Mediatized Spirituality: A Critical Appraisal of the Media-Religion Nexus in Nigeria

Abstract

Religion in Nigeria is predominantly manifested in three identifiable forms: Christianity, Islam and African Traditional Religion. All three forms, but especially the first two, have in recent years embraced the “media logic,” packaging religious experience in ways that appeal to the media. These religions have adopted the media as platforms for worship, proselytization, image-building and investment. Thus, religion in Nigeria has come under the grip of mediatization, giving rise to a mediatized spiritual experience. This paper contends that the strong infusion of the media into religious life in Nigeria could have both positive and negative implications for society. It advocates a responsible use of the media to curtail the purveyance of hate, incendiary and predatory messages.