Religious practices and biotic conservation in Nigeria: conflict or compromise?

Abstract

This study employed cross-sectional data derived in 1990–91 to consider the contributions of religious institutions practices to biotic conservation. The evidence indicates that religious practices were varied, mixed and positive towards modern trends in conservation. However, the enforcement of religious practices was voluntary and largely based on lines of weak resistance. The religious were unable to enforce their injunctions in the face of rural poverty and state laws.

Based on the trend analysis, the African Traditional Religion tends to have negative impact on the diversity of biotic resources. Nevertheless, this conclusion appears weak and constrained by difficulties posed by multiple use of a biotic resource for food, souvenir, cash and traditional medicine; and great problems involved in isolating the sole factor for resource exploitation. It is on this basis that policy instruments must be employed to control and manage biotic resources to sustain their utilization within ecological limits.