The Muslim community in Egba Land, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, has rejected the suspension of the grand Chief Imam of Egba Land, Alhaji Alade Bamgbola by some Egba chiefs.
Recall that some Egba chiefs had Monday announced the suspension of the Chief Imam over alleged “high handedness and administrative exclusivity”
Among other allegations were mishandling of funds, conflicting interest between his position as the Chief Imam and membership of another association.
The chiefs, at a meeting of the executive committee of the Egba Muslim Community, held in Abeokuta, announced Alhaji Daud Afuwape as the acting Chief Imam.
But, reacting, the three principal Chief Imams, who make up the other three sections of Egba Land, condemned the purported suspension of Bamgbola.
They described it as an “embarrassment to the Islamic religion and the entire people of Egba Land”.
The Imams included: the Chief Imam of Oke Ona, Alhaji Mulimudeen Nasirudeen, Chief Imam of Gbagura, Prof. Kamarudeen Balogun and the Chief Imam of Owu, Alhaji Kehinde Suliamon.
Balogun, who spoke on behalf of the Muslim community, said that the suspension of the grand Chief Imam was null and void because it did not follow the stipulated process of appointment and removal of Imams in the land.
He said that the suspension was ill-conceived and capable of causing a religious war in the town.
Balogun also said that the four sections that make up Egbaland must be carried along in the appointment or suspension of the Chief Imam.
The cleric noted that only the council of Islamic clerics in the town had the power to appoint or suspend the Chief Imam.
“We, the Chief Imams of Oke Ona, Gbagura, and Owu, on behalf of all Egba Muslims, hereby pass a vote of confidence on the Chief Imam of Egba Land, Alhaji Alade Bamgbola as the only custodian of Islamic religion in Egba Land.
“We unequivocally condemn the action of the selected chiefs in Egba Land to suspend the Chief Imam of Egba Land without proper consultations with all the Imams in all the sections of Egba Land.
“The selected Egba chiefs, led by retired Navy Captain Rasheed Raji, has no power to suspend the grand Chief Imam of Egba Land, who was unanimously appointed by all custodians of Islamic religion in Egba Land,” Balogun said.
The clerics, however, announced the suspension of the Egba chiefs who took part in the suspension.
“We hereby affirm and confirm that those who have suspended the Chief Imam are hereby suspended themselves” he said.
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