Islamic scholars have said the widespread deficit of trust in Nigeria reflects societal decay rather than failure of political leadership.
They spoke in Ilorin at the 16th Annual Symposium of the Standard Bearers Islamic Organisation (SB), themed “Brave the Tempest: Build the Trust.”
The discussion comes amid growing public discontent over governance and social cohesion.
They warned that unless citizens embody trustworthiness, they will continue to get leaders who reflect their shortcomings.
Speaking on the topic, ‘Trust Deficit in Governance: A Clarion Call’, Dr Haruna Sanusi Lafiagi of Al-Hikmah University, stated that leaders since 1999 have largely been “accidental leaders” who misunderstand the concept of trust (Amanah).
According to him, we can’t talk about the political leaders’ lack of trust without mentioning the society first.
“Nigeria’s problem is not mostly leadership; the followers are the main problem. The followers lack trust, and that is the promise of God: that you will be given leaders that reflect your society”, he stated.
Dr Lafiagi noted that a good leader requires not only integrity but also strength and trustworthiness, qualities often overlooked in the nation’s political landscape.
In his lecture, Dr Ganiyu Abideen, Director of Pharmaceutical Services for the Oyo State Hospitals Management Board, warned that “without trust, the community will be disconnected.”
He said the erosion of trust is evident in daily life, from partners defaulting on financial agreements to betrayals within families and the declining credibility of public figures.
He urged civil servants in particular to uphold the trust citizens place in them.
In his remarks, Alhaji Salihu Gidado, Chairman of the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), Kwara State Branch, noted that, “It is our duty to be trustworthy as a people before we can call out our leaders.”
He charged the youth in attendance to “champion the theme, because they are the leaders of tomorrow.”
The Chief Host and Kwara State Coordinator of SB, Imaam Abdulhafeez Adeagbo, explained that the initiative aims to promote the core values of Islam.
“Our vision is to ensure an enabling environment for Muslims to practice pristine Islam, and pristine Islam cannot be achieved without trust,” he said.
He said rebuilding trust requires a combination of accountability, god-consciousness (taqwah), and calling to goodness (Da’wah).
The Special Guest of Honour, Prof. Habeeb Omokanye, described the symposium as a “wake-up call to take up the pledge we made to our country to be truthful and reliable.”
The symposium was attended by academics, community leaders, and students from various schools, including the Grand Khadi of the Kwara State Shariah Court of Appeal, Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen among others.
