relationship between government and citizens. During the
enlightenment era, violent revolutions became wide spread in Europe. Notably among these
revolutions were those of German, Britain, Italy and France. These developments
notwithstanding the major event that shaped the emergency and development of sociology
was the revolution of Britain. The industrial revolution brought about widespread changes
which made people to ask fundamental questions as about life and society generally. Among
the changes that occurred was the disruption that accompanied the industrialization
process. Peasant migration from rural to urban towns for factory employment was
witnessed. The emergency of sociology was further aided by the currency and popularly of
the evolutionist theory of Charles Darwin (1859) which traced the history of all species of
plants and animals from their earliest origins.

Two factors facilitated the development of sociology as a discipline. The first one been its
adoption of the scientific method of investigation in the study of social behaviour and the
other pure science of chemistry, physics, biology ect. Aguste Comte was very zealous about
developing science for the society and was instrumental in the development of rules of
sociological methods.

Methods of sociological study

Sociology should classify social factors in terms of observable characteristics of human

behaviour and institutions or organizations. Searching for laws, sociologists achieve it in two
ways. Firstly, it is by the process of induction and secondary, it is by the process of
deduction. Sociology established causal relationships and sequences through cause and
effects relationships. In any case sociology has applied and will continue to apply its
methodology in the understanding of society and network of human relationships.
Religion comprises of those aspects of our behavioural complexes that are organized around
beliefs in spiritual or super natural beings. The super natural beings are of three main
internal differentiate categories, God, spirits and ghosts. The great and supreme God is
believed to have created the universe and control all that is in it. Among the nupe, the
concept of God is the most basic and central concept in religious life. The nupe called God
‘’soko’’ the one who dwells in the sky. God is generally believed to rule from the sky where
he resides. He is approached through inter me diaries.

The third category of super natural beings is ghosts who are sometimes considered to be spirits
of dead relatives. Ancestral spirits or ghosts are said to be souls freed from dead bodies that
retains an active link with their previous existence in the society, they are considered
different from spirits. They are believed to share the emotions of the living.

Sociology of region is the study of the society from a religious perspective. It is the systematic
study of social variables from a religious view. Sociology of religion constitutes an integral
part of a more general study of culture and knowledge. Culture is a total way of life of
cultural elements and as found in all societies is powerful and pellasive.l sociology of religion
also examines the historical development of religion, its origin and the various forms
religious beliefs have taken over time. Sociologists of religion study social aggregates, groups
and organizations as well as institutions, law and crime as they relate to religion.

Society is a group of people who share a common culture, occupy a particular territorial area
and feed themselves to constitute a unified and distinct entity. It is a network of
relationships that binds members together. A community is a unit which has common
boundaries. Members of society are educated on how to think, act, work, relate to their
neighbours and make decisions on their own. These elements include land, population,
relationships, institutions and work. Sociology recognizes many types of society in a very
clear manner and these are tribal society, agrarian and industrial society.

Tribal society is a group of bands occupying a continuous territory having a feeling of unit
deriving from numerous in cultures frequent contacts and a certain community of interests,
a large section of tribal population depends on agriculture for survival. The tribes believe in
the lies of blood relationship between its members. They have faith in their having
descended from common, real or mythical, ancestors and hence believe in blood
relationships with other members.

Agrarian society refers to any form of society especially very traditional, primarily based on
agricultural and craft production rather than industrial production. The mode of production
of the agrarian society that is cultivation distinguishes it from the hunter gatherer society
which produces none of it food.

