𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥

By Oluwafunmilayo Ajala

Three days into Ramadan, I got the assignment: “Join the Governor at the mosque for prayers.”

I was confused. He’s Christian. What’s he doing there?

After prayers, we joined Iftar. The Governor sat sharing food with market traders, Imams, and women from the Asalatu union. No cameras. No press release. Just presence.

That night, about 600 Muslims went home saying, “This Governor understands us.”

That’s when I learned: In Nigeria, your most powerful communication channel gathers every Friday and Sunday. And it’s not on social media.

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲:

As a high-ranking political officer, you don’t choose religious sides. You honour all:

• Harvest services for Christians

• Iftar dinners during Ramadan

• Traditional festivals with equal respect

Why? Because religious networks are your most effective policy partners.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝:

• Weekly gatherings (guaranteed audience)

• Trusted leaders (built-in credibility)

• Clear structure (pastor/Imam → congregation)

• Instant mobilization (one announcement = thousands act)

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬:

Never start with the head pastor. Begin with:

• Prayer coordinators (they have the leader’s ear)

• Women’s leaders (they run the real church)

• Youth pastors (they control the narrative)

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

❌ “Government healthcare initiative”

✅ “God’s healing through government hands”

❌ “Infrastructure development”

✅ “Answered prayers for better roads”

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠:

• 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Annual plan announcements

• 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫: Renewal programs messages

• 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭: Economic empowerment programs

• 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐧: Community initiatives

• 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: Thanksgiving and achievement reports

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬:

• Respect all denominations equally

• Never schedule activities during major religious events

• Include “God willing” in timelines

• Prayer breakfast > Press conference

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐎𝐈 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮:

• Volunteers for different government initiatives

• Free venues across the state

• Religious leaders countering fake news

• Weekly prayers for government success

𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫:

Sunday sermons reach more people than all your social media combined.

Friday prayers influence more decisions than any influencer campaign.

Work with faith, not around it.

How has faith-based engagement transformed your government programs?

#FaithBasedComms

#GovernmentComms

#CommswithFA

 

Ajala is a PR and communication strategist