In a move to ease tensions caused by the alleged demolition of a mosque in Aramoko Ekiti, the Ekiti State government has engaged with Islamic leaders, assuring them of efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis in the spirit of peace, unity, and justice.
On Thursday, Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, extended these assurances during a meeting with the Muslim community, led by representatives from the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), to address the concerns of the aggrieved Muslim followers and seek solutions to the issue.
The mosque in question was reportedly demolished to make space for an ultra-modern market, part of a constituency project spearheaded by Senate Leader and Senator for Ekiti Central, Opeyemi Bamidele.
During the meeting, Afuye, as conveyed in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, emphasized that Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration is committed to fostering religious harmony. She pledged to convene a meeting with all relevant stakeholders to quickly resolve the situation.
Afuye also revealed that another plot of land had been allocated to the Muslim community by the Alara-in-Council, headed by Oba Olu Adeyemi, to facilitate the rebuilding of the mosque. She stressed that this land allocation reflects the community’s respect for the Muslim population.
To further reassure the Muslim community, Afuye noted that the new market was envisioned to boost the development of Aramoko Ekiti, with benefits for Muslims as key members of the community.
The deputy governor concluded by stating that the state government would engage with Senator Bamidele and the Alara-in-Council to explore ways of addressing the concerns of the Muslim community.
“Whatever might be your grievances, I want you to calm down. We will convene a meeting soon to speak with all the stakeholders. I am even happy that the Alara of Aramoko Ekiti is a Muslim leader. He can’t be in a place where you will be cheated.
“This government can’t treat Muslims with contempt. You have always been supporting us and the senate leader too is a man of the people. He doesn’t believe in religious crisis. He has demonstrated this with the ways he has been interacting with people across religious lines.
“I am assuring you that we will get to the root of this matter and if your claims that the mosque was actually demolished and you had been offered another land to rebuild it, we will ensure you get justice,” she said.
Speaking at the parley, the NSCIA President, Ekiti chapter, Dr. Hameed Bakri, commended the government for its swift action and mediation in the matter, saying this further buttressed the fact that the current government stands solidly for religious balancing.
Bakri stressed that the entire Muslims of Ekiti are solidly behind Governor Oyebanji, advising that the matter shouldn’t be allowed to tinker with the solid religious harmony and brotherhood being savoured in the state.
“Muslims in Ekiti State are not hooligans and extremists. We are for peace always. We want this matter resolved timely and we believe in the leadership of Governor Oyebanji that he won’t allow this matter to fester.
“I plead with our people to be patient and allow the government to intervene and resolve it amicably. We have nothing to gain in crisis. Even if we are cheated, the government can still make a position that will pacify us,” he said.
Shedding light on the alleged demolition, the Chief Imam of Aramoko Ekiti, Alhaji Abdul-Raheem Junaid Bamigbola, said it was vexatious that two mosques had allegedly been demolished in Aramoko Ekiti within a spate of six months, to give way for development, without commensurate efforts to rebuild them.
The Imam revealed that the muslims appreciated Bamidele’s efforts to develop the community, but emphasized the expediency of him sticking to his promise and build another mosque to pacify the aggrieved muslim members.
The muslim scholar added that he had discussed with the contractor handling the market project, whom he said confirmed to him that there wasn’t provision for the rebuilding of the facility in his scope of work, which prompted members to start the process of rebuilding before the community stopped them and ordered immediate demolition.
“We were then surprised over how the Alara-in-Council then ordered the stoppage of the work and ordered demolition of our mosque, despite granting the rebuilding approval. We are for peace and we know the government will give us justice in this matter.
“What we want is for the mosque to be rebuilt for us and at a location that will be acceptable to us. We know the government can facilitate these for us to keep the tempo of religious peace we are enjoying in our dear state”, the Islamic scholar said.
