There’s a widely-held belief that religion influences how many vote in Nigeria. Many Nigerian Christians objected to the then presidential candidate Bola Tinubu choosing a fellow Muslim, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate in what was dubbed a “Muslim-Muslim” or “Mu-Mu” ticket. Several religious leaders also aligned openly with the non-Muslim presidential candidate Peter Obi.
This opposition to two Muslims on the ticket was based on the misguided premise that the non-Muslims were really Christians. They were Christian in name, but not in deed, as there is little evidence that Nigerian politicians, who notoriously ignore the constitution, are bothered by doing the will of God, as evidenced by the Bible.
Romans 2:11 states that God shows no favouritism. But He cares about the poor! He hates injustice and oppression. This is clear from Isaiah:1:17: Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. That’s definitely not on the “to-do” list for the political class in Nigeria, with many claiming to be Christians.
Isaiah 10:1-3 sends a warning that Nigeria’s supposedly Christian politicians roundly ignore: Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? Nigerian legislators line their pockets, ignore their constituents and see politics as a route to amassing riches.
Proverbs 14:31 demonstrates the contempt Nigerian politicians have for God, while pretending to be Christians: Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honours God.
The poor are certainly closer to God than the filthy rich politicians that loot the treasury and claim to be Christians, as shown in Luke 6:20-21: Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Matthew 25:31-40 shows how God will treat those politicians that say they are Christians but ignore the plight of poor Nigerians: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
The marginalised people of Nigeria come from every ethnic group. They are poor Nigerians and the majority (an estimated 70%). They are the people being oppressed by the ruling elite, many of whom claim to be Christians. The poorest among the poor are in northern Nigeria. Their oppressors and perpetrators of injustices against them are from every ethnic group. These people are showing contempt to God. We would do well not to side with them just because they come from our ethnic group or share the same religion. God cares about the poor regardless of faith and not any man-made territory or ethnic boundary.
