RismadarVoice Reporters, May 4, 2026
A Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Asadul Islam, has stirred controversy following a fiery lecture circulating online in which he condemned the recent rice distribution initiative led by Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, describing it as politically motivated, criticising religious leaders who participated in the exercise.
The remarks come in the wake of a federal government-backed humanitarian intervention involving the distribution of 100 trucks of rice and N1.2 billion worth of support to vulnerable households across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The programme, coordinated through the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Political and other Matters, was presented as part of ongoing efforts to cushion economic hardship.
However, Asadul Islam, addressing followers in a widely shared sermon, rejected the initiative outright, questioning both its timing and intent.
“I will not struggle for the sake of poor Nigerians to the point of death, or align with oppressors to defend injustice,” the cleric declared, distancing himself from what he described as politically driven charity.
He further criticised segments of the religious community, suggesting that some clerics had compromised their moral standing by accepting the palliative.
Without naming individuals, he referenced late Islamic scholars, contrasting what he described as their principled stance with what he termed the failings of contemporary figures. “Those who feel offended know themselves,” he said, in a pointed remark that has since drawn reactions across religious and public circles.
On the First Lady’s visit to Kaduna, the cleric questioned why the distribution appeared concentrated in the North, alleging disparity in how similar interventions were handled in other regions. He also raised concerns over the timing of the programme, linking it to the approaching 2027 general elections.
“Why now?” he asked. “Was it done earlier? What is being approached is 2027.”
In a strongly worded rejection, Asadul Islam said he declined to accept the rice palliative, claiming it had been “cursed” and warning that those who received it for political purposes would face consequences—a statement that has sparked debate over the tone and implications of his message.
He also criticised clerics who participated in the programme, alleging that some had begun endorsing political interests following the event.
Despite his criticism, the cleric stopped short of directing political choices ahead of the next election cycle. He insisted that his platform would not be used to instruct followers on whom to vote for in 2027, urging individuals instead to make independent decisions.
“For us, we will not tell people who to vote for. They should decide based on what they see,” he said.
The Office of the First Lady has maintained that the intervention is strictly humanitarian, aimed at alleviating hardship among vulnerable populations, particularly in the face of ongoing economic challenges.
