There is an indication that the location of burial of late former Governor of Oyo state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has become controversial.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Ibadan by the Chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo state, Alh Ishaq Kunle Sanni, some group of the Muslim community in the state believes it is ‘unislamic’ to bury the former Governor in a Mosque even if he built it.
The contending issue of where to bury the Ajimobi, which is brewing between the Muslim community and the family, is confirmed to be the reason his burial has been delayed since Friday when he ought to have been laid to rest according to Islamic injunction.
According to Alh Sanni, who was a close associate of Ajimobi, there is an unnamed ‘constituted authority’ who against religious counsel is insisting that the onetime Senator of the Federal Republic will be buried in the Mosque that was named Senator Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque located at Oke Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State.
“When somebody who probably is the sole authority said he would not be buried immediately I equally went proverbial and men of wisdom could understand what was amiss and why Ajimobi’s wish for immediate burial was unfulfillable.”
The cleric narrated further that: “Professor Noibi and Alhaj Muideen Ajani Bello had sleepless nights on these issues. When the news gained currency that he would be buried in the Mosque my phone was inundated with phone calls from all over the world as if I can unilaterally change what the constituted authority this time may decide.
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“We only can admonish and persuade. I Alh Ishaq Kunle Sanni believes it is Islamically wrong to bury a Muslim inside a Mosque even if it was built by him. Ditto for other erudite scholars like Professor Noibi. But there are some butter and bread scholars who are misleading people that at least The Prophet {SAW) was buried in the Mosque” he said.
On the argument that The Prophet {SAW) was buried in the Mosque, Alh Sanni noted that he spoke to a respected Islamic scholar who confirmed that burying ex-Governor Ajimobi’s remains in the Mosque is not ideal.
“That is Imam Abdurahman Ahmad Chief Missoner of Ansarudeen and he without mincing words said the Prophet being buried in the Mosque is not true.
“The Prophet was buried in Aisha’s apartment and the expansion of the Mosque met their graves there. He unabashedly said it is unislamic to bury anybody in the Mosque.”
In his account, Alh Sanni stated that he or anyone else cannot unilaterally change the mind of the ‘constituted authority’ on the matter.
He disclosed that he is working on another arrangement as a compromise for both parties in order to douse the tension.
“We can only persuade. We are trying on a land owned by the erstwhile Governor not far from the Mosque but not in the Mosque. If we succeed, that to me is a wonderful compromise. Allah may change the mind of the constituted authority in this matter.
The Muslim cleric, who noted that he was close to the late Ajimobi’s commitment to justice for Muslims in Oyo State, said he is optimistic that the contending issue will be resolved hours before the scheduled time of burial on Sunday.
“May Allah forgive Ajimobi the man Allah sent to right the wrongs done to Muslims for many years. A courageous and forthright human being who prayed to live for seventy years and Allah accepted his prayer. But we would have wished he lived longer. Who are we to query Allah’s decision?” he added.
