How did Sheik Salihu Muhammed Abere became Chief Imam of Ebira land

Ebira People are Outspoken, Outstanding and they are very Intelligent both in Western Education n Islamic Learning

After the death of Chief Imam of Ebiralnd, Late Alhaji Musa Galadima, whose demise occured on Friday, 19th April, 2019. The battle of who becomes the New Chief Imam of Ebira land became a tussle between two prominent sons of Ebira who are on different sects and they are both every learned both Western Education and Islamic Education.

The General Central Mosque in Okene, where all the Muslim faithful in the Ebira Land worship before the other ones sprang up, was established in 1937 by the late Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ibrahim Onoruoyiza Attah. It was also learnt that successive chief Imams of the Mosque were appointed by the paramount ruler based on honesty capability, knowledge of Islam and ability to carry members along in the teaching and other affairs of Islam.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS IBRAHIM ATTAH

However, records showed that Alfa Yahaya Tajudeen was appointed as the first Chief Imam of Ebiraland, but when he left the town, Sheik Ibrahim Tajudeen was made temporary Imam before he was later installed as the substantive Imam who reigned for eight years.

Apparently, the death of Sheikh Tajudeen paved the way for the appointment of Alhaji Musa Abdullahi Galadima as the Chief Imam of Ebiraland and he ruled for 55 years, as the appointment of Chief Imams was made by the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.Alhaji Sani Omolori

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS SANI OMOLORI

The tussle

Sadly, the death of Galadima appears to have thrown the district into chaos as there are many vested interests scheming to usurp the leadership of the central mosque.

The two prominent Islamic sets, Tijaniya and Izala, since the death of the Chief Imam have been engaging in secret and now open confrontations over who should take over the leadership of the mosque.

CHIEF IMAM OF EBIRALAND, SHEIK MUHAMMED SALIHU ABERE JULY, 2019 TO TODATE

Expectedly, some weeks after the death of former chief Imam Musa Galadima , during a Juma’at prayer, what could have resulted into a bloody battle between the two sets was averted by security operatives who waded into the skirmish and doused the tension.

The Tijaniya set are supporting the appointment of Alhaji Muhammad Salihu Abere who, before the demise of the Chief Imam, was the Naibi (second-in-command) just as the Izala set are rooting for Sheikh Luqman Abdullah, the son of the late Galadima.

SHEIK LUQMAN ABDALLAH SON OF FORMER LATE IMAM

Sheikh Luqman, is the current chairman of Kogi state Hajj Commission and a former lecturer at the Federal College of Education, Okene, has the backing of Governor Yahaya Bello as against the popular opinion of the Muslims in the district.

They are of the opinion that since Alhaji Muhammad Salihu Abere has been occupying Naibi’s position for many years and had been deputising for the Chief Imam even whenever he led pilgrims to the Holy Land, he should be turbaned as the substantive Chief Imam of the land since he has all merited all the requirements of a Chief Imam.

SHEIK MUHAMMAD SALIHU ABERE

Apparently, the Izala set on the other hand believes that the Tijaniya group has enjoyed its fair share of leadership having controlled the central mosque for over 82 years. According to them, they too have what it takes to preside over the affairs of the mosque.

Ohinoyi speaks

This development, which obviously had never occurs in the entire land, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland who is also the national vice-president of Jama’atu Nasril Islam as well as the national vice-president of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Dr Ado Ibrahim, said he had spoken to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar (iii) over the succession tussle that is about to impede the peaceful co-existence of Muslims in Kogi central.

The Ohinoyi, who stated this in an interview with newsmen four days after the demise of the late Chief Imam in his palace, said by virtue of his position as the paramount ruler of the land, he is in the position to appoint Imams and Chief Imams without interference from anybody.

He had said: “I am not saying this because of my offices in the Islamic organisations, but because I am a traditional ruler. That seems not to have gone down well with the new administration here.

HIS MAJESTY ALH ADO IBRAHIM

“It all happened that since the death of the Chief Imam I was not in a hurry to go and appoint somebody. I still want peace and to do my consultations, though it is my right and if I do it, there is nothing anybody can do about it. But I heard that government is planning to appoint somebody that is not the choice of the people.

However, the Sultan of Sokoto has told the governor of the state to stop his plan. He has told him that the person Ohinoyi put there all along, that is Naibi, should continue and at the right time, we will appoint the Chief Imam.

“Therefore, the current Naibi still remains the Acting Chief Imam while we will make a decision in the nearest future as to who will ascend to the position of Chief Imam of Eiraland. That position I maintain and I stand by it. I urge every vested interest to sheathe their sword and not create trouble for the good people of the district.”

The view of some Clerics and others react

An Islamic cleric who hails from the district, Sheikh Kamaldeen Abdulmaliq, said he had spent an appreciable part of his life in the northern part of the country, and that “whenever a Chief Imam dies, it is the traditional ruler of the town that appoints the new one.”

“It baffled me when I heard about the Imamship situation in Kogi central. In other climes, the Chief Imam is directly under the control of the traditional ruler and the appointment of a Chief Imam is the prerogative of the monarch. If it is true that the Kogi state governor has interest in who becomes the Chief Imam of Ebiraland, he should please in the interest of the people drop the idea.

