Nigeria’s Faith and Power – A Journey Through Religion, Politics, and Society
Since Nigeria gained independence in 1960, the question of whether the country has been ruled predominantly by Christians or Muslims has often surfaced in political discourse. Given the nation’s near-even religious divide and the sensitivity surrounding faith-based power sharing, examining the historical record provides valuable context.
Over the approximately 65 years from October 1960 to December 2025, Nigeria has had a variety of heads of state and presidents under both civilian and military regimes. When total years in power are calculated, Muslim leaders have held the executive position for the majority of the period – roughly 38–40 years compared to 25–27 years for Christian leaders.
Key periods include:
- Early Independence (1960–1966): Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (Muslim) held executive power, while the President, Nnamdi Azikiwe (Christian), was largely ceremonial.
- First Military Era (1966–1979): Mostly Christian-led under Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi and Yakubu Gowon (combined ~9.5 years), with brief Muslim intervals under Murtala Muhammed and the transition under Olusegun Obasanjo (Christian).
- Second Republic (1979–1983): President Shehu Shagari (Muslim).
- Long Military Rule (1983–1999): Dominated by northern Muslim officers – Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha, and Abdulsalami Abubakar – totalling around 16 years, with only a brief civilian interregnum under Ernest Shonekan (Christian).
- Fourth Republic (1999–present): Olusegun Obasanjo (Christian, 8 years), Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (Muslim, ~3 years), Goodluck Jonathan (Christian, ~5 years), Muhammadu Buhari (Muslim, 8 years), and Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Muslim, ongoing ~2.5 years as of December 2025).
The longer Muslim tenure is largely attributable to the extended military regimes of the 1980s and 1990s, when northern Muslim generals held power for significant stretches. These eras reflect historical power structures rooted in the British colonial legacy and the numerical strength of the northern region rather than any formal religious policy.
In contrast, the democratic Fourth Republic shows a much closer balance, with Christians and Muslims each governing for roughly 13–14 years so far. This near parity stems from an unwritten but widely observed convention of alternating the presidency between the predominantly Muslim North and predominantly Christian South, often paired with vice-presidential candidates of the opposite faith to maintain religious equilibrium.
While no constitutional provision mandates religious rotation, the practice has helped manage tensions in a plural society. Deviations – such as the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023 – inevitably spark debate, underscoring how deeply faith remains intertwined with Nigerian political history.
References: Official records of Nigerian heads of state (1960–2025); biographical compilations from the Nigerian Presidency and National Assembly; academic works including “Nigeria’s Soldiers of Fortune” by Max Siollun and analyses from the Council on Foreign Relations.
Next Episode: Military vs Civilian Rule: The Religious Balance Shift
(Separating the military-dominated decades from democratic periods to reveal how the religious composition of leadership has varied dramatically by era)