Former Minister Dalung Rejects Religious Census Push, Warns Nigeria ‘Isn’t a Muslim Trophy’
A former Nigerian minister has weighed into a national debate over a proposed religious census, cautioning that the country cannot be treated as “a Muslim trophy” and must remain a shared home for believers of all faiths.
According to The Guardian Nigeria News, Solomon Dalung, who served as Minister of Youth and Sports under former President Muhammadu Buhari, responded to remarks attributed to a figure named Jingir concerning calls for a nationwide count of Nigerians by religion. Dalung warned against any framing of the country that positioned one faith above others.
Background on religious debates
Nigeria is broadly divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south, with a significant middle belt where both communities live side by side. Successive governments have struggled with the politics of religious balance, particularly in appointments to federal institutions and security agencies.
Critics from different regions have, at various times, accused governments of tilting either toward Islamisation or Christian marginalisation, depending on their vantage point. The absence of a recent, fully accepted national census has made demographic claims a recurring source of political friction.
Constitutional secularity
Nigeria’s constitution provides for a secular state, though it also recognises the role of religion in public life. Section 10 of the constitution bars federal and state governments from adopting an official state religion, while guaranteeing freedom of belief and worship.
Dalung, who hails from Plateau State in the Middle Belt, has been a frequent commentator on national affairs since leaving office. His intervention comes amid renewed public discussion about whether subsequent censuses should capture religious affiliation, a question that has divided opinion among politicians, faith leaders and civic groups.
As The Guardian Nigeria News reported, Dalung urged restraint and a renewed commitment to Nigeria’s pluralist character, arguing that the country’s diversity should be protected rather than turned into a tool of political competition.
Sources
This report was written from coverage published by the following news organisations. Follow the links for the original reporting.
- The Guardian Nigeria News — Dalung tackles Jingir’s ‘Religious Census’, Warns: Nigeria Isn’t a Muslim Trophy