Industrial society is a social system whose mode of production focuses primarily on finished
goods manufactured with the aid of machinery. The term industrial societies originated
from Saint Simon who chose to reflect the emerging central role of manufacturing industry
in the 15th century Europe in contrast with previous pre industrial and agrarian society.
Industrial societies further stimulate population growth where people start living in cities
and urban areas. New medical technologies and improved standards serve to extend life
expectancy. The division of labour becomes complex with the availability of specialized jobs.
Post- industrial society was first formulated in 1962 by D. Bell and subsequently elaborated in
his seminar work coming of post industrial society (1974) in economy, this is the reflected in
the decline of goods production and manufacturing as the main form of economic activity to
principle fosters the supremacy of professional and technical occupations which constitutes
a new class in all spheres of economic, political and social. The post industrial societies have
features such as declining manufacturing sector, resulting in de- industrialization, large
service sector and an increase in the amount of information technology, often leading to an
information age. The industrial aspect of a post industrial economy is sent into less
developed nations which manufactures what is needed at lower cost. This occurrence is
typical of nations that industrialized in the past such as the United States and most
European countries.

Beliefs are strongly and deeply held ideas or views about a thing. Beliefs provide guidance to
social behaviour whether this be religious, scientific or political behaviour. Our beliefs
provide us with direction and guidance and the sense of purpose that we need to decide
and select a particular course of action. Beliefs differ from person to person. They do not
exist in isolation but normally belong to one or other of the complex belief system together
that form part of a society’s culture.

Religion is a cultural phenomenal which reflects man’s attempts to come to terms with his
environment particularly as it concerns those aspects of it which he does not understand
such as death, pain and suffering. All societies have one form of religion or the other. In
these different cultures, there exist different systems of religious beliefs. Human person is
limited in his thought process such that he can conceptualize phenomenal only in terms
which he is familiar with. The beliefs about the supernatural beings and the super natural
worlds are couched in the form of religious creeds and myths in order to make them
meaningful.

Religious beliefs formulated as creeds and myths also explain the link between the natural world
and the super natural world. The super natural beings are also believed to maintain contact
with the natural world through an ability to beget children through human mothers and
such manner establishes an indirect relationship with the human world. In every society,
there are certain objects which are associated with religious beliefs and regarded as sacred
in another society. What is sacred in one society may not be sacred in another society.

Religious all over the world has been found to comprise of four structured elements and these
are beliefs, rituals, emotions and organization.

Ritual is an element of religion refers to religious acts, ceremonial practices and customs that
are geared towards the worship of the sacred. Religious rituals are a way of venerating and
honoring the sacred. Emotions is a reference to the spirit of reverence, humility, ecstasy,
excitement and even terror that is evoked in the believer as he presents himself in the
presence of the sacred. At such a period individuals are emotionally attached to each other
and may be persuaded to do whatever their leaders would ask them to do. To Christians,
God is emotional, as he does not want his own to suffer.

Organization is found in all religions. These are trained officials, priests, cardinals, bishops,
pastors, church assistants, catechists, church leaders who occupy the church hierarchy with
 full powers and authority vested in them. Scholars have attempted various theoretical
explanations of religion. We will basically look at three of such theories.

The structural functionalism which has its roots from the works of the founding fathers of
sociology such as Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkhein and Talcott Parsons, the
theory ukeas society to a living organism that has different but interrelated systems which
functions to maintain the whole. It provides people with the morals, rules and norms which they
comply with cultural resources to which they depend upon. The moral order set aside by the
members of society becomes sacred and ritual activities are collective action of group
consciousness and loyalty.

The second theory is the Marxist theory of religion which has its roots from the works of Karl
Max who derived his concept of materialism from the word matter. Its conclusion is that
human progress or social development must go through five major stages namely, primitive
communalism, slavery, feudalism and communism. A systematic interaction is traced to the
works of Charles Cooley and George Herbert Mead. It gives an example of a child who
acquires the capacity to respond in a kind of imaginative way to his own protected conduct.
An individual directs behaviour towards himself and goes ahead to pass judgment upon him
or herself. As a member of a society, the individual anticipates the behaviour of others and
performs a variety of roles simultaneously. Cooley (1902) urged that symbols are important
in the process of interaction which determines and affects the socialization of the individual.
He used the phrase looking glass say to emphasize that the self is the product of our social
interactions with other people. Herbert Mead’s central concern was the understanding
between human minded activities and nature. According to him, human mind can be
studied scientifically like any phenomena, using all the scientific methods.

