Prominent indigenes of Egbaland have intervened in the suspension of the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Alhaji Saad Bamgbola. The community leaders on Wednesday appealed to the entire Egba Muslim community to sheathe their sword on the consequent suspension of the Egba Chiefs who took part in the sus- pension.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of Joint Admis- sions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, who is also the Baba Adeen of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Ishola, were among those who urged the Muslim faithful to embrace peace and unity of the religion at this point in time. Specifically, Ishola who spoke via online from the UK to journalists in Abeokuta, said he and Pro- fessor Oloyede, as high stakehold- ers, had fully engaged all those involved in the dispute in serious peace talks and urged them to ceasefire immediately.
The Ambassador further disclosed that they had persuaded all those involved to maintain the peace and not to take any further action that might aggravate the already tense situation.
He added that all those involved had accepted a ceasefire pending further action to resolve all the issues. He revealed more that steps were being taken at the level of the Alake of Egbaland for an enduring resolution that would promote peace, mutual respect and understanding among the Muslim leadership and followership within the Egba Muslim community.
The High Commissioner, there- fore, enjoined all Muslim leaders involved in the crisis not to issue or make further press statements concerning the matter until further notice.
He added that it was in the best interest of Islamic peace, progress and prosperity that Islamic schism must be avoided at all costs in Egbaland, Ogun State and elsewhere in Nigeria.
There was confusion in Abeokuta on Tuesday when the news of the suspension of the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Alhaji Saad Bamg- bola was announced. It was reported that some notable Muslims in Egbaland had, on Monday, announced the suspension of Bamgbola, over allegations of “high-handedness, administrative exclusivity, mishandling of funds and conflicting of interest between his position as the Chief Imam and membership of another association”.