Ogundokun Reacts To Alleged Imposition Of Officials On Iwo Central Mosque, Says Oluwo Lacks Power To Appoint Religious Leader

A Chieftain of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Iwo Central Mosque, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, has called on the Osun state government to stop Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba AbdurRasheed Akanbi, from intervening in religious matter.

He said the monarch has been violating court order that stopped him from appointing religious leaders.

CityMirrorNews had reported that the scores of Muslims on Wednesday stormed the streets of the encient town of Iwo protesting against alleged imposition of officials at Iwo Central Mosque.

The protesters accused Chief Abiola Ogundokun of imposing officials on them.

Speaking at a press conference held in Osogbo, Osun State, Thursday, some members of the board of trustees of Iwo Central Mosque, led by Ogundokun, said the monarch lacks the power to appoint a religious leader.

Reacting to his purported removal as the chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogundokun said the monarch has no right to determine who will be what in the Mosque.

He said, “we have been legally appointed to the Board of Trustees and we have been running this for years. The only problem we have is the Oba Oluwo that was imposed on the community who doesn’t want to see anybody that he doesn’t like. Because he doesn’t want to see my eyes, he used everything to create problems.”

Ogundokun stated that the protest to demand his removal was sponsored by Oluwo and his brother from the same compound who is the leader of Ta’awun Muslim Society.

He said, “I was appointed to be the Chairman of the Board of Trustee when the former chairman who is the late Oluwo died. We have been holding meetings and nobody has challenged us.

“What we are saying is that Oluwo should take care of his palace. He is not the Oba of Islam, he is Oba of the town. The Oluwo has taken the law into his hands, doing everything to destroy the central mosque, removing people from their legitimate positions.

“Oluwo has no right in any manner to appoint anybody because the Mosque doesn’t belong to him. He has no right to appoint anybody for any Islamic position. We have challenged this in law and we won. He keeps doing the same thing. They have made efforts to register another board of trustees but the law does not permit that. Having failed to do that, what they want to do now is to create problems.

“We are acting according to the rule of law since the court delivered the judgement. The constitution has given us the power, the court has validated the constitution. They should go to court and challenge our appointment as we have challenged them in the law court.

A copy of the judgment delivered by Justice J. O. Ogunleye on November 4, 2020, held that “the defendant (Incorporated Trustees of Iwo Central Mosque) is the holder in trust, manager of all the properties affairs of the mosque, and any selection, appointment and appointment of the chief Imam and/or any other chieftaincy hierarchy leading to chief Imam without the consent and approval of the defendant in line with her constitution is null and void ab initio.”

Ogundokun said until another court set aside the ruling, he remain the Chairman, Board of Trustees and the board has the power to appoint any member into Iwo Central Mosque.

He called on the government to intervene and save the community from ‘further embarrassment’ by the monarch who he alleged has been causing trouble in the town.