Lies, leadership, and the lost moral compass

In today’s Nigeria, you don’t need to look far to find a lie—just turn on the news, attend a political rally, scroll through Instagram, or listen to your neighbour’s “breakthrough testimony.” Lies have become a tool of survival, a badge of smartness, and sadly, a mark of leadership in every sector. But while Nigeria claps for cunning, heaven groans for truth. And the Bible? It doesn’t stutter.

Let’s take a divine mirror and compare our national character to God’s eternal truth.

Political Promises & Propaganda

During elections, politicians promise pipe-borne water and 24-hour electricity, six-lane roads in six months, and jobs for every graduate. By the time they win, they develop selective amnesia. But God says, “Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”

In God’s economy, a lie is not campaign strategy. It’s rebellion. The tragedy is not that people lie; it’s that we have normalized it as governance. From padded budgets to inflated contracts, falsehood is more official than government letterheads.

Pulpit Performances

“No one who practices deceit shall dwell in My house.” Yet, in Nigeria, pulpits sometimes produce more performance than prophecy. Some pastors sell oil, salt, and calendars as divine instruments. They fake testimonies and spiritual encounters to boost followership. They may impress men, but according to Psalm 101:7, they’re spiritual squatters in God’s house.

Heaven is not impressed by microphone theatrics or anointed lies.

Islamic clerics and traditional priests are not exempt. When fatwas are driven by tribal politics, or oracles manipulated for selfish gain, truth is no longer divine—it’s for sale. But God (yes, even the One your forefathers feared) sees through all.

Boardroom smartness, street hustle & cultural custodians

“There are six things the Lord hates… a lying tongue.” That sounds pretty direct. Yet from the CAC office to the roadside vendor, from billion-dollar CEOs to online vendors selling “Grade A UK Used” that died in traffic, deceit is now business as usual.

Even community leaders—those meant to be elders and moral anchors—sometimes bend truth for favor, or sell their voice to the highest political bidder. How do you teach truth when the village square is governed by gossip and gain? In Nigeria, lying isn’t a flaw; it’s a skill set.

But God is not hiring. He hates it. And when God hates something, trust me, it won’t end well.

Family deception and broken trust

At home, we lie to children to make them sleep. Parents lie to each other to avoid confrontation. Children lie about grades. Lovers lie about loyalty. In fact, these days, pre-marriage counseling should include lie detectors.

And the traditional excuse of “white lies”? Heaven doesn’t see in shades. God watches receipts, not rehearsals. You may lie your way into a marriage, a job, or a reputation—but not into peace.

National hypocrisy vs eternal truth

The biggest irony? Nigeria is a “religious nation”. We pray loud. Fast hard. Speak in tongues. Quote scriptures. Chant Islamic prayers. Call down ancestors. But in character? We Photoshop righteousness.

God doesn’t grade us by church attendance or mosque rows. He checks our truth alignment. And according to Revelation 22:15, habitual liars won’t make heaven—even if their WhatsApp bio says “God first” or their cap reads “Allah is Great.”

Lies are not just moral flaws. They are spiritual declarations. The Bible says the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). So every time we lie, we flash a family resemblance.

So here’s the real question:Who’s your daddy? If it’s God, walk in truth. If it’s the devil, keep decorating falsehood with strategy and swag.

But remember: in God’s kingdom, truth is the password. Lies are auto-reject. Let us teach our children truth. Let us model it in leadership. Let us demand it from the pulpit, the palace, the mosque, the shrine, the village square, and the presidency. Because in a land drowning in lies, truth is the only life jacket that floats. God is with us!

By Prof. Chiwuike Uba