Christopher Musa in the Mosque: Islamization, Fulanization, or Loyalty to the Hausa-Fulani?
By Mustapha Gembu
In the picture circulating online, the current Minister of Defence, Mr. Christopher Gwabin Musa, is seen in complete Islamic attire, humbly seated in a mosque before an Imam, alongside Mr. Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, and other Muslim faithful.
The reality behind the picture is that Mr. Christopher Musa was attending a marriage ceremony, as Mr. Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, gave his daughters’ hands in marriage to their respective spouses.
The story worth knowing
When Mr. Christopher Musa, a Christian, was appointed Minister of Defence to replace Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, a Muslim, sections of the Christian community—especially ethno-religious bigots (anti-Fulani and anti-Muslim elements)—celebrated as though Christopher Musa were another messiah for Christians in the country.
They celebrated the removal of a Hausa-Fulani Muslim, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, whom they considered incompetent, largely because of his affiliation with Islam. Ironically, the same ethno-religious bigots who celebrated his removal failed to acknowledge that the process was facilitated by some Hausa-Fulani Muslims in the corridors of power—individuals whom the celebrants of Christopher Gwabin Musa’s appointment routinely describe as their enemies. The appointment of one of their own, Mr. Christopher Musa, a Christian, was therefore celebrated across social media platforms, churches, and public discourse without this inconvenient truth.
Today, Mr. Christopher Musa, the celebrated Christian Minister of Defence, is seen in a mosque alongside Bello Matawalle, a Fulani Muslim and Minister of State for Defence. Does this mean that Mr. Christopher Musa, whom some Christians regarded as their own, has now been Islamized or Fulanized—groups his celebrants often describe as enemies?
Moral lessons worth knowing
1. Those in the corridors of power do not recognize religion or faith; they recognize power and shared interests.
2.Only the poor masses remain the true victims of religious and ethnic divisiveness.
Read Also:
3. Religion is frequently used as a tool to manipulate and control the poor masses.
4. Political elites exploit religious and ethnic sentiments to gain loyalty and silence accountability.
5. Public office holders serve state interests, not religious or ethnic agendas.
6. Symbolic gestures and appearances are often misinterpreted to suit preconceived biases.
7. Social media outrage is largely driven by misinformation, emotions, and selective narratives.
8. Unity among the masses threatens corrupt leadership, hence the deliberate promotion of division.
9. Leadership failure is a product of corruption and poor governance, not religious identity.
10. National progress depends on judging leaders by competence, integrity, and performance rather than faith or ethnicity.
11. Religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence are essential for national stability and development.
12. The problem of Nigeria is not Islam, Muslims, Christians, Christianity, traditional religion, traditionalists, or atheism, but corrupt leaders drawn from all faiths and ethnic backgrounds.
A word of advice to victims of religious manipulation and ethno-religious bigotry
To those who have been hurt by religious manipulation and the cruelty of ethno-religious bigotry—especially Fulani men and women targeted simply for their tribal background and Islamic faith—know this: you are not the false narrative created about you. No tribe and no religion is born evil; only injustice is learned and deliberately promoted by those who benefit from division.
Do not allow hatred to harden your heart or erase your dignity. Your identity, culture, and faith are valid and honorable. History has shown that whenever ordinary people are turned against one another, it is because a few powerful individuals fear unity and truth.
Respond not with bitterness, but with patience, wisdom, and integrity. Refuse to answer hate with hate, for that is the victory manipulators seek. Let your character, compassion, and conduct dismantle stereotypes more effectively than arguments ever could.
Build bridges where others dig trenches. Speak truth where lies are repeated. Choose empathy over suspicion, and justice over collective blame. You belong, you matter, and no one has the right to criminalize your name, your faith, or your heritage.
