Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that Senator Uba Sani’s rise to the position of Kaduna State Governor was through divine intervention meant to restore healing and unity after years of carnage, distrust, and open discrimination against Christians.
Speaking on Saturday, the 25th of October, 2025, at the 35th Anniversary Synod of the Diocese of Kafanchan, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Fani-Kayode reflected on the period when Christians faced severe marginalisation in the state and across the country.
He recalled that there was a time when all 17 security chiefs in Nigeria were Muslims from the North, while Christians, especially in Kaduna, were sidelined because of their faith.
According to him, the emergence of Uba Sani has brought a positive shift. ‘’What he is doing should serve as an example to the rest of the country,’’ the former minister said.
‘’The Governor that you have today came as a consequence of prayer. I have known him for many years. He is one of my closest friends. He is not an ordinary person,’’ he added.
He condemned past administrations that, in his words, “despised Christians” and “treated them with contempt and disdain,” noting that such hostility deepened division in Kaduna.
Fani-Kayode recounted the tragic events of December 25, 2016, describing it as an unforgettable day when terrorists attacked four local government areas in Southern Kaduna, killing about 800 people men, women, and children.
‘’To put the icing on the cake, the local hospitals were closed. And nobody listened to you from Government House, so that you will suffer all the more. And that kept on happening, community after community,’’ he lamented.
He said Christian traditional rulers were killed and their communities dehumanised, but their resilience and unity inspired Christians across Nigeria. ‘’The shabby treatment that Christians were subjected to acted as a catalyst for them to stand against it, fight against it and say, ‘we shall not accept this,’’’ he stated.
Fani-Kayode reaffirmed his belief in Christian dignity, saying, ‘’To be a Christian is not to be a second-class citizen, is not to be a slave, is not to be a nobody. To be a Christian is to be everything a child of the living God, a believer.’’
As Saduakin Shinkafi, he recalled how Christians turned to prayer rather than violence, and God responded by bringing Uba Sani into leadership. ‘’God raised a humane Governor in the person of Senator Uba Sani, a candidate who some people thought would not coast to victory. Even his so-called backer thought he could manipulate him,’’ he said.
He noted that one of Governor Uba Sani’s first actions was to bridge the religious divide. ‘’He told me he was going to do this, and he honoured that promise. Kaduna is now both for Christians and Muslims,’’ he said.
Fani-Kayode also highlighted the creation of the Kaduna Elders Forum, which included Christians for the first time a move that reportedly angered Sani’s predecessor.
He said the killings in Southern Kaduna had stopped since Uba Sani assumed office, describing the state as “more united and peaceful,” with “no more carnage or Christian persecution.”
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‘’This is a Governor who entered a Church. I saw it on television and I was so touched. Out of respect to us, and our faith and our God, he removed his cap,’’ he said. ‘’This is a man you must respect and stand by. And this is why you must make total and complete peace with the Muslim community.’’
Fani-Kayode further urged reconciliation between Christians and Muslims. ‘’If you lost a child during the time of terror, just like Mahatma Gandhi told the Hindus, find a Muslim child to adopt. And if you are a Muslim and your child was killed by Christians, look for a Christian child and adopt,’’ he advised.
He reminded the audience that faith should unite, not divide. ‘’In faith, we are one. We may choose different paths of worship. The overwhelming majority of Muslims are decent, God-fearing, hardworking people who wish to live in peace with each and everyone of us,’’ he said.
Fani-Kayode also referenced a past governor who admitted on national television to paying terrorists from outside Nigeria not to attack, which implied earlier payments to enable their violence.
He praised the people of Southern Kaduna for their calm and reliance on God through dark times, describing them as exceptional. ‘’Please continue in that way,’’ he urged.