Culture & Tradition Twist Religion Negatively -By Turaki Abdulhamid Yahya

As a scholar and lecturer of Communication for Development (C4D), I strongly believe that development is not only about roads, industries, or technology; it begins with changing harmful attitudes, beliefs, and social practices that prevent societies from progressing.

One of the greatest social diseases confronting Northern Nigeria today is the Almajiri phenomenon. It is not merely an educational challenge but a development and communication failure. A society that permits millions of children to roam the streets in the name of tradition or religion cannot expect sustainable social and economic development.

Communication for Development teaches that culture and religion should serve as instruments of positive social transformation, not barriers to progress. Unfortunately, in many parts of Hausaland, culture and tradition have often overshadowed the true teachings of Islam. This has resulted in harmful interpretations that continue to hinder development.

A striking example is our attitude toward girl-child education. For decades, many Northern communities failed to send their daughters to school, often justifying the decision with cultural practices disguised as religious obligations. Yet, Islam itself places immense value on the pursuit of knowledge for both men and women. The consequences of denying girls access to education are now evident. We lament the shortage of female doctors, especially gynaecologists, while simultaneously discouraging girls from pursuing higher education and professional careers. This contradiction is self-inflicted.

Likewise, our negative perception of Western education has contributed to Northern Nigeria having one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world. The Almajiri system, in its current form, has become a symbol of social neglect rather than religious excellence. Instead of equipping children with knowledge and skills for the future, many are exposed to poverty, street begging, and exploitation.

From a Communication for Development perspective, this reflects a failure in social and behaviour change communication. Development requires communities to critically examine practices that perpetuate poverty while embracing innovations that improve people’s quality of life.

The contradiction extends beyond education. We condemn music and the creative industry, yet consume entertainment produced elsewhere. We criticize filmmaking, yet eagerly watch foreign movies. We reject local creative investments that could generate employment, preserve our culture, and stimulate economic growth, while spending our resources supporting industries outside our region. This inconsistency weakens both our cultural identity and our economy.

History also reminds us of the dangers of misinformation. Resistance to public health campaigns such as polio immunisation delayed progress and had devastating consequences for many families. Communication for Development emphasizes that accurate information, community dialogue, and trust are essential for positive behavioural change.

The world’s most successful societies do not abandon their culture or religion. Rather, they adapt them to support education, innovation, science, creativity, and economic growth. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Malaysia, and Indonesia have demonstrated that faith and modernity can coexist. Development is not achieved by rejecting change but by managing change responsibly while preserving moral values.

The challenge before Hausaland is therefore not Islam itself, but the persistent tendency to confuse cultural practices with religious teachings. Culture should enrich society, not imprison it. Tradition should preserve identity, not prevent progress. Religion should inspire knowledge, justice, and development—not justify ignorance.

As Communication for Development scholars often argue, sustainable development begins when societies communicate honestly with themselves, challenge harmful norms, and adopt behaviours that promote education, inclusion, innovation, and human dignity. Until we separate culture from religion where necessary and embrace knowledge as a collective responsibility, meaningful development in Northern Nigeria will remain difficult to achieve.

The future of Hausaland depends not on rejecting modernity but on embracing knowledge, empowering both boys and girls through education, and using culture and religion as forces for progress rather than obstacles to development.

Turaki Abdulhamid Yahya
Writes from the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies,
Modibbo Adama University, Yola.