THE NEED TO REVISIT THE INFLUENCE OF TRADITIONAL RULERS IN THE APPOINTMENT OF IMAM IN YORUBALAND - By Qaasim Odedeji

There is a Yoruba adage: 'aye là ba'fa, ayé làbá imole, lọsan gangan n'igbagbọ wọlé dé '. This adage confirms the existence of Islam in Yorùbá land long time ago before the coming of European colonial masters who brought Christianity to Nigeria.

It is not unusual that almost in all the major towns in Yorùbá land, central mosques exist side by side with the palaces.

History has it that the earliest Muslims in many of Yorùbá towns and cities were either invited by the traditional rulers who were Muslims or they were accepted and given spaces closed to the palaces to build their mosques in order to live close to the Obas. This, because of the respect the traditional rulers had for such Alfas and the spiritual powers they believed they were possessed of. Such Alfas eventually served as spiritual guides and advisors for the Obas.

Some of such traditional rulers who accepted Islam later became the vanguards of Islamic propagation in their domains. Examples of such traditional rulers who became promoters of Islam in their domains are Oba Memudu Lagunju who ruled as Timi of Ede and Oba Momodu Lamuye who ruled as Oluwo. The two of them implemented Sharia law in their towns; Ede and Iwo and as well established Shari'a court for that purpose.

It was this synergies between the Yoruba Obas in Yoruba towns and mutual respect between them that culminated into the influence the Yoruba traditional rulers have had in who become the Chief Imams of the cities and towns.

Despite this fact, the respect between the Obas and Imams was mutual. The earlier Yorùbá traditional rulers held the Chief Imams in high esteem and hence, the popular statement, 'alfa ni Bàbá Ọba' i.e, Islamic Clerics are the fathers of Kings. The Imams in those days were highly respected by all and sundry. There was no incidence of an Oba purporting to dethrone an Imam for whatever reason whatsoever.

It is therefore a great absurdity when today the incidence of Obas imposition of anybody, qualified or not qualified as well as attempts to dethrone Imams on the excuse that he who hires can fire has become so rampant.

The absurd practice on appointment of Chief Imams have become so far and embarrassing that if the office of Imam and Oba is vacant, filling of the vacant position of the Chief Imam has to wait until the Oba is appointed no matter how long. An example of this is the office of the Chief Imam of Oyo that has remained vacant due to the vacancy in the office of Alaafin of Oyo.

Some years back, the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa 1 took some steps to suspend the Chief Imam of Ede for a reason that is only political until the intervention of well meaning individuals and groups in and outside of Ede. This kind of action is embarrassing not only to the office of the Chief Imam but the entire Muslims.

It then becomes more embarrassing when such Oba is a Christian like the current issue between the Soun of Ogbomoso, a Christian pastor and Chief Imam of Ogbomosoland, Sheikh Taliat Yunus where the former purportedly issued a query to the latter for daring to make a pilgrimage to hajj which is a fundamental aspect of Islam without his permission. Perhaps, one day, Oba ghandi will want the Chief Imam to seek for his permission before performing salat.

It needs to be stated without doubt that the position of an Imam is a purely Islamic position guided by the Shari'a. It is not a chieftaincy matter guided by Chiefs law of States. Therefore, the appointment and discipline of Imams, if necessary, should be in accordance with the Shari'a.

While it may not be out of place to involve the traditional rulers in the ceremony that follows the appointment of Imams in Yorubaland, the appointment needs to be strictly done by the Muslim Community of the town through a shurah committee.

Finally, Yoruba Obas should accord the Chief Imams their well-deserved respect, honour and dignity as it used to be between the Obas and Imams of the olden days.

Qaasim Odedeji

Is the writer " Qaasim Odedeji " a sunni muslim? Shia? Teblig? Izzala? Qadiriyah? Tijjaniyyah? Ahlu Sunnah or a Salafist?

madridguy:
Is the writer " Qaasim Odedeji " a sunni muslim? Shia? Teblig? Izzala? Qadiriyah? Tijjaniyyah? Ahlu Sunnah or a Salafist?