“We appreciate his efforts in ensuring that the district has a befitting central mosque, but bringing a person as the Chief Imam against the wish of Muslims may spark endless crises,” he said.

CENTRAL MOSQUE OKENE

Al social critic remarks, Mohammed Andah Zubair, appealed to Ebira people to handle the issue with utmost care, stressing that the land cannot afford to witness another round of crises.

ENTRANCE VIEW OF OKENE CENTRAL MOSQUE

“Any one who witnesses the crises of 2007 in the district will always run away from issues that can brew crisis. Many houses that were burnt that time are yet to be re-built; many people who lost their loved ones up till now are still nursing the effects of the crisis.

“I am appealing to those who have interest in the Imamship of the central mosque to put the interest of the land over and above every personal interest. Since there are guidelines often used to select and appointment a Chief Imam, I am of the opinion that the guidelines should be applied diligently without favours or sentiments,” he said.

OKENE CENTRAL MOSQUE SIDE VIEW

List of past and present Chief Imam of Ebira land

IMAN YAHAYA TAJUDEEN

1. Imam Yahaya Tajudeen

Sheikh Imam Yahaya Tajudeen was the First Chief Imam of Ebira land. A scholar, astute administrator, financial advisor, Treasurer, a Prince and a pious man who studied under Sheikh Adabi, another well known scholar around the west coast which Sheikh Kamaldeen El Ilorin was his latter student. The Islamic title "TAJUDEEN" was given to Imam Yahaya by Sheik Adabi and later a title of "KAMALUDEEN" was given to Sheikh Adam El Ilorin.

It was Iyebe though a corrupted name of IYABA(bo), Attah's mother who sought Tajudeen's help after she learnt about him during her travels around the yoruba land & met him in Kabba, the then Kabba province where Sheikh Tajudeen stationed as treasurer to the British Government.

Tajudeen's first coming to Ebira land was around 1915 on duty call and the second was to assist in the propagation of Islam after he resigned as Chief treasurer from British government in 1924.

Sheikh Imam Yahaya Tajudeen was born in 1875 to the family of Aliyu Badamasy and Princess Zainab in the compound called "Ile Adafila" compound in ilorin. His mother was a very famous princess known as "Shinabu" in Irun town, Ondo state. Sheikh Tajudeen received his qur`anic education from his father, Aliyu and his post Qur`anic education "ilm" knowledge from various muslim scholars before joining the famous Sheikh el-Islam Tajul - Adabi of ilorin.

Sheikh Tajudeen came to a virgin land, cleared it, harrowed, cultivated ridges, planted crops for future generation to harvest and consume. He met Ebiraland with few converts and without Islamic education, and within forty years of his sojourn in Ebira land, he established a virile, dynamic and purposeful Ummatul-Islam with the assistance of his bosom friends, the spare headed leader by the first muslim ruler, the able leader His royal Highness Alhaji Ibrahim Atta and his younger brother, Alhaji Yakubu Walikili and his close associates like Adai Muhammadu Bello and Adai Abdullahi of Ahache, Muhammadu Badamasy Akwoji of Nagazi, Adai Opata and Adai Aliyu Ogedembe of Ihima, Balogun of Eganyi etc.

Sheikh Tajudeen was a great saint around whom many success and Islamic scholars surrounded and he will be remembered as a great saint to ebiraland. He died 17th of May 1956 and he was buried in okene cemetery. There is know better tribute one can pay to these Muslim pioneers except to continue praying for their departed souls. May Allah grant them jannat Firdaus Ameen.

IMAM IBRAHIM TAJUDEEN

2. Imam Abdulrahim Tajudeen 

Sheikh Imam Abdulrahim Tajudeen was the Second Chief Imam of Ebira land between 1956 to 1964. He reign for 8 years as Chief Imam of Ebira Land 

IMAM MUSA GALADIMA

3. Imam Musa Abdullahi Galadimah

Galadima, who was turbaned chief imam about 55 years ago between 1964 to 2019, died in a private hospital in Abuja, at the age of 98.

“He was a humble, gentle and serious Islamic teacher whose tutelage extended beyond Nigeria .

“The late chief imam was God -fearing , honest , disciplined , and obedient to constituted authority , especially the traditional institution.

Ya Allah! Forgive them, have mercy on them. And dwell them in Jannataul-Firdaus. Amin.

MUHAMMED SALIHU ABERE

4. Sheik Muhammed Salihu Abere

Alhaji Salihu Abele became the Ag Chief Imam of Ebira land after the demised of Alh. Musa Galadima in April 21, 2019 who reign for 55 years

Sheik Muhammad Salihu Abere has been occupying Naibi’s position for many years and had been deputising for the Chief Imam even whenever he led pilgrims to the Holy Land, he should be turbaned as the substantive Chief Imam of the land since he has all merited all the requirements of a Chief Imam.

Sheik Muhammed Salihu Abere is also God -fearing , honest , disciplined , and obedient to constituted authority , especially the traditional institution. There he deserve to turban as the substantive Chief Imam of Ebira land Central Mosque

He is blessed with wives and children and grandchildren

Captain Akaaba

asamarchants@gmail.com

08098476644