The League of Imams and Alfas in Ekiti state has ordered Muslims in the state not to collect rams and other food items for Sallah celebration, if presented to them in any form by the state government. This is even as another section of the same group gave a counter order, saying that Muslims should gladly accept the governor’s rams and food items for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
The League reached the decision at a meeting held on Tuesday at Ansar-u-Deen Society Central Mosque Odo-Otu, Ado Ekiti, where it reviewed the “deliberate marginalization of Muslim members in Ekiti State Government’s political appointment.”
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and National Council of Muslim Youth Organization, Ekiti State, had respectively issued statements condemning Governor Ayodele Fayose for neglecting Muslims in appointments.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, had also described Fayose’s treatment of Muslims in terms of appointment in the state as “the worst since the state was created.”
The party claimed Ekiti Muslims were not given up to one per cent of the appointments made by Fayose’s administration.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the League said: “Based on the above, the League, Ekiti State Council, hereby resolved that no Muslim in the state should collect rams and other food items, if presented to them in any form by the government.”
The communiqué was signed by the state’s Assistant Secretary, League of Imams and Alfas, Alhaji Quadri Oguntuase; a Representative of Ansar-u-Deen Missioner, Fatai Jimoh and Chief Imam, Ilogbo, Imam Abdul Rasak.
It added: “Any Muslim that collects such rams or food items under any guise has taken Haram (Unlawful) and the punishment of the Almighty Allah awaits the person. (Quran 71 verse 28).”
“This order stands until the government accedes to our demands as earlier published.”
However, a counter directive from the General Secretary of the same League of Imams and Alfas in Nigeria in the State, Alhaji Abdulrazak Adenipekun, askedMuslims in the state to ignore the ban on Sallah’s gift from Governor Ayodele Fayose.
In a release today, Adenipekun said it was his duty as the General Secretary to issue notice of meetings as directed by the president, adding that there was no such directive given by the president of the League for any meeting, describing Fayose as a defender of all faiths.
He argued that the governor had been fair to Muslims in the appointments made so far, saying: “We wish to dissociate the league of Imams and Alfas in Ekiti from the purported press statement credited to Alhaji Oguntuase. While we don’t want to get involved in politics as a religious organization, we must state that Fayose has demonstrated highest respect for Muslims in the State.
“That can be seen from how he, for the first time in the history, made a Muslim one of the three senators representing Ekiti State. One of the two House of Assembly members representing Ado Local Government is a Muslim.
“It is the height of political mischief for anyone or group masquerading as League of Imams and Alfas to have used our revered religious and non-political organization to promote their personal political agenda.
“We are non-political and it amounts to ridiculing the name of Almighty Allah and our great Prophet Mohammed for anyone or group to drag the Islamic religion into politics. We therefore wish to warn those behind the mischief to stop or risk the wrath of the Almighty Allah (SWT).”
Adenipekun emphasized that Muslims in Ekiti would gladly accept gifts from the governor if offered.
“We must state that the governor has never discriminated against Muslims. During his first tenure, he appointed a Muslim as Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Yakubu Sanni. The present Special Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Ademola Bello, is a Muslim.
“We are solidly behind the governor and in the overall interest of Ekiti State, we will continue to pray for the success of the present administration.” [myad]
