‘As It Concerns Ramadan, Muslim Ummah Are One Under Sultan’

A group, Concerned Indigenous Yoruba Muslims, has dismissed a viral report claiming that the Chief Imam of Ibadanland and the League of Imams in Yorubaland rejected the authority of the Sultan of Sokoto in determining the commencement of Ramadan in the South-West.

The report, which circulated on social media ahead of Ramadan 1447AH, alleged that the Chief Imam of Ibadan declared that Yoruba Muslims were not bound by the Sultan of Sokoto’s authority in announcing the fasting period.

It further claimed that religious leaders in the region had aligned with indigenous structures, distancing themselves from the traditional role of the Sultan in announcing the moon’s sighting.

However, the group’s public affairs analyst, Nasrudeen Abbas, described the report in a statement as fabricated and misleading.

The group maintained that the statement attributed to the Chief Imam of Ibadan, said to be over 90 years old, could not have emanated from him and was a deliberate attempt to create division within the Muslim community.

It reaffirmed that Islam in Nigeria operates under established structures, particularly the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, who serves as President-General.

According to the group, the leadership structure of the NSCIA also includes the President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) as Deputy President-General (South), the Shehu of Borno as Deputy President-General (North), and other national officers.

It argued that any attempt by individuals or groups to distance themselves from this structure threatens the unity of the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria and contradicts Islamic principles that emphasise cohesion.

The statement also faulted the claim that the Sultan’s position is merely a traditional title limited to Sokoto State, stressing that the Sultan’s authority in religious matters is rooted in Islamic scholarship and the historical institution of the caliphate.

To buttress their argument, the group referenced the role of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, noting that emirs in Northern Nigeria often lead prayers and perform other religious duties, unlike most traditional rulers in Yoruba land whose roles are largely cultural.

It also cited the late President-General of the League of Imams and Alfas in the South West, Sheikh Kazeem Yayi Akorede, recalling an account that he later accepted the Sultan’s authority in matters concerning moon sighting and Ramadan announcements after gaining further clarification on the nature of the office.