Road Dualisation: Ijesa Muslim Community Accuses Adeleke Of Reneging On Agreement

…. Rejects Planned Demolition Of Ilesa Central Mosque

The Ijesa Muslim Community has rejected the proposed demolition of the Ilesa Central Mosque by the Osun State Government due to the ongoing road dualisation in the area.

The Muslim community in a statement by its secretary, Alfa AbdulAzeez Bakare on Wednesday, said the state government did not consult it before taking the decision.

The statement said the state governor Ademola Adeleke, during the last senatorial town hall meeting ‘Ipade Imole’, had promised that the road dualization was only going to affect the outer fence of the Central Mosque with payment of compensation for any demolished part.

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The Muslims however, said they were surprised when bulldozers were being mobilised toward the Central Mosque for possible demolition.

According to the statement, about Seven Mosques in Ilesa including the Central Mosque are likely to be affected to varying degrees, adding that the state government is yet to open a channel of communication to discuss the issue of all the Mosques.

The statement urged the state government to call the contractor handling the project to order and not to go beyond the earlier agreement.

The statement reads in part, “The Grand Imam of Ijesaland and the Executive of Ijesa Muslim Community were taken aback by the sudden twist of events on the ongoing road dualization project currently being undertaken by the Osun State Government in Ilesa.

“The Ijesa Muslim Community had earlier been assured that the road dualization is only going to affect the outer fence of the Central Mosque with payment of compensation for any demolished part as Osun State Governor had earlier promised during the IPADE IMOLE that heralded the commencement of the road dualization project.

“Earlier projections had shown that about Seven(7) Mosques in Ilesa including the Central Mosque are likely going to be affected to varying degrees and the Community had been expecting the Government to open channel of communications to discuss the issue of all the Mosques but that has not come to reality yet.

“It thus came as a surprise to the Grand Imam of Ijesaland and the entire Muslims in Ijesaland when news filtered in the morning of Wednesday, 26th June 2024 that bulldozers are being mobilized toward the Central Mosque for possible demolition. This made many Muslims including the Grand Imam of Ijesaland, Shaikh Alh. Muhammad Jamiu Idris, Grand Naibul Imam of Ijesaland, Alhaji Qazim Mudasir, Grand Mufasir of Ijesaland, Alhaji AbdulSemiu Alli Amokeoja, the Chairman Ijesa Muslim Community, Ajanasi of Ijesaland, prominent stakeholder of Ijesa Muslim Community, Alhaji Nurudeen Alli Amokeoja, Secretary of Ijesa Muslim Community, and other notable Muslims in Ijesaland to rush down to the Mosque to stop the Contractor from embarking on any demolition on the Mosque without prior meeting and consultation between the leadership of the Ijesa Muslim Community and the representatives of Osun State Government.

“It was the timely presence and appeal of the Grand Imam of Ijesaland and other notable Muslims that saved the situation from going out of hand as many Muslims had mobilized to the Central Mosque when it was evident that the Contractor had received instructions from certain quarters to proceed with the demolition and attempts by the leadership of the Ijesa Muslim Community to get the attention of Osun State Government to respond to the issue were not successful.

“In view of the urgency and sensitive nature of the issue, the leadership of the Ijesa Muslim Community is using this opportunity to call on the Osun State Government to call the contractor handling the project to order, brief him appropriately not to go beyond earlier agreement and also open channel of discussion with the leadership of the Ijesa Muslim Community under the leadership of the Grand Imam of Ijesaland Alhaji Shaikh Muhammad Jamiu Idris on the way forward.

“The Grand Imam of Ijesaland and the leadership of the Ijesa Muslim Community is also using this opportunity to appreciate and acknowledge the efforts of all those who came around or/also made various calls and contacts.”