Muhammad Dauda Adano give clarification of why Chief Imam of Ebiraland is yet to be appointed after demise of Imam Musa Galadima in 2019.
The press Statement read:
CONCERN MUSLIM BROTHERS IN EBIRALAND
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
WHAT’S DELAYING THE APPOINTMENT OF A SUBSTANTIVE CHIEF IMAM OF EBIRALAND SINCE IMAM MUSA GALADIMA PASSED AWAY?
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, Rasulullah. Ameen.
The attention of the Concern Muslim Brothers has been drawn to an online publication in the ‘Opera news’ on 3rd May 2020 titled “Life History of New Chief Imam of Ebiraland, Sheikh Salihu Muhammed Abere,” written by one Alhaji Shuaibu Akaba, the blogger behind the publication unveiling the biography of Alhaji Salihu Abere, the present acting Imam of Ebira Central Mosque, Okene. Our genuine concern is that he addressed him as the ”New Chief Imam of Ebiraland” and that “The Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, approved the appointment of Chief Imam of Ebiraland to oversee the Ebira Central Mosque Okene”
According to the publication:
“Following the death of late Musa Abdullahi Galadima on 21 April, 2019, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello the Executive Governor of Kogi State, approved his apointment as Acting Chief Imam of Ebiraland. He was later confirmed as Chief Imam of Ebiraland on 7th July, 2019 by the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, his Royal Majesty, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim.
On 17th March, 2020, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, approved the appointment as Chief Imam of Ebiraland to oversee the General Central Mosque Okene earlier confirmed by the Ohinoyi of Ebira, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim.
The event was witnessed by many prominent Ebira sons and daughters . . . Ebira people were all in attendance, electronic media and others media were not left out because NTA network and AIT were there on live coverage.”
As the report states that the State Government approved the appointment of Alhaji Salihu Abere as Imam while prominent Ebira sons and daughters witnessed the event as well as NTA Network and AIT, on live coverage, we dug into fact-finding to ascertain the authenticity of the publication. After our fact-finding, we analysed the information and so viewed the said publication as fallacy; given the fact that the Governor Yahaya Bello approval mentioned, and Ebira people as well, are unaware of such event as the author purported. Even the NTA Network and AIT have no trace or record of such live coverage at their disposal. Thus, we can conclude that the publication was deliberately misleading and so either sponsored or on personal will or discretion without regard to rules or standard of conduct.
However, the question that has lingered for quite a while now, after analysing the said publication, is pressing for answers from the Kogi State Governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, who once reiterated at Kogi State Security meeting, reported by Leadership Newspaper of 5th May 2019 that “Governor Bello cautioned the people of Kogi Central who are interested in the Imam position to remain calm as the government cannot afford to elect a new Imam at this critical point in time and as such the acting Imam should continue in the acting capacity.” The question is; “What’s delaying the appointment of a substantive Chief Imam of Ebiraland till now after His Excellency made the above statement in 2019?
We appreciate the fact that Kogi State is blessed with His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the most Security Conscious Governor, having been proactive on security issues. So, there is the need for the Kogi State government to do what is necessary now in order to avoid an atmosphere of rancour and breach on the teaching of Islam on how to ‘Appoint’ an Imam.
The Prophet has clearly stated that; “The Imam of a people should be the one who is the most versed in the Book of Allah. If they (the people being considered for the position) are equal in their recital, then the one who is most knowledgeable of the Sunnah. If they are equal in the Sunnah, then [it is] the one who migrated first. If they are equal in that, then [it is] the eldest.”
As far as Islam is concern, the process of appointing Chief Imam is strictly based on merit with particular preference for virtues, and values. Such a person must have distinguished himself by the quality of his knowledge in the Quran, Hadith and Fiqh. These are the prerequisite qualification to fill in any vacancy created by the death of an Imam, and in this context, the Chief Imam of Ebiraland.
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