I am interested in “secularizing” Africa because I believe this would benefit the continent intellectually, socially, and economically. To help advance this goal I support Kasese Humanist Primary School, and I co-launched BiZoHa - the world’s first atheist orphanage.

I recently discovered an activist who shares my POV on Facebook. The administrator of World Atheists: Lets Kick Islam and Christianity out of Africa agreed to an interview:

HP: What is your background?

Jd Otit: I am originally from Nigeria. I now live in Manchester, United Kingdom. I am a legal practitioner. Besides Nigeria, I have also been to Benin, Ghana, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco.

HP: Why do you think it is important to kick Christianity and Islam out of Africa?

Jd Otit: Africa definitely would be a great place without foreign religion. We might not be able to eradicate the worship of African deities by Africans, however, the worship of African Gods is less problematic than the evils and atrocities associated with these two foreign doctrines Islam and Christianity.

Africa will fare better as one people. Islam and Christianity has divided us; it has torn the fabric of brotherhood that held us together; we see ourselves as Muslims or Christians; we do not recognize what bound us together anymore - our color, our Africaness, our common adversities as a people - we rejoice at the peril of Muslims or Christians because we do not think any more as “African” but rather we label ourselves according to some Middle Eastern idiocy introduced to us through slavery.

My experience of religious Africa is of people who are stupidly passive and numb due to faith and expectations of a greater reward in some paradise. African people have left the fight to “god” - Jewish and Arab Gods are now their escape route, due to fear and cowardice.

HP: Do you think Africa would be more prosperous without religion?

Jd Otit: Africa would prosper greatly without religion. People would not leave situations that require revolutions or human interventions to some invisible sky being, hence manufacturing the slave chains that will hold their next generations in captivity.

Today the people on top are enjoying the disunity and chaos amongst the ordinary people, these are distractions that is working very well for the African elite, “blame the devil, blame yourselves, pray to God , but never blame us, it’s always the devil’s work. “ That is the mantra of the African elite.

HP: Would Africa be less violent without religion?

Jd Otit: Africa would definitely be less violent, there would be less hatred amongst Africans due to different belief system.

HP: We are concerned about over-population in Africa, which has the world’s highest fertility rate.

Jd Otit: Africa is not overpopulated, we have more than enough for our needs, Africa is suffering not because of lack of resources to sustain its people, Africa is suffering due to the greed of the top few, Africa is facing hardship due to mismanagement that is encouraged by western powers. Everyone knows the richness within the African continent; sadly exploitation and encouragement of corruption by the West has impoverished the ordinary African. Overpopulation is not what we should be addressing, but rather corruption and confronting those who are benefiting from the African chaos .

HP: We are also concerned about outbreaks of epidemics like Ebola. Do you think education and development would improve with atheism?

Jd Otit: Education and development - especially technological advancement - will improve when people stop relying and hoping on some sky Daddy as “Mr. Fix It All.” Ebola for example was able to spread due to lack of education, because some so-called “men of God” saw opportunities in people’s adversities. People were told Ebola was the result of witchcraft or some evil spirit. A little education would have gone a long way in preventing the unnecessary loss of lives through ignorance.

HP: Are you concerned that there will be numerous wars between Christians and Muslims?

Jd Otit: I am not very concerned about religious wars in Africa, the worst are already happening now, with terror groups all over. Examples: the Somalian Al Shabab, the Nigerian Boko Haram, the Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army (now very disorganized), ISIS taking a foothold in Northern Africa nations, like Libya. I believe these wars will not turn to major wars between nations, they will fizzle out with time.

Our fight is the fight for the mind.

Africa has people dropping religion recently, we have people declaring their atheism on FB, these instances are unheard of before, there is progress, but it might take time.

My worst fear is the future generation of Africans that might be left behind if we don’t start eradicating the biggest impediment to our progress which is religion and start contributing our quota to the development of the human race.

Jd Otit studied at University of Salford International in Greater Manchester