Indignation over ‘Jesus Christ Is Not God’ banner placed outside Lagos mosque

*Controversial banner above
A heated debate has erupted following the display of a banner reading “Jesus Is Not God” outside a mosque in Lagos.
The banner placed at the entrance of the Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos State which had gone viral, bore the inscription: “Jesus Christ is not God. He is a Prophet and Messenger of God!”
The message has drawn mixed reactions, with some criticizing it as disrespectful and blasphemous, while others argue that it aligns with Islamic tenets.
Nigerian actress Wumi Tuase shared her concerns on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “I don’t like to get into religious conversations, but I found it very weird that Lekki Central Mosque has this in front of their gate.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Fisayo Ojabodu tweeted, “You don’t see the banner is disrespectful to other people’s religion and is propagating a foolish agenda.”
Another user, Adesuwa, labeled the banner as outright blasphemy.
Peace Onuwa John with username @peacegotzoe said; “Lekki Central Mosque, u expect me to believe a book written over 600 years after the Word of God, the Bible, was written. You want me to ignore d testimonies of those who witnessed Jesus Christ. The scriptures provide numerous evidences that Jesus is God—He was God in the flesh.
Social media influencer, Daniel Regha in his reaction said; “That banner at the Lekki Central Mosque gate is disrespectful to the core; It doesn’t matter what religion u believe in, respecting other people’s religion or beliefs is common decency.”
Others defended the message on the banner. Muhammad Shaikhan wrote, “The beauty of this drama between Christians and Muslims is that every one of us knows that God is one. The argument is about the teachings of Jesus and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them. So I don’t vex.”
Abdul’fattah Muhdl’awwal supported the banner’s claim, saying, “Jesus himself never said he is God. You and the likes are the ones calling him God. Hence the quote on that banner is the fact and not blasphemous.”
Shakirat Oluwatosin Raji also in defence of the claim said; “This is Lekki Central Mosque gate. A masjid. They post Jesus is servant of Allah that every conscious believes so. But you are triggered as a passerby and brought it on Twitter.
“Is either you are dumb or you are basically attention seeker. The last I checked, Jesus is d Quran.”
Social media influencer, Reno Omokri in a lengthy post titled ‘Much of What We Call Christianity Has Nothing To Do With Jesus’ said the term “Christ” is not Hebrew and was never used to address Yeshua (Jesus) during His earthly life. He was called “Rabbi,” meaning teacher in Hebrew.
Gospels, written decades after Yeshua’s death for a Greek audience, introduced the Greek term “Christos.” The authorship of these Gospels remains uncertain, with traditions attributing them to figures like Matthew, Luke, and John.
Yeshua was a Jew who lived by Jewish laws and never identified as a Christian, nor did His disciples. The term “Christian” originated later in Antioch, used as a nickname for followers of Christ. Beliefs like the Trinity, Christmas, and purgatory developed after Yeshua’s time and were not part of His teachings. The writer encourages individuals to research these claims rather than follow religious traditions blindly,” he said.
On the contrary, some users on X and other platforms reiterated their belief in Jesus as divine. GeradTheGreat opined, “Jesus is God, Jesus is your King, and Jesus will pass judgment on all. For judgment will only be fair through him who has walked in your flesh and felt your pain.”
Another user, ChristTheLighthouse, reflected on the Christian perspective of tolerance and faith: “We as Christians accept criticism, backlash, rejection, and even insults. Our Lord and Saviour, whom we believe and serve, received more up to the point of death! The gospel of repentance and conversion into Christianity is never by force, war, coercion, or propaganda. It’s by the gentle acts of the Holy Spirit of God.”
The banner also drew parallels with past religious violence in Nigeria. A user, Expope, referenced the tragic case of Deborah, a young woman killed after being accused of blasphemy, stating, “The late Deborah they set on fire has not done up to this before they all joined hands to terminate her life.”
Opinions remain divided, with Silva Bella expressing disbelief at the Christian doctrine of Jesus as God, stating, “I’ve read the Bible many times, and I still can’t get why people call Jesus God. He’s the son, which means God is the father.”///