Bloody path to an Imam’s stool
Yemi Akinsuyi, 05.29.2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009

When Alhaji Taoheed Oluwakemi, former Chief Imam of Ososa Central Mosque, Ogun State, began to tread a path considered unruly and authoritarian, he was relieved of his position on February 28, 2009.  But ever since the council appointed Alhaji Fatai Owolabi Jamiu as the new Chief Imam on March 6, 2009, neither the council nor Alhaji Jamiu has known peace.  It became natural for the people to link Alhaji Oluwakemi to the series of attacks against Alhaji Jamiu. That includes the recent attempt on his life when on April 22, 2009, some assailants attacked him with cutlasses, leaving him with deep lacerations that affected the bones of his left leg.




Giving details of events that led to the fracas, chairman of the Ososa Muslim Council, Alhaji Akeem Abiodun Amusa, said the provision of their constitution grants the body the powers to deliberate and make decisions on all matters affecting the Muslim community in Ososa; to promote love and understanding, and to serve as an authority guiding their affairs.  To this end, the council became uncomfortable with Alhaji Oluwakemi when it learnt that rather than preach sermons, he often allegedly rained curses on the Muslim faithful, following a heated argument that arose from the choice of an Imam in one of the 11 mosques in the town.

Alhaji Amusa said: “Due to Alhaji Oluwakemi’s unruly behavior of raining curses to stir disharmony, because members of a mosque opposed his imposition of an Imam on them, the council made efforts to call him to order by inviting him to appear before it. But he did not show up.  We had to relieve him of his position as Chief Imam, according to the constitutional provision of our council.”

Amusa explained further that trouble started when after two weeks of accepting Alfa Ismail Sulaiman Baoku as Imam of Ijoku Mosque, Alhaji Oluwakemi claimed Baoku could not continue as the Imam because he was not an indigene of Ososa.  The congregation which had accepted Baoku as their Imam, protested his removal by boycotting worship because they maintained their constitution gave them the right to choose who their Imam should be.




When it became public knowledge that Alhaji Oluwakemi had turned sermon periods into a period to cast aspersions, the case was reported to the Odogbolu Police Division in February 2008.  When series of appeals to him for the resolution of the problem failed, the council eventually invited him on January 31, 2009 to their meeting for him to explain issues. Again, he allegedly did not show up.

Later on, the council sent him a letter of invitation through a registered mail, to show up on February 28, 2009, at their meeting. It was another futile bid. It was at this point that the council decided to terminate his appointment as the Chief Imam of Ososa Central Mosque. Subsequently, the council wrote a letter to all the mosques that there was a vacancy for the position of Chief Imam, and that interested candidates should apply.  The council settled for Alhaji Jamiu, a doctorate degree holder in Arabic language and Islamic studies, who lectures at Tai Solarin College of Education, Ijagun Ogun State. He was interviewed by a panel and approved as the Chief Imam of Ososa Central Mosque on March 6, 2009.




He functioned as such until he was attacked on April 22, 2009. Seven persons were arrested in connection with the attack, and transferred to the Zone ‘2’ Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos.

The Assistant Inspector General in charge of the Zone, Mohammed Abubakar, said seven persons, including Alhaji Oluwakemi were initially held, but that while others were released on bail, one Jelili Aliu, whom the victim identified as the person who used the cutlass on him, was still being held.

THISDAY however visited the community to speak with its elders. Baoku explained that he had lived in Ososa for the past 21 years when he came to study Arabic at Awayewasere School which is now known as Sulaiman College of Arabic Studies.

After his education, he said he was employed as a library officer in 1991 in the same school.  By 1992, he moved to Ijoku quarters where he served the pioneer Imam of Ijoku mosque, the late Alhaji Haddy Oloruninsola Ali.




Baoku served Ali until his death in 2006.  After the Imam’s death, he claimed there was an overwhelming request from the members that he be made their Imam since he had known and served in the mosque for so long.

“It was Alhaji Oluwakemi who even persuaded me to take up the Imamship.  He gave me a letter of acceptance”, added Baoku.

To his surprise, however, Oluwakemi would two weeks later urge him to stop acting as the Imam because he was not an indigene of Ososa.  When the congregation saw that Baoku had stopped coming to pray for them as the Imam, they all stopped coming to the mosque, and they notified the Baba Adini, who lives in Lagos.

A worshipper at the Central Mosque who craved anonymity, in order not to be seen as partisan, said he faulted the fact that the former Chief Imam often abused them rather than be a role model. He said Alhaji Oluwakemi could have accepted a resolution of the crisis by going to the council meeting, but he chose not to do so.

