My Road to Atheism
My name is Nandip Andrew. I live in Nigeria, born in Plateau
State in Northern Nigeria, from the Tarok tribe of Langtang North and I am the
co-founder of The Tarok Thinker group, the group was created in 2012 with the
help of a Ugandan friend Hotem Dejined, after I was banned from a Tarok group,
call INGWANG ISHI OTAROK ( means the association of the Tarok people).
Our ancestors were not Christians, they are Pagans, the group promote Christianity,
I felt that is not right and I start attacking the Christian religion they
promoted.
The excuse the admin gave was I am corrupting the mind of the youth by
promoting atheism, The Tarok Thinker group has over 5000 members (five thousand
members) 95% of the members are Tarok youths, many youth join the group because
of curiosity, only very few that sent me a private mails that they are
freethinkers and many more are afraid to identify themselves because of friends
and family members, my aim is to enlighten the youth that there is no any
supernatural being that is call God.
I work a full-time
with one of the commercial bank in Nigeria as an outsource POS (Point Of Sales)
Marketer, is an electronic means of transactions with any ATM card.
I am
studying full-time in my final year in Agricultural Extension and Management. I
spend my limited time studying classical books.
I grew up in Funyallang, Gazum district of Langtang North
Local Government of Plateau State.
My Parent where not religious, although my
father will time to time visit his ancestors in the grove.
After the death of
my father, the Catholics came and recruited my mother, with her influence I was
also recruited in early 90s.
Close to the middle of 90s I was baptized and
receipt my first holy communion.
In 2002 I receive my confirmation by
Archbishop John Onayeikan, now a
cardinal , in that same year I was recruited into the Legion of Mary society.
Legion of Mary is a pious society, the aim is to win more people or souls to
Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, and it was believed that through her
interventions heaven is sure.
The Legion of Mary was established in September
7, 1921 by Frank Duff in Ireland.
I was first assign as an instructor of the Block Rosary Crusade
in one of the many centres; I help in indoctrinating the Children for 8 years.
Block Rosary Crusade is a pious society comprises of young and adult. I was later
elected the treasurer of a presidium for 3 years and a second term for another
3 years.
In the course of my instructions, when reading the beautiful
story of Fatimah, which centers on the three little children of Fatimah namely
Lucy, Jacinta and Francisco, those who are once Catholic will understand the
story well.
The story is about Mary the mother of Jesus Christ appearing to the
three little children and only they could see the mother of Jesus and the
dancing of the Sun in 1917.
Nobody in the world notice the Sun dancing an
recorded it, but the world war that take place at the time far away from Africa
grandparents knew about it and people are telling stories on how some people
from Africa went to fight the war, the Sun that everybody could see in Europe
and Africa and yet nobody notice and talk about it, when the Sun is danced in
the sky, only the Catholics saw the Sun dancing.
My first doubt came from the Fatimah story; the second was,
when I came across a book call the Gospel of Barnabas, I was surprise, because
I never knew there is a Gospel in the name of Barnabas in the Bible.
After
reading the Gospel of Barnabas, it makes more sense to me. I introduce the book
to the President of my association, after he had read the book he warns me
never to read the book again, I said why? He said, it is written by Muslims.
I came
across another book again call the Da Vinci Code, I read it over and over, again
and again underline so many passages, that explain more of the numerous
Catholic paintings and pictures, it was
in 2006, my doubt keep growing, I didn’t know of anybody to share my disbelief.
In 2008, I enroll for
my National Diploma in Agricultural Technology; I came across a part-time
lecturer, Dr Tunde Oregundade. Unknown
to me is a humanist and an atheist (will I say, was God that lead me to him to
train me in the part of humanism lol) or coincidentally I met him.
I borrow and read so many books from his vast
library.
In 2011, I attend a three days and is my first Humanist
Conference held in Abuja Nigeria, organize by the Nigerian Humanist Movement.
Where, I met the President of the Nigerian Humanist Movement Mr. Leo Igwe,
Graham Knight, Dr Adeleke Ogunlana, Gamba Sambo, Ike Okechukwu, and so many
others humanist.
I was motivated to openly announce to my family members after
the conference that I am now a humanist, my mother can’t believe it.
In
December of 2011, I organize a small meeting with the villagers and lecture
them on witchcraft, and why they should stop accusing old women and children
for witchcraft.
The meeting turns out nasty, when I told the gathering that
there is no God.
Some villagers give my wife a name in Hausa a local language known
as “MATA BA ALLAH” Mata means “wife”, Ba Allah means “No God”. That also means
the wife of a person that didn’t believed in God.
Nandip Andrew
Nigerian Humanist Movement
Twitter: @AndrewNandip
Skype: andrew.nandip.paul
Nigeria.
General Committee Member, African Working Group. iheyo
