The League of Imams and Alfas in the South West region on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital defied earlier position of Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi and installed a renowned Islamic scholar, Ustaz Abdul- Lateef Adekilekun as the Waziri Muminina of Yorubaland.
DAILY POST reports that the post of Wazirul Muminina is equivalent to prime Minister of the Muslims saddled with the responsibility of coordinating their activities intellectually and administratively to ensuring religious harmony with people of other faiths.
It was gathered that Oba Akanbi had in March, 2018 vowed to install Yaquob Abdul-Baki Mohammed as the Waziri of the entire Yorubaland.
But the President, League of lmams and Alfas, South-West, Edo and Delta states, Sheikh Jamiu Bello Kewulere in a letter to Oba Akanbi, urged him to restrict the title to his domain, Iwo.
The propriety or otherwise of the monarch’s effrontery to dabble into the matter which they considered purely of religious leaders, was laid to rest on Thursday, when scores of Imams and Alfas across seven states converged in Ibadan and turbaned Adekilekun as the new Waziri Muminina.
Adekilekun, who graduated from a Cairo University in1972; before obtaining postgraduate degrees at the University of Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello University, among others, is a native of Ede in Osun state.
He was recommended by the Osun state league of Imams and Alfas.
The Administrative officer of National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Nigeria, Tajudeen Olaoti described Adekilekun as “an accomplished educationist, author, historian, Islamic scholar and a philanthropist per excellence.”
Speaking at the turbaning held at the South West headquarters of the League, Bodija, Ibadan, an Islamic scholar, Prof. Kamil Olosho described the Waziri Mumina of Yorubaland as the best choice considering his contributions to the growth and development of Islam.
The Professor of Arabic and Islamic studies stressed that the new Waziri Mumina of Yorubaland has played major roles in promoting Islam both in the academic world and beyond.
The Chief Imam of Oyo, Sheikh Abdulganiyu Adebayo hailed the appointment of Ustaz Adekilekun, as a good omen to the development of Islam in and across the seven states.
Before his turbaning as the Waziri Muminina of Yorubaland, all the Chief Imams in the South west zone led by Kewulere jointly adopted and endorsed the appointment of Adekilekun.
The turbaning ceremony was attended by the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Alhaji Ganiyu Agbotomokekere; Chief Imam of Osun state, Alhaji Musa Animasahun; Sheikh Abdul Ganiyu Adebayo; Grand Mufti of Ondo state, Sheikh Zirajudeen Batuta and other Muslim leaders from all the seven states.