In a meeting held in Baba Adini’s house at Ososa, he sued for peace and pointed out that there was nowhere in the Koran where it was written that a non-indigene could not be an Imam in a given area if he was a recognized and practicing Muslim.  He however went back to work on the Baba Adini’s plea and supposed settlement, but had to make a formal report to the council when trouble continued for Alhaji Oluwakemi, who kept cursing him.  A formal report was then made to the police who appealed that they keep the peace by settling whatsoever differences they had.  This led to the decision to invite Oluwakemi.

But Noibi, who has been in that position for 38 years, told a pathetic story of the ill treatment he received from Alhaji Oluwakemi, who was angry he did not support him.  When the problem started, he said, the League of Imams and Alfas, of which he is a member, advised against the decision to remove Baoku as Imam on the basis of being a non-indigene.  They also made it clear to the Baba Adinni when he held a meeting with them over the issue.




The strategy against Soliu was to make him remain a figurehead who would no longer take part in spiritual activities.

His words: “For not supporting him on the evil he committed, he made me his enemy and locked me out of every activity in the mosque. He called the congregation and told them that I will never take part in any spiritual activity again. He brought one Nurudeen Sanni from Ijebu-Ode to perform my responsibilities. Members of the congregation however went against that act.  Again, he brought in thugs to be on stand-by during one of our festivities, and ordered that Sanni must be the one to pray, but the congregation refused outright.”

When Alhaji Oluwakemi saw that the congregation would not accept his ill treatment of Noibi, he allegedly called him that they should settle their differences in his house but Noibi refused to accept such secret settlement. “I refused that secret settlement with him alone. I requested that members of the 11 mosques must be around to see us do whatever settlement there was to be done.”

When the new Imam was eventually attacked, Noibi had continued to pray for the Mosque.  He noted however that one week after Alhaji Jamiu was made Chief Imam, some persons went to vandalize his car where it was parked, by shattering the windscreen and the side mirrors. While they let it lie low for a while, the life threatening attack soon came.  Alhaji Mustapha who also spoke about his experience said at the monthly meeting of the League of Imams and Alfas, he saw Alhaji Oluwakemi raining curses and had to tell him that it was wrong for him to do so.  He pointed out that was grossly inhuman to withdraw Imam Baoku as head of Ijoku mosque.

Dwelling on his claim that the quarters did not want a stranger as their Imam, Alhaji Mustapha said he would have spoken with the people first before he made any recommendation, but chose to leave things the way they are.




THISDAY also visited Alhaji Oluwakemi’s house. Two women who were in front of the house chorused that Alhaji Oluwakemi was not at home, and that they were not sure when he would be back.

Calling him on his mobile phone was another effort made to reach him to hear his own side of the story. Someone took the call                       after several calls. But the request to speak to Alhaji Oluwakemi, proved abortive as he was said to be busy.

A second call to the number took a dramatic turn. The same voice that answered initially, took the call and first asked who the caller was, and demanded to know what the problem was. After listening to the reasons, he said he was sorry, that it was a wrong number.

On his sick bed, Alhaji Jamiu expressed some mixed feelings. He was sad over the attack, but remained grateful to God that he was still alive.

Recalling how it all happened, he said at about 6.00am that day, he was in the car with his wife, and as he parked and made to get out of the car, he saw two men advancing towards him on a motorbike and he immediately recognized one of them. His wife quickly called him to get back into the car. But he could not turn on the ignition early enough to drive away.




A hand pulled him up by his shirt from behind. “It happened so quickly that they just started attacking me with cutlasses all over my legs, and attempted to hit my head. I had to defend that with my hand.”

His wife could only cry and shout for help which attracted some guards, who switched on the security alarm system. That was his saving grace, as the assailants escaped towards different directions. Sympathizers in the community had to rush him to the hospital as he had lost so much blood.

The case was reported to the police and some people were arrested and taken to the State Command at Elewe-Eran. The case was subsequently transferred to Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos. Alhaji Oluwakemi who was initially arrested in company of six others, was released on bail, while Jelili Alliyu who was identified by the victim, was still being held in police custody for further investigations.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/may/30/208.html

Can someone fight for the position of imam like they do for chieftaincy titles?

I'm not suprised.
These islamists will kill their children and wives if it comes to position of power. Shame!

@Tudor,

You should have to be a bit more rational, fair and broad-minded. Although I know the crisis cannot be unconnected with the Imamship, yet it shouldn't, aptly enough, be attached to the religion of Islam.

