Religion and Hypocrisy in the Political Lyrics of Eedris Abdulkareem

Abstract

In Nigeria, religion is deeply woven into public life, frequently serving as a source of legitimacy for political actors. Elected officials often invoke religious language to portray themselves as morally upright, while simultaneously presiding over systems rife with corruption, impunity, and inequality. This paper examines how Nigerian hip-hop artist Eedris Abdulkareem uses religious symbolism and verbal irony in his lyrics to expose the contradictions between public piety and political immorality. Focusing primarily on the songs “Jaga Jaga” and “Letter to Mr. President,” the study applies discourse analysis and semiotic deconstruction to uncover how Abdulkareem weaponizes religious language to critique elite hypocrisy. Findings reveal that Abdulkareem does not attack religion itself but critiques its manipulation by corrupt politicians who use spiritual authority as a cloak for criminal governance. His lyrics perform a reversal of moral order, placing religiously performative elites on trial before the court of public opinion. Moreover, Abdulkareem’s use of irony often dismissed as street vulgarity emerges here as a deliberate rhetorical strategy to collapse the distance between sacredness and state dysfunction. The censorship of “Jaga Jaga” further underscores the state’s discomfort with music that undermines its religious self-image. The study concludes that Abdulkareem’s music constitutes a form of informal moral critique, giving regular Nigerians a different platform to challenge the authority of those in positions of both governmental and spiritual authority. It argues that popular music remains a vital platform for ethical resistance where formal institutions such as the judiciary, media, or religious bodies have been compromised. It is recommended that religious institutions in Nigeria undertake internal reflection on their engagement with political power, resisting complicity in corrupt regimes. Additionally, scholars of religion and governance should treat popular music not merely as entertainment but as a critical archive of ethical dissent that captures the lived contradictions of a society navigating between sacred ideals and failed leadership.