Why the question?

I asked because we don't seems to have Muslims again in Nigeria but Islamic movement or sect.

Lukgaf:

Why the question?

You have spoken well

Nice write up

madridguy:
Is the writer " Qaasim Odedeji " a sunni muslim? Shia? Teblig? Izzala? Qadiriyah? Tijjaniyyah? Ahlu Sunnah or a Salafist?

What sort of question is this? The writer is a Muslim period.

According to the adage you quoted, islam met tradition in Yorubaland... That should tell you that the king as the custodian of tradition has every right of precedence and can determine or query whatever happens in his domain and not the other way round... How can Alfa be baba oba, the oba that gave him permission and space to operate... you guys can usurp ehnnnn....

This is a good write up. It all stem from making the position of Imam hereditary. If all is done by the dictates of Sunnah, and knowledgeable people are made imam not minding the origin instead of towing the hereditary line, I believe issues like this will reduce to the barest minimum. Making it hereditary makes it look like a chieftaincy affair

Please that your proverb is disrespectful and distasteful to Christians and it could an ilorin or oshogbo or ogbosho saying, definitely not a Yoruba adage

Lukgaf:
THE NEED TO REVISIT THE INFLUENCE OF TRADITIONAL RULERS IN THE APPOINTMENT OF IMAM IN YORUBALAND - By Qaasim Odedeji

There is a Yoruba adage: 'aye là ba'fa, ayé làbá imole, lọsan gangan n'igbagbọ wọlé dé '. This adage confirms the existence of Islam in Yorùbá land long time ago before the coming of European colonial masters who brought Christianity to Nigeria.

It is not unusual that almost in all the major towns in Yorùbá land, central mosques exist side by side with the palaces.

History has it that the earliest Muslims in many of Yorùbá towns and cities were either invited by the traditional rulers who were Muslims or they were accepted and given spaces closed to the palaces to build their mosques in order to live close to the Obas. This, because of the respect the traditional rulers had for such Alfas and the spiritual powers they believed they were possessed of. Such Alfas eventually served as spiritual guides and advisors for the Obas.

Some of such traditional rulers who accepted Islam later became the vanguards of Islamic propagation in their domains. Examples of such traditional rulers who became promoters of Islam in their domains are Oba Memudu Lagunju who ruled as Timi of Ede and Oba Momodu Lamuye who ruled as Oluwo. The two of them implemented Sharia law in their towns; Ede and Iwo and as well established Shari'a court for that purpose.

It was this synergies between the Yoruba Obas in Yoruba towns and mutual respect between them that culminated into the influence the Yoruba traditional rulers have had in who become the Chief Imams of the cities and towns.

Despite this fact, the respect between the Obas and Imams was mutual. The earlier Yorùbá traditional rulers held the Chief Imams in high esteem and hence, the popular statement, 'alfa ni Bàbá Ọba' i.e, Islamic Clerics are the fathers of Kings. The Imams in those days were highly respected by all and sundry. There was no incidence of an Oba purporting to dethrone an Imam for whatever reason whatsoever.

It is therefore a great absurdity when today the incidence of Obas imposition of anybody, qualified or not qualified as well as attempts to dethrone Imams on the excuse that he who hires can fire has become so rampant.

The absurd practice on appointment of Chief Imams have become so far and embarrassing that if the office of Imam and Oba is vacant, filling of the vacant position of the Chief Imam has to wait until the Oba is appointed no matter how long. An example of this is the office of the Chief Imam of Oyo that has remained vacant due to the vacancy in the office of Alaafin of Oyo.

Some years back, the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa 1 took some steps to suspend the Chief Imam of Ede for a reason that is only political until the intervention of well meaning individuals and groups in and outside of Ede. This kind of action is embarrassing not only to the office of the Chief Imam but the entire Muslims.

