A Friday sermon by Islamic cleric Mallam Saleh Muhammad Jimeta has triggered widespread reactions online after he criticised President Bola Tinubu over the President’s comparison of himself to Prophet Moses and Nigeria to Egypt.

Jimeta made the remarks in Hausa while addressing his congregation during a Friday Khutbah. A video of the sermon, which later circulated on Facebook, showed the cleric expressing strong disapproval of the President’s comments.

He argued that the comparison was offensive to Islam because Moses is recognised as a prophet in the religion. Jimeta questioned the President’s basis for making the comparison and described it as an affront to the faith.

The cleric also called on Nigerians to pray against the Tinubu administration, linking his criticism to the economic hardship facing the country. He accused the government of failing to address the difficulties Nigerians are experiencing.

The video gained traction on social media, where users expressed sharply different views about the cleric’s intervention. While some condemned his use of curses against the President, others supported his criticism of the remarks.

The controversy has brought renewed attention to the sensitivity surrounding religious figures and references in political speeches, particularly in a country where public discourse often involves people of different faiths and beliefs.

Tinubu’s original comments, which prompted the cleric’s reaction, were not reproduced in the account of the sermon. The reactions online therefore remain centred on Jimeta’s interpretation of the President’s comparison and his decision to address it during a religious gathering.