By Felix Josepha Samari
In a nation as religiously diverse as Nigeria, faith remains one of the most powerful forces shaping identity, values, and community life. Yet increasingly, religion is also being drawn into conversations and conflicts where it has little or no place—often creating divisions that could otherwise be avoided.
A recent exchange between entertainers Kahutu Rarara and Davido offers a timely example.
What began as a disagreement between two public figures in the entertainment industry soon expanded beyond its original context. After Davido reportedly described Rarara as uneducated, reactions followed across social media. Among them was a comment from a woman who argued that Rarara’s ability to recite the Holy Qur’an demonstrated that he could not be considered uneducated.
That perspective deserves reflection. Education is not confined to formal Western schooling. Religious education, traditional knowledge, vocational skills, and lived experience all contribute to human development and intellectual growth.
But another aspect of the response raises an important question for all Nigerians.
Why should a disagreement between entertainers become a religious contest?
The call for Muslims to rally behind “their brother” transformed what was essentially a personal disagreement into a matter of religious identity. This pattern is becoming increasingly common in Nigeria, where social, political, and cultural issues are too often interpreted through religious lenses.
Such reactions risk weakening social cohesion and undermining one of the most fundamental democratic principles: Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB).
Freedom of Religion or Belief protects every individual’s right to hold, practice, change, or choose not to follow any religion without coercion or discrimination. Equally important, it encourages people to engage one another first as citizens and human beings—not merely as members of religious groups.
When every disagreement becomes “us versus them,” opportunities for understanding disappear.
Nigeria today faces challenges that demand collective attention—rising insecurity, kidnappings, criminal violence, and growing public anxiety. These are issues that cut across religion, ethnicity, and geography.
The recent public mobilisation around reports of abducted children in Oyo State demonstrated the power of coordinated advocacy. Through social media engagement and sustained public attention, citizens amplified the issue and encouraged accountability.
Similar incidents have affected communities across Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country, yet many have struggled to receive the same national attention. This raises difficult but necessary questions:
What happens when communities become more vocal in defending personalities than defending vulnerable citizens? What changes when public influence is redirected toward justice, protection, and accountability?
History shows that public platforms matter. Athletes, entertainers, artists, and cultural figures around the world have often used moments of visibility to raise awareness about social concerns and inspire action. Public influence becomes more meaningful when it serves the common good.
For this reason, influential Nigerians who choose to speak about insecurity, injustice, corruption, or governance challenges should not automatically be dismissed as unpatriotic. Patriotism is not silence. Often, it is expressed through the courage to demand improvement.
No single celebrity statement will solve Nigeria’s security challenges.
But conversations matter. Public attention matters. Collective advocacy matters.
For young people in Northern Nigeria and across the country, the challenge is clear: resist attempts to reduce every disagreement into religious competition. Refuse narratives that deepen division. Instead, encourage influential voices—including entertainers, community leaders, and public personalities—to promote peaceful coexistence, responsible citizenship, and accountability.
Nigeria’s future will not be secured by religious mobilisation around personal disputes.
It will be strengthened by citizens who understand that our differences are not threats, our faiths are not weapons, and our collective humanity remains our greatest common ground.
In a country of many beliefs, true freedom means protecting each other’s dignity—and choosing unity over division.
- Samari, Country Representative, Faith and Freedom Africa writes from Abuja.