For instance, you certainly will frown if I or any other Muslim relate the gayism of your American Archbishops to your Christianity, won't you? And moreover, it's been portrayed in Nollywood films the uncanny and cony habits of some of your Pastors and so on. Is it right to simply, obtusely, say thats the conventional behavior of these?

C'mon, and think reflectively, fellow.

Lets ignore the shallow intellect of some contributors here.

@Aloy emeka it is quite unfortunate that this kind of thing is still common with yorubas in the south west especially. The position of the imam is not sumthin that should be fought over and from the story it appears the Alhaji oluwakemi is the evil hand behind the crisis. It is indeed shameful and and unfortunate for the crisis to have degenreaed into using thugs to harass fellow muslims. The action is very wrong and should be condemened and that guy be brought to order and justice.

@mushin
I wonder why you narrow minded islamists classify every non-islamist as a christian. Did i mention i was chris tian?
This is the muslim section and the topic was killing for imamship. Do you expect me to start recounting how bishops fagged each other or how pastors sleep with prostitutes?
Use your brain abeg!

See how lagosboy his just displaying is HYPOCRISY and embarassing himself in cyberspace. . .
He's calling for alhaji oluwakemi's head becoz he's killing muslims but if americans or christians were being hacked down,he'll shout jihad. . .

@Aloy emeka it is quite unfortunate that this kind of thing is still common with yorubas in the south west especially. The position of the imam is not sumthin that should be fought over and from the story it appears the Alhaji oluwakemi is the evil hand behind the crisis. It is indeed shameful and and unfortunate for the crisis to have degenreaed into using thugs to harass fellow muslims. The action is very wrong and should be condemened and that guy be brought to order and justice.

Did you check your record well to make sure it doesn't happen in the North?

How does one qualify to become an imam in the first place?. Is it by appointment or through a rigorous process that includes graduating from a cleric college?

Aloy.Emeka:

Did you check your record well to make sure it doesn't happen in the North?

How does one qualify to become an imam in the first place?. Is it by appointment or through a rigorous process that includes graduating from a cleric college?

Honestly i did not check the records and it could well probably happen there as well. I just know it is prevalent in the south west.

From the principles of islam , the permanent imam needs to be knowledgable to an extent and that might include graduating from a teacher or clerical school of some sort. The appointment depends on the setting of the mosque and some individuals build mosques and appoint the imam themselves while some mosques have councils that appoint the imam.

The bottomline however is , whoever is appointed should be on the basis of knowledge, amdinistrative skillls, man mangement and good communication skills. It should not be on the basis of race or clan but it will be preferable to appoint an imam that speaks the language of his congregation and understands their culture a great deal.

this thread is not worth making a noise over, its just a show of human imperfectness, whether muslim or otherwise. Mind you, we should all be careful not to accuse anyone yet,i.e. Alhaji Oluwakemi, no one is 100% sure he is behind the attack.Meanwhile, the criteria to appoint an imam is knowledge, credibility and age. ma salam,

In the history of Islam, Hassan ibn Alli gave up the post of Leader Of All Believers(can,t remember the term for that post) to Abu Huraira who wanted the post too much( though he was older than Hassan). By so doing, Hassan united two large sects thereby bringing about peace. The act also humbled Abu Huraira even more, no tussles, no ambushes, no abuses, not even from Abu Huraira before and after he got the post. Now that is Islam,

From the principles of islam , the permanent imam needs to be knowledgable to an extent and that might include graduating from a teacher or clerical school of some sort. The appointment depends on the setting of the mosque and some individuals build mosques and appoint the imam themselves while some mosques have councils that appoint the imam.

The bottomline however is , whoever is appointed should be on the basis of knowledge, amdinistrative skillls, man mangement and good communication skills. It should not be on the basis of race or clan but it will be preferable to appoint an imam that speaks the language of his congregation and understands their culture a great deal.

Ok

the alhaji oluwakemi may be the father of one senior kemi in my secondary school
If you mistakenly stepped on her praying mat or kicked her rubber kettle, she'll curse you out right there and then and then continue with her prayers
like father like daughter

$osisi:

the alhaji oluwakemi may be the father of one senior kemi in my secondary school
If you mistakenly stepped on her praying mat or kicked her rubber kettle, she'll curse you out right there and then and then continue with her prayers
like father like daughter

Osisi haba!!! why the linkage Are u sure u did not try to walk across senior kemi while she was praying?

If you mistakenly stepped on her praying mat or kicked her rubber kettle, she'll curse you out right there and then and then continue with her prayers
like father like daughter

All na part of prayer.

Aloy.Emeka:

All na part of prayer.

