Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has called on the federal government to include religion in Nigeria’s next national census, saying the move would help end unverified claims of population strength and numerical dominance among religious groups.
Hayab made the call while reacting to recent comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, on the Muslim Muslim political arrangement and the numerical strength of Muslims, which have generated reactions across the country. Blueprint reports
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, the NCA chairman said the controversy had again brought to the fore the need for reliable demographic data on Nigeria’s religious composition, particularly as population figures were increasingly being invoked in political and religious discussions.
The cleric also said Jingir’s comments had exposed concerns that Christians in Northern Nigeria had raised for years over alleged discrimination, marginalisation and religious dominance.
“There is always a day when you will no longer pretend. We have been living in pretence in Nigeria, lying to ourselves that we are together, lying to each other that there is unity and lying to each other that we are co-citizens,” Hayab said.
Call for religious census
Hayab said the country could not continue to make far-reaching political arguments based on claims of the numerical strength of particular religious groups without official data establishing the actual population of adherents of the country’s major faiths.
He urged the federal government and relevant authorities to consider including a question on religious affiliation in the next national census to provide what he described as a factual basis for discussions surrounding Nigeria’s religious demographics.
According to him, the absence of reliable data had created room for competing claims of numerical superiority, with such claims sometimes finding their way into political campaigns and public discourse.
“That is why we have called for every census to have the religious question included. Let us do this. Why have people been running away from putting religious questions in the census and then coming out behind the scenes to beat their chests?” he asked.
The NCA chairman said establishing reliable demographic data could help reduce unnecessary rivalry and discourage the use of unverified population figures to demean or intimidate fellow citizens.
“Let us have the religious question. Let us really know who is in this country and what the percentages are so that people will stop insulting fellow Nigerians,” Hayab said.
He maintained that no religious group should use claims of numerical strength as a basis for excluding others or seeking to diminish their rights as citizens.
Background to Jingir’s comments
The call followed Jingir’s remarks at a gathering in Kano, where he defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Muslim Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 general election, arguing that Muslims should not apologise for supporting candidates of their faith because of their population and popularity.
In a viral video from the event organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah, JIBWIS, and attended by the governors of Kano and Jigawa states, Abba Kabir Yusuf and Umar Namadi, respectively, the cleric described Christians as “infidels” and urged Muslims to unite and use their numerical strength to pursue their political interests.
The comments have since reopened discussions on religious identity, political representation and national cohesion.
Hayab said his concern was heightened by the fact that the comments were made publicly in the presence of political leaders who, according to him, did not immediately reject or rebuke them.
“The man did not just say it in his room. The man said it in the presence of three governors, and they were all smiling.
“An action that would have been frowned upon, an action that would have been rebuked, an action that would have been rejected instantly,” he said.
Hayab said Nigerians were now in a position to openly examine concerns that Christians had raised over the years.
He said: “Some months ago, we had controversy in this Nigerian debate around whether Christian genocide is happening and whether Christians have been persecuted. Many people said, ‘No, that is not true.’
“Today, Nigerians, you do not need to ask another question unless you want to pretend. So, the pretence has ended. We can see it clearly. We can hear it clearly.”
Muslim Muslim ticket and national inclusion
The NCA chairman maintained that the controversy was not simply about the right of Muslims to support political candidates of their faith.
He said Christians who raised concerns over the Muslim Muslim ticket during the 2023 presidential election were seeking fairness, balance and inclusion and were not opposed to the democratic rights of any religious group.
Hayab argued that President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were not elected by Muslims alone, noting that the ticket also received support from states and communities with substantial Christian populations.
“Will you tell me that the current Muslim Muslim ticket that you claim to have put was only elected by Muslims? No, sir. I can count names of states that are mostly Christian. The man won in those states.
“So, it was not just the Muslims that voted for him. Even though we had concerns and advised that there should be a balance for fairness, we were not going to war to install anybody or anything.
“We only wanted understanding and togetherness, as enshrined in our Constitution,” Hayab said.
He argued that the use of derogatory language against fellow citizens because of their faith was capable of worsening existing divisions.
“If you respect me, you do not come out publicly and make such a derogatory statement against me, against my faith, just for politics.
“It is no longer politics. It is the reality that has been going on on the ground,” he said.
Governors, government urged to speak
Hayab challenged the political leaders present at the gathering, the federal government and politicians associated with those being promoted by Jingir to publicly state their positions on the comments.
“We are waiting to see the reaction of those governors. Whatever stopped them from reacting that day is another different thing. We are going to see what they are going to say.
“Then, we will see the reaction of the federal government. We will see the reaction of those candidates whom the man is campaigning for, whether they like such,” he said.
The NCA chairman, however, said the development would not make Christians abandon interfaith dialogue and engagement.
“We will not stop the dialogue. We will talk with honest people and clerics. We will talk with people who understand things rightly.
“But we should also call out people like Jingir and others. And when we call them out, government can now act responsibly and know that these people are creating bigger problems for us than uniting Nigeria.
“Nigeria needs unity. Nigeria needs togetherness,” he said.
Hayab also rejected suggestions that Christian leaders had failed to engage government and other stakeholders on concerns affecting their communities.
According to him, Christian leaders regularly meet political party leaders, government officials and security agencies to raise concerns, although some of such engagements are conducted privately in the interest of peace and national stability.
Unity, dialogue and national priorities
The Northern Christian leader also noted that Nigeria had previously witnessed political tickets involving candidates of the same faith, arguing that the issue was not necessarily the religious identity of candidates but the rhetoric deployed in political mobilisation.
He cited the Moshood Abiola and Babagana Kingibe ticket as an example, saying the country had at different periods managed political arrangements involving candidates of the same faith.
“It is not today that Nigeria had a Muslim Muslim ticket. We voted for Abiola and Kingibe. We did not have a problem with that. We have had Buhari and Diakpo. Nobody had a problem with that.
“But when we start making terrible rhetoric against one another and start insulting people publicly, please, can we solve this problem once and for all?” he said.
Hayab warned against a growing pattern of divisive statements and said authorities should take seriously comments capable of worsening religious tension.
He also faulted efforts to restrict religious preaching, arguing that the Constitution guarantees Nigerians the freedom to practise and propagate their faith.
The NCA chairman urged political and religious leaders to exercise restraint and focus on issues affecting the welfare and security of citizens.
“Nigerians are suffering from hunger. There is insecurity in Nigeria. Our people are not reminding themselves to do what is right to secure Nigeria and to contribute to nation building.
“Instead, they are busy coming up with divisive rhetoric, insulting fellow citizens and smiling while someone insults other citizens.
“It is a shame,” Hayab said.