Religious institutions have been found to be an institution that has exerted profound on the
society. Religious beliefs and practices therefore do not exist in a vacuum. They exist in the
society and are practiced by individuals who live in communities that form the society. The
various practices and beliefs are aimed at creating unity and solidarity receives rewards or
punishments supernatural beings based on their observance and adherence laws handed
down by such super natural beings. The development and transformation of societies is also
tied to the level of adherence to its religious practices. Members of society also depend on
religious for their well being. The gift of rains, bounty harvest and good health depends on
the extent to which members of a society obey God once they fail to obey God, they can be
faced with sickness, droughts, pestilences, turmoil and other misfortunes.

A social institution is an organized system of social relationship when embodies certain common
values and procedures that are geared towards meeting the needs of the society. The family
is a domestic group in which parents and children live together and in its elementary form
consists of a couple with their children. The family as an agency of religion comes on it by
the society. There are four types of families under discussion below.

The nuclear family consists of a man, woman and the children. It is found in all parts of the
world. The extended family consists of several nuclear families. They are seen to serve as a
form of social insurance against the accidents and misfortunes at the industrial work place,
Monogamous and polygamous families. A monogamous family is composed of a man and
 one wife and their children. It is equivalent to a nuclear family and has been referred to as
the simple legal family. A polygamous family on the other hand is a family composed of one
man and more than one wife and their children. Each wife and children constitute what is
called a mother centered family known as Matri centric or Matrifocal family. In the
traditional African, settling the husband is fed in turn by the Matri centric units. The ghost
family consists of the ghost, his wife, and their children and the kinsman who became their
genitor by reason of his customary duty towards a dead relative. It is set up through ghost
inheritance marriage.

The family as a social institution performs a number of significant functions such as the
regulation of sexual behaviour, the replacement of dead members, the socialization of new
members and the provision of emotional support and the provision of physical protection. It
is the major institution through which the society organizes and regulates the satisfaction of
sexual desires of its members. Although many societies provide some alternative sexual
outlets, the marriage and family system remain the principle setting within which most
sexual intercourse must occur. If not, all societies have norms which prohibit sex outside
marriage and within the family.

All societies need to replace its members as many grow old and die off. Without such a
replacement, a society will soon disappear. The family provides it with the means of
reproducing its number and ensuring generational replacement. It is within the family up
that adequate role positions have been prepared for the caring of the children that are
born. The family play the role of a socialization a gently. The new born child belongs to the
parents who take special care and interest in monitoring its development and progress. The
family is thus the most significant and influential agency of socialization. The family
undertakes the task of protecting of its members.

Educational institution comprises that segment of the basic structure of the society which meets
the educational needs of the people for example transmission of social heritage, new ideas,
skills and values which the individual need to master in order to control his physical and
social environment, and adapt himself to the demands of the society of which he is a
member. Form all educational is learning in which individuals undertake consciously
education with rules, regulations and organized curriculum and methods of teaching.
Informal educations there is no formal setting for it but as individuals discuss, observe
events and imitate others, learning takes place. Non formal, education comprises those
highly specific educational experiences which are provided in non school environments.
Education institutions serve as agencies of religion in a number of ways. The curriculum of
schools involves teaching of religion as a subject, the pupils are taught religious beliefs and
practices as a way of life which they come to grow up and mature with.

