Religion's high correlation with poverty in the continent is an undisputable fact. Many studies have shown that Africans are the most religious on earth, yet the continent has some of the poorest countries in the world.
While the rest of the world is working, Africans are busy praying. Yet they always blame their lack of progression on everyone else but themselves.
Africans do some of the most absurd things in the name of religion. How many times have we seen parents refuse to allow their children to receive vaccination simply because their religion “doesn't allow it” ? How about a washing roads to welcome their preachers like Prophet Owuor's followers do?
African politicians are like magicians performing for a foolish crowd. They have mastered the art of deceiving their subject through religion. Many churches and mosques allow politicians like William Ruto to attend their services and talk to the people. A “donation” then follows as they exit the place. Religious leaders savour these moments and they happily receive the money brought forth.
One of the most ridiculous things I've heard people say is “a God chosen leader”. Religion actually tries to convince us that the decision of whoever ends up in the top sit is not entirely ours, that there is a supernatural power that somehow dictates who gets elected and who doesn't. As unbelievable as it might sound, masses are duped into believing this.
Assuming that God really is in charge of this process then he has been doing a very poor job so far. Going by this ideology, he gave us Kenyatta, Moi, Kibaki and Muigai, twice. Four different regimes that haven't done much good to this country.
If these are the kind of leaders this supreme being fancies, then it's about time we stopped going to him and asking for them.
In all forms of religions I have encountered, Christianity has to be the most ridiculous. Christianity has made Africans so narrow minded that they would rather take their last cents to the church and sleep hungry waiting for a “miracle” instead of buying a meal for themselves. They believe their local preacher' need of a car to comfortably move around spreading the gospel is greater than that of starving children just a few blocks away from the church. Everyone knows Christians are the most gullible lot on the planet. If you want to extort anyone without breaking a sweat these are the people to go to. In Kenya for instance, people have invested heavily in Christianity. You won't go a few metres in the ghetto before spotting a shack with people worshiping inside. Every corner every street, they are everywhere! The most interesting thing though is that these places with so many churches have the poorest living standards in the country.
You'd think by now they would have realized that all the praying wasn't changing anything. Blinded by their hopelessness, they keep doing it. The preacher soon makes enough money to put up a proper structure and even buy musical instruments, you know, even if he is milking his congregation dry, at least they are dancing to some good music.
If you still haven't realized, so many church sponsored TV channels are popping up in the country. Before they would just pay for airtime in one of the countries top TV stations for airtime (Remember Kanyari?) but now they do it on their own. They have TV channels fully dedicated to their businesses. They have even embraced technological changes like the use of mobile money transfer and credit cards. If you don't have any of those you can always write them a cheque.
Some politicians even decide to juggle the two professions and make even more money. Hurling insults at members of their opposing parties during the day and preaching peace and giving during the evening. One very famous female evangelist has been doing so in the country for quite some time now.
Nowadays all TV channels are full of religious content. Kids are being brainwashed into this myth every Sunday morning. Nobody has time for educational science shows anymore. All we want is salvation, not knowledge. Nobody wants knowledge.
As other nations teach their children about modern technological advances, we are busy narrating stories of how a man built a vessel so big that a pair of all the animals on earth were able to fit in or how donkeys and snakes spoke to people.
As other countries invest in major equipment and dedicate huge resources into fighting graft within their governments, our very own EACC is launching Bible study guides. Yet we always find a way to blame everyone else but ourselves.
It's time Kenyans and Africans in general woke up from this myth that is religion. Times have changed and we have been left behind. It's time to promote reasoning and logic because the rest of the world is moving and nobody will wait for us.