Row over Ilorin ‘Yoruba Mosque’ Chief Imam

The Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association, yesterday, came hard on one Abdulraheem Aduanigba, who claimed to be the Chief Imam of Ilorin Yoruba Mosque, calling on the security operates to arrest and prosecute him. The union also dismissed the existence of the title of ‘Oba’ in the emirate, adding that there are three Imams in Ilorin emirate; namely, Imam Fulani, Imam Imale and Imam Gambari and that the Emir of Ilorin has the reserved power to appoint and turban anybody as Imam whenever the vacancy exists.

Adunigba’s video where he claimed to be the Chief Imam of Yoruba Mosque, calling on Muslims in the emirate to drop their Islamic names and adopt traditional names, had gone viral on the internet and other social media. Rising from its 52nd national congress held in Ilorin yesterday, the union at a press conference said, ‘‘it is an act of cowardice for anyone to lay claim to the existence of any mosque called Yoruba mosque in Ilorin. We see Aduranigba’s claims as falsehood, mischievous, misleading and outrightly condemnable.”

The union stated its position in a text of address read by its national president, Alhaji Abdullahi Babatunde Salaudeen, and signed by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Uthman Jagunmo. ‘That the advent of Sheikh Soliu Alimi witnessed the introduction and propagation of Islam among the Ilorin indigenes composed of; Yorubas, Nupes, Kannikes, Barubas, Gobiris and Fulanis and they all embraced the religion.

‘‘ That the current Ilorin Emirate is composed of Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Ilorin South , Asa and Moro local government areas and Islam remains the unifying factor and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibarhim Sulu-Gambari CFR is the paramount ruler of the community.

“Therefore, any attempt by anybody or group to sell the idea of an “Oba” in place of the Emir is not only laughable but also unwarranted. “That it is saddened that after nine years in Saudi Arabia, Aduanigba’s utterances are obvious signs that he is not well grounded in Arabic Language.

His Arabic utterances in the video contain some unpardonable grammatical irregularities. ‘‘ That raining of abusive words/ utterances on Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR and other Ilorin emirate stakeholders and Kwara at large is inciting, undeserving, libellous and criminally inclined despite government’s campaigns against hate speeches,” the statement said.

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