Culture is the way of life of people. The concept of culture is used in reference to a group or
society. Culture develops out of the desire by a group to overcome their problems as they
try to control their environment so as to improve their economic, religious, and technology
needs. Culture does not die with the death of an individual or a group of such people who
vanishes under natural disasters like earthquakes. Every person who is a member of a
society has a culture. However because culture is an abstraction, it is impossible to say even
in scientific items that, one culture is richer that the other because it is impossible to
measure elements as language, morality, systems of ideas and philosophy.
A religious constitutes a major aspect of culture based on back grouped of people. The
politicized belief that one religio0n is superior to another any other made early Christians
missionaries to Africa came into contact with stiff opposition from the natives. This resulted
in the destruction by fire and disappearance through other means of what was derogatorily
labeled idols in several western east Africa societies. The inability of the missionaries to
understand the culture of the people as was exemplified by their religious practices and
values often brought them into open conflict. Missionaries did not accept the idea of
marrying many wives and the worship of ancestors. Many scholars have agreed facilitated
the gradual erosion of and destruction of African culture values.

Social change refers to the significant alterations of culture, social structure and social behaviour
over time. when change occurs in a society, patterns of cultural behaviour are altered, new
institutions emerge to take care of the emerging structures and social relationship such as
language, use of new forms of transportation, changing ideas about sex and equally, new
dance, dressing and marriage. Women are no longer restricted to the kitchen and domestic
duties but are involved in economic, political and cultural events. Invention as a source of
social change refers to new use of existing knowledge to produce something that did not
exist. The two types of inventions are material and social invention. Material involves
producing tangible products such as cameras, out mobiles and computers. Social inventions
involve creating democratic institutions, slavery and co-operations.

Discovery as a source of social change is a perception of an aspect of reality that already exists.
Discovers themselves are useless until they are put to use and can produce change for
example the ancient Greeks were reputed to have discovered the principle of steam power
and actually build a toy steam engine in Alexandra. They did not put this principle to any
serious use and as such could not generate any significant change until the era industrial
revolution in Europe.

Increases in population brings about increase pressure and demand on available infrastructure
such as housing, roads, electricity and pipe borne water. There may also be increased
diseases, poverty and crime as a result of population increase.

Conflict as a source of change may degenerate into open hostilities and even war. This
development is noted to have brought social changes in many parts of the world. Human
action has been noted to be a major source of change either individualistic or collective.
Throughout history, notable personalities and figures have been found to take decisions and
actions that have led to great social change. Collective action takes the form of social
movements and revolts. Organizations, national liberation groups have been known to bring
social change in the society through efforts. Social change does not occur with equal rapidly
in all societies. Many factors are responsible for this change in our physical environment,
population changes and the extent of isolation or contact with other groups or societies.
Constant major changes in the physical environment gives rise to greater change in the
social and cultural of a people, a more rapid growing population triggers off more social
change and that being located in a geographical position of contact with other cultures
permit more social change to take place.

The way of society is structured affects the rate at which social change occurs in that society. A
society which emphasizes conformity and loyalty to the group is less respect to change than
a society which encourages individual inquisitiveness, direction or initiative at which is
 tolerant of culture diversity. In societies whose culture is tightly inter- wined with the rest of
the culture is highly integrated such that one element or a spect of culture in mutually
inseparable and interdependent way, social change is less probable. Some societies exist
which cherish and revere their past. They maintain a long lasting relationship with their
dead ancestors whom they recognize as spirit to be worshiped. In this kind of society , elders
are respected and obeyed and cultural traditions, rituals and customs are permanent
features in the life of the community.

The first humans on earth were the pioneers and forerunners of human culture. They did not
have the privilege of inheriting a social experience from previous generation, the cave man
could thus hardly go beyond the bow and arrow technology or beyond counting figures and
toes. Today, technological and cultural breakthroughs are being recorded because the
present society has accumulated so much knowledge and information it combines in new
ways to produce new inventions. It is believed that unless the cultural base supplies the
relevant initiations and discoveries, an invention cannot be completed. There is abundant
evidence that in many societies, so9me particular change proposals were accepted, while
some resisted or rejected outright. When specific attitudes and values are challenged by
new innovations such innovations tend to be resisted but when they conform to those
specific attitudes and values such as innovations are readily accepted.

