Fani-Kayode: Uba Sani’s Emergence Ended Years of Hostility Against Christians in Kaduna

Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, at the weekend described Governor Uba Sani as a “divine intervention” raised to halt years of carnage, division and institutional discrimination against Christians in Kaduna State.

Fani-Kayode stated this while addressing the 2025 Synod and 35th Anniversary of the Diocese of Kafanchan, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

He lamented that there was a period when all 17 service chiefs in the country were Muslims from the North, and Christians in Kaduna were “openly treated with contempt,” adding that the situation has since begun to reverse under Governor Uba Sani.

“The governor you have today came as a consequence of prayer. I have known him for many years. He is not an ordinary person,” he said.

The former minister recalled the December 25, 2016 killings in Southern Kaduna where, according to him, 800 people were butchered in one day by “terrorists from outside.” He said hospital facilities were shut while the Government House “looked the other way.”

He noted that Christian traditional rulers were killed and entire communities repeatedly raided, a development which, in his view, galvanised Christians nationwide to resist being treated as “second-class citizens.”

Fani-Kayode said prayers of the faithful brought Governor Uba Sani to power, adding that the governor has since taken steps to rebuild trust and redress past injustices, including inclusion of Christians in the Kaduna Elders Forum for the first time.

He claimed that the killings in Southern Kaduna “stopped abruptly” after Governor Uba Sani assumed office, crediting him with promoting peace, mutual respect and religious balance in governance.

He commended the gesture of the governor removing his cap during a church service as “a mark of respect to the faith,” urging Christians to reciprocate the peace initiative by deepening reconciliation with their Muslim neighbours.

The former minister encouraged families that lost children during the violence to adopt children from the other faith as a gesture of healing, saying “in faith, we are one.”

He also slammed a former governor of the state who admitted on national television that terrorists were “paid not to attack,” wondering whether that meant they were previously paid to invade communities.

Fani-Kayode hailed the restraint of Southern Kaduna people in the face of provocation and urged them to sustain peace under the new administration.