Contrary to earlier speculations in some quarters, it was learnt on Saturday that the body of the former Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, would not be buried at the Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque, Oke Ado, Ibadan.
Unconfirmed sources had said that the family was making plans to bury the remains of the late Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Party in the mosque which he built in Ibadan a few years ago.
However, some officials of the mosque said there was no such plan as it is against the tenets of Islam to bury the dead in the mosque.
The Coordinator, National Council of Muslin Youth, Dawood Afolabi, said such practice was un Islamic.
“No place was marked within the premises of the mosque for grave or burial. The body of the former governor would be laid to rest in one of his houses or anywhere where the family decides and not in the mosque.
“I can only.tell you that we would pray for him in the mosque. He contributed a lot to the development of Islam and we want to honour him. He died while he was sick and, as a Muslims, we believe that he had a rest already before Allah.”
In a statement entitled, ‘Say good about him (Ajimobi) or be quiet,’ the body extolled the virtues of the former governor, saying, “He did the goodness which you and I don’t know which were between him and his Lord.
“He maintained peace in Oyo State; he ensured utmost environmental sanitation. He was a courageous and forthright human being who prayed to live for 70 years and Allah accepted his prayer.”
The Chairman, Management Committee, Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque, Alhaji Abidemi Siyanbade, said, “Ajimobi will not be buried inside the mosque but a short prayer will be held.
“His corpse will not be brought to the mosque because it is against Islamic injunction to do so. He would be buried anywhere where the family decides and we would pray for him in the mosque.”
On Saturday, the Ajimobi family said in a statement that “Essentially, only religious clerics who have been invited should assemble at the venue of the funeral, which is the Senator Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque in Oke-Ado.”