Social change nearly always carries with it certain general and specific costs. The general cost
involved the overall disruption which change visits on existing culture patterns by causing
the discarding of certain elements of the culture and by understanding deeply held
community values and sentiments.

African societies have varying belief systems. Each belief system has its underlying cultural
background. Among the Tiv where belief in the existence of witch craft exist, seeing a rabbit
or owl in the day time is an abomination.

Religion as an aspect of culture that is so pervasive on the people generates and sustains its
existence based on its importance to society. Sociologists are interested in the study of
religion not merely because of its central theoretical problem but also of the importance of
its relationships to other areas of social life and other roles, movements and organizational
strategies associated with it. Generally, man normally desires to how reverence to the super
natural and to appease and seek their cooperation in uncertain world. Religion then is a
mechanism of adjustment and of solving problems not only of overcoming anxiety but alo of
ordering one’s relationship with the supernatural and in the process supporting social norms
and integrating society and personalities.

Religious unites members of the society and serves as a form of cementing elements that bind
people together into an integrated social group. Group unity and solidarity is more
prevalent during crisis situation when the group faces imminent threat to its existence and
survival. The world today is full problems and diseases that sometimes make life seem
meaningless. Religious provides answers to the puzzling questions of human life, us origin,
existence and ultimate opportunities of life usually members gather at the affected member
to provide the necessary company and sharing in the problem. This is done to avoid fear,
loneliness that may accompany the calamity and provide the necessary assistant in terms of
labour during burial.
Majority of religions of the world preach self denial and rejection of the materialism of the
present world. They appeal to their members to try by all means possible to direct their
energies towards making heaven. Members are urged to see present problems as traditions
which must come to pass. Adherents are encouraged to keep their store of wealth in heaven
where it is safe and there is no destruction.

Every society has its rules, laws, norms and legal prohibitations which define the limits to which
individuals can seek legitimate achievements. The importance of religion in the society
emanates from the fact that it provides meaning to life. It provides an outlet for the puzzling
questions that bewildered man. The society becomes important to religion in that, it is from
the society that religion drives its values and norms. Religion requires practitioners and
adherents who are members of the society for its existence for example the clergy
worshippers and indeed members of the laity who holds beliefs in the existence of the
supernatural being projected by religion. Societies convey legitimacy to religious practices
indulges in by adherents. Religious practices that are against the norms and values of the
society are rejected by religion. The rituals that involve the use of human blood,
maltreatment of members of the congregation and ulicit sexual activities involve the clergy
and communicants have attracted commendation from members of the society.

The importance of society to religion drives from the fact that it is the society that provides the
necessary support for the establishment and continued survival of religion. Society provides
the necessary materials management infrastructure and moral requirement necessary for
the survival of religion. Through this way society provides the necessary bent marks for
religious practices.

The phenomena of religion have been proved to unite people in many societies of the world. In
Nigeria, religion has thrown the country into series of conflicts alarming dimensions. The
religious situation in Nigeria is such that every conflict that appears to be politically
motivated end up to turning religious. People find it easy to generate support and
membership when religion is involved in any conflict. The back ground to religious conflict in
Nigeria is traceable to the activities of colonialism which have arbitrarily demarcated and
placed people of different religious entities and background into single group or
communities. Many businessmen and women became settlers in cities where they own
large shops. The establishment of schools and industries attracted a pool of people to cities
where they work for salaried wage. There was a rapid grown of Christian churches in
Nigeria, with many of their members professing born again theology. The way Christians
propagate their faith has sometimes been considered objectionable to Muslims. When
preaching, Christians usually present Jesus as the only way to the kingdom of God, when all
other ways including the Islamic way would lead one to hell. In the North, the Muslims are
opposed to Christians and the orthodox Muslims would have nothing to do with the
members of the fundamental sects. The Muslim would want the Christians to respect the
Islamic religion as the Qur’an has enjoined the Muslim to respect. Christians openly preach
to denounce the Islamic faith and would distribute hand bills considered offensive when
organizing crusades. The Muslim on the other hand would not tolerate foul language and
generate disregard to their religion. The majority of fighters who took part in mautatsine
wars were found to be non- Nigerians, they were Muslims from Chad, Niger and other North
African countries according to police arrest of the fighters.
Most of the people who fought on the side of the mistune 1980 were the urban poor and
destitute many of these recruits are young men who came to the city to take for jobs but
found none and decided to stay on their own. These were often recruited and used by the
militants to destabilize the society. During each religious conflict served hundreds lives and
properties with millions of naira are lost. This forced strangers to move to other cities that
are less violent. The movement caused gradual decline in business activities. Agricultural
activities are also grounded as people who are expected to farm are no longer feel safe on
the farms. Religious buildings became targets of destruction by riots.

