RELIGION INTERFACING MORALITY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS TO SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AMONG THE IGBO OF SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

The relationship between morality and religion has generated a lot of controversies among people that had previously written on ethics. It is noteworthy that the controversies have remained unresolved till date. Morality is an offshoot of ethics which further compounds the problem, particularly when it gets to who sanctions morality. That the moral code is accepted and is effective depends largely on the source of its sanction. This affects society that either accepts the moral code based on the source of moral sanction - which enforces the law, or rejects it to the detriment of the growth and development of society. It becomes pertinent to look into the relationship between morality and religion with the view of determining the implications of the said relationship to the development of Igbo society. This paper used Phenomenological Approach. The data were analysed and described in the course of the research. In writing this paper, the writer used primary source and secondary sources, like observation and books respectively. It was discovered that despite what Philosophers, Humanists, Anthropologists, Sociologists, Atheists and even some religious writers have written on the independence of morality from religion, morality was not independent of religion, they were intrinsically linked and inseparable. However, there were visible flaws that needed to be controlled for this relationship between morality and religion to be cordial and more meaningful. The writer recommended that for morality to be an effective tool in checking the moral lapses of society there should be cordial marriage of morality with religion which will result in the overall development of society.

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