ROFL
the girl would just face you and give you a piece of her mind then turn around and start facing mecca once again

Lagosboy:

Osisi haba!!! why the linkage Are u sure u did not try to walk across senior kemi while she was praying?

That girl eh
all the junior girls knew her own prayers didn't go far
The farthest location they reached was probably Abakaliki since she was facing East

@$Osisi: Even in high school, senior Kemi was praying. She was a young girl, just a tad older than you. What was the level of your spiritual commitment, back then? I wonder if you have improved, would she, Senior kemi not have improved in her own way, in the same degree?

I think that if you were not sleep walking, what will make you not avoid her prayer mat and the "brightly colored" water kettle? Senior Kemi is probably wearing Kimar and Nikab by now. But she was a young girl then when she was cursing people out and went straight into prayers! She must have improved some, since Prayer/Salah is a means of purifying the heart. A purified heart is a soft heart.

At her adulthood, now she will not be cursing people in your age, before she goes to prayer, since intentionally kick ing of her water bottle and stepping on her prayer mat will not be the best way to show hatred of Islam, as you did in high school. Come to think about it, I still hear a whole lot of adult Christians who if you pluck one eyes from their body, they, not only revenge. But they really revenge; first pluck an eye, then the second eye, and probably kill and ge to the whole family and wipe it out. And may not be satisfied until all friends and asociates of the person who wronged him is dead. I hear the prayers; not only back to the sender. But worse thing happening to all the members, friends and associates.

I am appaulled. I always cant believe my eyes when I hear the prayers of revenge from the Christians. The junior girls were not even praying and they did not even make any effort, even as they see Senior kemi was at least trying. Therefore, its not possible that they will know how far her prayers reached. Her effort amounted to great effort and Allah sees the intention, effort of trying to improve.

@Aloy.Emeka: Thats not part of prayer. I wonder if you can support your assertion from Quran and or ahadith? Further, you take the statement of a young child, say 15 years old girl to stand as the standard of Islamic process? If this is the case, then tell me if we cant use the same 15 year old age as a judgement for say Christianity, or Judaism, or any other? Do you see adult muslims cursing adult nonmuslims and then immediately enter prayers?

That girl eh
all the junior girls knew her own prayers didn't go far
The farthest location they reached was probably Abakaliki since she was facing East

osisi no kill me with laughter oooooooo. A very good comedian evn than myself

$osisi:

That girl eh
all the junior girls knew her own prayers didn't go far
The farthest location they reached was probably Abakaliki since she was facing East

Osisi u don craze honestly, whose prayer no pass abakaliki , kai dis girl don kolo i don laugh tire u dis woman

That girl eh
all the junior girls knew her own prayers didn't go far
The farthest location they reached was probably Abakaliki since she was facing East

Is Abakiliki not south of Enugu?. East of Enugu should be Awka, Onitsha, Asaba etc. Allah is everywhere.
I go die for laughter here.

@Aloy.Emeka: Thats not part of prayer. I wonder if you can support your assertion from Quran and or ahadith? Further, you take the statement of a young child, say 15 years old girl to stand as the standard of Islamic process? If this is the case, then tell me if we cant use the same 15 year old age as a judgement for say Christianity, or Judaism, or any other? Do you see adult muslims cursing adult nonmuslims and then immediately enter prayers?

Alahaji are you back from travel?. osisi told us you went to marry your 5th wife; na true be that?

there is no 5th wife in Islam. The maximum at any single time is 4. But you did not let me know how cursing is part of everyday or even ceremonial/occasional salah.

there is no 5th wife in Islam. The maximum at any single time is 4. But you did not let me know how cursing is part of everyday or even ceremonial/occasional salah.

That one is osisi's friend. Aske her.

olabowale:

there is no 5th wife in Islam. The maximum at any single time is 4. But you did not let me know how cursing is part of everyday or even ceremonial/occasional salah.

Olabs laugh a little
he was just kidding

osisi you this girl don kolo well well, you no go kill person o

IDINRETE:




osisi you this girl don kolo well well, you no go kill person o

ROFL
at least I made you laugh

Oh tudor or otondo, u shuld hav said dat u ar a pagan.all thesame weda u worship 3gods or non.u ar al dsame.

Oh tudor or otondo, u shuld hav said dat u ar a pagan.all thesame weda u worship 3gods or non.u ar al dsame.

@olabowale

Do you see adult muslims cursing adult nonmuslims and then immediately enter prayers?

What of this Alhaji Oluwakemi in the story, or you did not read that? A lot of adult muslims do curse adult muslims talkless of a non-muslim.

@post :

I am not surprised at all. That is the trademark of Islam.