From Carol to Maulud: The Uba Sani Interfaith Footprint for Kaduna

By Nasir Dambatta

Governor Uba Sani’s recent engagements with Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Kaduna Unity Christmas Carol and the Maulud Nabiyy have quietly redrawn the boundaries of faith, power and belonging in the State.

In a country where religion is too often weaponised and diversity treated as a political liability, Uba Sani’s Kaduna has, in recent weeks, offered Nigeria a different narrative — one shaped not by rhetoric, but by deliberate leadership and symbolic clarity.

Kaduna’s history gives this moment its weight. As one of Nigeria’s most religiously and culturally diverse states, it has long stood at the intersection of faith, identity and power. Some past administrations spoke endlessly about unity, yet governed from comfort zones that deepened suspicion. What distinguishes Governor Uba Sani’s approach is his refusal to outsource unity to speeches alone. Instead, he has made presence a policy choice.

At the Kaduna Unity Christmas Carol, the governor’s participation was not ceremonial tokenism. It was a statement that the Christian community is central — not peripheral — to governance in Kaduna. His consistent appearance at the Carol has gradually transformed the event from a seasonal ritual into a reassurance: that faith will not determine access, relevance or protection under his administration.
From the hymns of the Carol, the governor moved seamlessly into the spiritual energy of the Maulud Nabiyy, joining thousands of Muslim faithful to commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Beyond the colour and devotion, the symbolism was unmistakable. Leadership, like faith, must be anchored in compassion, humility and service — values that transcend religious boundaries and speak directly to governance.
Equally significant was Governor Sani’s engagement with Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), one of Nigeria’s most influential Islamic institutions. His interaction with JNI underscored a mature understanding of the role faith-based bodies play in social stability, moral guidance and peacebuilding. It also signalled a government that relates with religious institutions as partners in development, not instruments of political convenience.

What makes this interfaith footprint historic is not the coincidence of events, but the consistency of intent. In a state where symbolic gestures can calm or inflame tensions, Uba Sani has chosen inclusion over caution. He has walked into all sacred spaces without ranking beliefs, without political theatre, and without exclusion.

The impact is already visible. Religious leaders are moderating their tone. Communities once divided by suspicion are beginning to rediscover shared civic ground. The temperature of Kaduna’s religious discourse is cooling, replaced by a cautious but growing trust.

At a time when many politicians profit from division, Governor Uba Sani’s interfaith engagements stand as a quiet rebuke to sectarian politics. They suggest a future where Kaduna’s progress is not negotiated along religious lines, but built on shared citizenship and mutual respect.

From JNI halls to church choirs, from Maulud grounds to government house, the message is clear: Kaduna belongs to everyone — and leadership must be present everywhere.
That, more than any slogan, is the Uba Sani interfaith footprint now reshaping Kaduna.

*Dambatta is Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Print Media