For decades, the late and irrepressible Yusuf Bala Usman wrote with rare clarity about a problem Nigeria has yet to confront honestly\u2014the manipulation of religion in public life. His argument was direct: religion, in the hands of the political class, is too often not an expression of faith, but an instrument for the acquisition and retention of power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That argument finds its clearest validation today. A ruling establishment that leaned heavily on religious sentiment to secure legitimacy now struggles under the weight of its own record. Across governance delivery, ethical conduct, and moral credibility, the gap between rhetoric and reality has become too obvious to ignore. Claims of religious alignment ring hollow when outcomes reflect neither justice, nor fairness, nor compassion. In exposing this contradiction, the present moment reinforces exactly what Yusuf Bala Usman warned about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nigeria continues to wrestle with a persistent tension between faith as a moral compass and faith as a political weapon. What should unite and elevate public life is repeatedly drawn into partisan struggles, where it is used to mobilise support, deepen divisions, and, at critical moments, distract from governance failures. In the process, religion is stripped of its ethical depth and reduced to an instrument of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yusuf Bala Usman observed that when governments fail to deliver security, economic stability, and basic infrastructure, they rarely confront those failures directly. Instead, they pivot toward identity. In earlier periods, this tactic reframed competition for scarce resources as religious conflict, ensuring that citizens turned against one another rather than questioning systemic breakdowns. That pattern has not disappeared\u2014it has only become more sophisticated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, that sophistication is amplified by technology. What was once subtle and localised is now constant and far-reaching. Digital platforms accelerate the spread of religious narratives\u2014often distorted\u2014while echo chambers reward outrage over truth. Division is no longer occasional; it is sustained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, economic strain has made society more susceptible to manipulation. In difficult times, the language of governance is easily replaced by the language of identity. Instead of engaging serious questions about energy, industry, and national productivity, political messaging shifts toward symbolic appeals designed to secure loyalty rather than accountability. But this diversion is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain in the face of lived reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is also a deeper structural concern. As the state struggles to meet basic obligations, religious institutions step in to fill the gap. While this provides immediate relief, it gradually reshapes identity and loyalty. The citizen gives way to the adherent; civic consciousness weakens as sectarian affiliation strengthens. Over time, this undermines the foundation of a shared national project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nigeria, in this sense, remains a powerful metaphor for a broader democratic challenge: how to reconcile deeply held beliefs with the demands of accountable governance. When the sacred is repeatedly used to shield the profane\u2014corruption, inefficiency, and institutional decay\u2014elections risk becoming exercises in continuity rather than instruments of change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The dangers are real and immediate. A country already managing multiple fault lines cannot afford the added burden of religious polarisation. Institutions lose credibility when decisions are shaped by sentiment rather than merit. And once politics is framed along religious lines, escalation becomes inevitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is precisely what Yusuf Bala Usman cautioned against\u2014the use of religious narratives to obscure real issues: poverty, inequality, corruption, and governance failure. Yet there is now a shift. The lived experience of Nigerians increasingly contradicts the narratives they are being asked to believe. The gap between promise and performance is no longer theoretical\u2014it is visible and daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is why 2027 carries a different weight. The familiar appeals to identity and religion are steadily losing their persuasive force. A population confronted with hardship and institutional weakness is less inclined to accept symbolism in place of substance. The space for manipulation is narrowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The real issue, therefore, is not merely who wins, but whether the political conversation changes. The focus must return to fundamentals: energy, industry, security, and institutional reform. These are the true measures of leadership\u2014not religious posturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a line that must not be crossed. Religion should guide values, not dictate politics. It should inspire justice, not justify division. The responsibility is collective. Citizens must resist narratives that replace reasoning with emotion. Religious leaders must guard their moral authority. Public voices must continue to expose manipulation wherever it appears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It must also be clearly stated: this is not an argument against religion\u2014far from it. Religion remains central to moral order and personal discipline. The problem is its deliberate distortion by those whose conduct stands in direct conflict with the very principles they profess. One cannot cloak corruption, injustice, dishonesty, and arrogance in the language of faith and expect credibility. Beyond rituals and public declarations, it is conduct\u2014daily, practical, and visible\u2014that ultimately defines moral standing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The stakes are not routine\u2014they are structural. Nigeria stands at a decisive point: deepen democratic maturity or continue down a path where identity overrides competence and sentiment displaces reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the warnings of Yusuf Bala Usman are to mean anything, then there must be a conscious rejection of religion as a political weapon. The contradictions of today have made that necessity undeniable. Anything less risks repeating a cycle whose consequences the nation can no longer afford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Engr. Bello Gwarzo Abdullahi, FNSE. <\/p>\n\n
Email: bgabdullahi@gmail.com<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n