The role of religion in politics in Nigeria is traceable to the pre independence build up as
formation of political associations begun to take root. Christian missionaries were
instrumental to the formation of political associations and in raising the political
consciousness of the local people. The radical political changes after the Second World War
transformed the framework of missionaries’ strategy as well as the relationship between
missionaries and converts. The churches resolved to raise the consciousness of members
and warn them about the dangers of refusing to involve themselves in political activities.
There was the fear of Muslim domination of Christians in the political arrangements. The
churches became involves in political campaigns. The problem was not that of the credibility
of the candidate, but a matter from which religious background he comes from. The
Christians and Muslims alike sought to participate in politics so as to improve the
infrastructure, health system, education, economy and judiciary. They wanted to provide
direction in politics since many have perceived politics as a dirty game. The role of religion
therefore is to sanitize and provide directions to politics for the benefits of humanity. It is
the light that both Christians and Muslims rose strongly to condemn the annulment of 12 th
June elections widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola. Religion serves
as the watch dog of the society. Like in the bible, religious leaders in Nigeria have been
criticizing government policies that are not in favor of the people, policies that dehumanizes
the personality of the individual.

The relationship between religion and social change was analyzed by a German scholar, Max
Weber. He observed that religious beliefs under certain conditions would have a major
influence on economic thought and behaviour. He focused his analysis on certain protestant
groups which practiced asceticism. He explained that calling was the work set by God for the
individual. Max Weber provided the most valuable work on religion and social change. In his
classic work on protestant ethics and spirits of capitalism, he articulated the relationship
between protestant teaching ascentism and industrial capitalism. His teaching engendered
in his congregation the spirit of work and frugality which provided the necessary impetus for
capital accumulation that necessitated industrial capitalism.

In traditional African religion, several belief systems exist. These include ancestor worship,
magic and witch craft. Ancestor worship as a belief system is commonly found in Africa
where people value unilinear descent. It is based on the belief that one’s dead parents have
linked with the living and such are capable of controlling events in the actual world of the
living. Ancestor worship as a form of religion implies that the worldly family and community
life is joined to that of their dead kinsman.

Prayers, sacrifices and offerings are important in African religion. During sacrifice and offering
prayers are addressed to the supernatural. Magic refers to belief aimed at the control of the
events and the environment. They are useful in solving problems relating to economic and
 psychological realms. Witch craft is a prominent belief among several African communities
and people. It is believed to have super natural elements and power by which the conflicts
harm on people especially their kinsman. They are reputed for meeting at night and in
secret places where they project their will to harm people by turning into animals. Among
some tribes, witches are believed to be able to take the spirit of their victims to their
gathering and feast on it.

Religion and politics have maintained a relationship over a long period of time. the church and
politics have been involved in the governance of people. During the Roman Empire it was
the church and government that were involved in making decisions that were bothering on
the general wellbeing of people. Politicians have an award for portraying their ambitions.
Religion has been manipulated by politicians to their advantage. Religious leaders have been
supporters of the rule of law, Justice and equality.