It then becomes more embarrassing when such Oba is a Christian like the current issue between the Soun of Ogbomoso, a Christian pastor and Chief Imam of Ogbomosoland, Sheikh Taliat Yunus where the former purportedly issued a query to the latter for daring to make a pilgrimage to hajj which is a fundamental aspect of Islam without his permission. Perhaps, one day, Oba ghandi will want the Chief Imam to seek for his permission before performing salat.

It needs to be stated without doubt that the position of an Imam is a purely Islamic position guided by the Shari'a. It is not a chieftaincy matter guided by Chiefs law of States. Therefore, the appointment and discipline of Imams, if necessary, should be in accordance with the Shari'a.

While it may not be out of place to involve the traditional rulers in the ceremony that follows the appointment of Imams in Yorubaland, the appointment needs to be strictly done by the Muslim Community of the town through a shurah committee.

Finally, Yoruba Obas should accord the Chief Imams their well-deserved respect, honour and dignity as it used to be between the Obas and Imams of the olden days.

Qaasim Odedeji

Christianity has been in existence for over 600yrs before Islam comes into existence through a son given birth by a slave to a particular woman in the bible

Traditional religion has been in existence before Islam entered Yoruba land

Many of you guys are bad student of history

Imam is just a religions title and can never match with traditional title

Imam is just a leader of Muslims who believes in his teachings

A king is the ruler over imams, Pastors, Traditional worshippers, atheist, Hinduism believer and everyone living at a particular city

Never in your life dare compares that smelly noisy ayilara with the king of Ogbomosho

In terms of education, exposure, financial capability, good records, Oba Ghandi is way above your ordinary Muslim scholar who's parading himself as PhD holder, cos he holds his useless PhD in arabic studies. Arabic studies has never been used to solve any world problem even the phone thdr you use, the story book called quran & the clothes you wore are all work of science

You guys are jealous of the king because he's a Christian whereas your late Muslim fellow king who died is the reason why Ogbomosho never progress till date, even your fellow Muslims were against your useless Ayilara

GHANDI IS old enough to father Toliat

GHANDI 63, Toliat 43 which means 20yrs age difference

Imagine the rubbish you are comparing with a whole king

madridguy:
Is the writer " Qaasim Odedeji " a sunni muslim? Shia? Teblig? Izzala? Qadiriyah? Tijjaniyyah? Ahlu Sunnah or a Salafist?

What does this got to do with the write up

Why do you people like shifting the goal post all the time. When you were enjoying the benefits of the throne of the Yoruba kings, you didn't realize that Imamship is a Sharia thing right?

I'm not against you people reviewing how you choose your Imam and how you do it, if Imamship will no longer be attached to the Obaship of a certain town, then, it means that, office of the Chief Imam will not be for a specific family again, it also means that the office will not be exclusively for a citizen of that particular town i.e someone from iwo can be chief imam in Ogbomoso and vice versa.

By so doing, it will be obvious that it's not a chieftaincy thing, unfortunately, you all lack the power to do these things because tradition is tradition already. The Chief Imam in Ogbomoso in his letter of appointment had signed that before he will leave his duty post, he will notify the Soun throne, also before he will appoint a representative for himself, he will seek the consent of the Soun throne but now that a Christian is the king, he finds it difficult to fulfill his agreement, he forgets that his loyalty of appointment is to the throne of Soun not to the personality of the king.

YOU GUYS CAN GO TO HELL

GHANDI IS A CHRISTIAN & HE WILL RULE OVER YOUR USELESS AYILARA BASTARD EITHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT

GONE ARE THE DAYS THAT CHRISTIAN KEEPS QUIET FOR SENSELESS JIHADIST, IF YOU BRING WAR WE SHALL GIVE IT BACK TO YOU IN DOUBLE BECAUSE WE NEED TO RESET YOUR BRAIN

bakry86:


What does this got to do with the write up

Op is on cheap weed

Humanity, culture, tribe and religion .. in that order

The problem with all these things is that many Yoruba Muslims are not even conscious of what is going on in their own place, and nigerian Christians don’t even appreciate all the liberal thing they do.

There are 6 non Muslim governors in the southwest and 5 of them have non Muslim deputies. This is despite the fact that states like Osun, Oyo, Ogun and even indigenous lagosians are majority Muslims.

