Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, has dismissed suggestions that Nigeria is an Islamic nation, insisting that anyone who believes so “must be mad.”
The cleric made the comment during his Sunday service, weighing in on the ongoing debate over Nigeria’s religious identity that has intensified ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Watch Redemption Camp, watch Salvation Ministries, watch Dunamis watch various churches in Nigeria and somebody will stand and say Nigeria is an Islamic nation. Is he mad? Yes, he must be mad,” Oyedepo said.
To back his position, the bishop cited the scale and visibility of major Christian churches across the country, saying their large congregations and nationwide activities undercut any claim that Nigeria is an Islamic state.
He further stirred attention with a cryptic prediction, declaring that “there shall be strange happening between now and the next 12 months in Nigeria,” without elaborating on what this would entail.
Oyedepo’s remarks add to a broader national conversation on religion and politics that has been building since Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, Chairman of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’ikamatis Sunnah, spoke in support of President Bola Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Jingir made his comments at a mass wedding organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples, where he publicly threw his weight behind Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
“My candidate is Bola Ahmad Bola Tinubu. The President selected a Muslim as his vice. I am one of those who called people to support the Muslim-Muslim ticket. I know some non-Muslims don’t like the word Muslim-Muslim.”
“As a Muslim who preaches Islam, if I support Muslim-Muslim, what is my offence? What have I done wrong? I don’t stop anyone who believes or supports another candidate from doing the same,” Jingir said.