Which Christian majority state in Nigeria can have a Muslim governor talk more is a Muslim governor and deputy?

In Oyo majority of the Makindes commissioners are Christians. And majority of commissioners in all these states are also Christian, and yet nigerian Christians have never for one day approved Yorubas Muslims. They still get all the insults and are called all sorts of names.

Even states like Plateau with huge Muslim population will never attempt to have a Muslim deputy governor. The Muslims are not the bigots, it’s actually the Christian even though they dress on western cloths and speak English as seem educated, they don’t seem to want or care about justice except when it affects them

Lukgaf:

Why the question?

STOP COMPARING GHANDI WITH TOLIAT

GHANDI IS WAY ABOVE TOLIAT IN ALL RAMIFICATION OF LIFE

And I can't but wonder why you guys are pained that Toliat was quarried, it's all over the internet, the video showing when Toliat was been installed as the chief Imam in the Soun's palace, in front of the Soun himself, his staff of office was given by Soun himself, on countless occasions, before the new Soun was installed, Toliat himself has said it that it is only Sòún that can impeach and remove him as Chief Imam, he even said it that he's one of Soun's workers, so what's all the noise about?

Are you a Muslim kill you there!!
Blood thirsty modafucka

madridguy:
Is the writer " Qaasim Odedeji " a sunni muslim? Shia? Teblig? Izzala? Qadiriyah? Tijjaniyyah? Ahlu Sunnah or a Salafist?

Wahhabi also among

This is just so very wrong. You came to my house and I provided you shelter only for you to start calling yourself my father. Now imagine the Christians/christianity that came last (to yorubaland) claiming to be Baba Inimole (father of the Muslim ummah) just because so many Muslims later converted to Christianity. Would you tolerate that?
Haaba na, why should you come to someone’s land and start dragging authority with him all because he accepted your faith?
Stop doing unto others what you are never going to tolerate

Take it easy oo

Oba ba l'ori ohun gbogbo n'ile Yoruba! The Oba is the owner of his town, and all the people therein are his subjects according to the tradition of the Yoruba people. Imams, Alfas, and Pastors are alien to Yoruba culture and tradition. It is, therefore, unacceptable for any Imam or Pastor to think he is not under the authority of a Yoruba Oba in Yoruba land! The highest authority in a typical Yoruba family compound is the Baa'le (family compound head), and such a Baa'le reports directly to the Oba; he is under the authority of the Oba.

In Yoruba land, we all come from our different individual family compounds with the Baa'le as the head of each individual family compound. So, whether Imam, Alfa, or Pastor, you're under the authority of that Baa'le, who reports the affairs of the compound to the Oba, who is the head of the town. Even if the Imam or Pastor is the Baa'le of his family compound, he is still under the authority of the Oba, who is the representative of the Alaale - the ancestral owners of the land/town.

The truth is, the Chief Imam of Ogbomoso is under the Soun of Ogbomoso, and so is the Bishop of the town. They (the Chief Imam and Bishop) are both under the authority of the Oba of Ogbomoso. Ogbomoso is a traditional Yoruba land founded purely on Yoruba tradition and culture. Any Imam who thinks he is not under the authority of a Yoruba king in his domain may have to relocate to Saudi Arabia. The same goes for any Pastor or Bishop who wrongly thinks he is bigger than an Oba in his domain. Such a Pastor or Bishop may have to take his religious activities to Rome, Italy.

Religion and tradition are not the same. Every inch of Yoruba land belongs to the "Alaales," who have been chosen by God Almighty to see to the affairs of their different individual domains. The Obas are the representatives of these "Alaales" in each Yoruba land today.

Any attempt to use religion to cause division or trouble in Yoruba land will be fiercely resisted. Ogbomoso is under the radar of the concerned Yoruba youths and elders, who will not be swayed by any religious sentiment in dealing with those who are fanning the flames of discord in that town.

This disunity among us " Muslim " is the cause of everything.

herkeem:

What sort of question is this? The writer is a Muslim period.

1nigeriamyfoot:


Christianity has been in existence for over 600yrs before Islam comes into existence through a son given birth by a slave to a particular woman in the bible

Traditional religion has been in existence before Islam entered Yoruba land

Many of you guys are bad student of history

Imam is just a religions title and can never match with traditional title

Imam is just a leader of Muslims who believes in his teachings

A king is the ruler over imams, Pastors, Traditional worshippers, atheist, Hinduism believer and everyone living at a particular city

Never in your life dare compares that smelly noisy ayilara with the king of Ogbomosho

In terms of education, exposure, financial capability, good records, Oba Ghandi is way above your ordinary Muslim scholar who's parading himself as PhD holder, cos he holds his useless PhD in arabic studies. Arabic studies has never been used to solve any world problem even the phone thdr you use, the story book called quran & the clothes you wore are all work of science

You guys are jealous of the king because he's a Christian whereas your late Muslim fellow king who died is the reason why Ogbomosho never progress till date, even your fellow Muslims were against your useless Ayilara

GHANDI IS old enough to father Toliat

GHANDI 63, Toliat 43 which means 20yrs age difference

Imagine the rubbish you are comparing with a whole king

Bro why are you in pain to this level

FaceTanke:
According to the adage you quoted, islam met tradition in Yorubaland... That should tell you that the king as the custodian of tradition has every right of precedence and can determine or query whatever happens in his domain and not the other way round... How can Alfa be baba oba, the oba that gave him permission and space to operate... you guys can usurp ehnnnn....

And very very very subtly and slowly, bring the idea that the Imam is in fact the supreme ruler over the Oba.

The chief Imam is at fault but people will not comprehend because the Soun Ogbomosho was a pastor.

The people who contested the throne against Soun are behind the imam

Christlike01:
Oba ba l'ori ohun gbogbo n'ile Yoruba! The Oba is the owner of his town, and all the people therein are his subjects according to the tradition of the Yoruba people. Imams, Alfas, and Pastors are alien to Yoruba culture and tradition. It is, therefore, unacceptable for any Imam or Pastor to think he is not under the authority of a Yoruba Oba in Yoruba land! The highest authority in a typical Yoruba family compound is the Baa'le (family compound head), and such a Baa'le reports directly to the Oba; he is under the authority of the Oba.

In Yoruba land, we all come from our different individual family compounds with the Baa'le as the head of each individual family compound. So, whether Imam, Alfa, or Pastor, you're under the authority of that Baa'le, who reports the affairs of the compound to the Oba, who is the head of the town. Even if the Imam or Pastor is the Baa'le of his family compound, he is still under the authority of the Oba, who is the representative of the Alaale - the ancestral owners of the land/town.

The truth is, the Chief Imam of Ogbomoso is under the Soun of Ogbomoso, and so is the Bishop of the town. They (the Chief Imam and Bishop) are both under the authority of the Oba of Ogbomoso. Ogbomoso is a traditional Yoruba land founded purely on Yoruba tradition and culture. Any Imam who thinks he is not under the authority of a Yoruba king in his domain may have to relocate to Saudi Arabia. The same goes for any Pastor or Bishop who wrongly thinks he is bigger than an Oba in his domain. Such a Pastor or Bishop may have to take his religious activities to Rome, Italy.

Religion and tradition are not the same. Every inch of Yoruba land belongs to the "Alaales," who have been chosen by God Almighty to see to the affairs of their different individual domains. The Obas are the representatives of these "Alaales" in each Yoruba land today.

Any attempt to use religion to cause division or trouble in Yoruba land will be fiercely resisted. Ogbomoso is under the radar of the concerned Yoruba youths and elders, who will not be swayed by any religious sentiment in dealing with those who are fanning the flames of discord in that town.

The Imam is arrogant

1nigeriamyfoot:


STOP COMPARING GHANDI WITH TOLIAT

GHANDI IS WAY ABOVE TOLIAT IN ALL RAMIFICATION OF LIFE

I'm a Muslim

The Imam is at fault