AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Dr. Debo Akande, Director General of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency has dispelled the allegation that he was behind the closure of the Islamic praying ground at its headquarters at Total Garden area of Ibadan, the state capital.
The DG spoke in reaction to a statement by the Muslim Community in Oyo State alleging him of shutting down both the Mosque and the Christian Fellowship Centre within the agency’s premises.
The statement claimed that the DG asked the adherents of the two faiths to worship at the same place.
The DG, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, described the allegation as shocking, saying that the claim that he was ‘anti-Islam’ and a despot who unilaterally decided to “stop Muslims from obeying the command of Allah,” was unfair on him.
The statement quoted him as saying that “OYSADA will not spend so much time dissecting the MUSCOY press statement. It is important to clarify the circumstances which led to the OYSADA management requesting that the praying areas used by both Muslims and Christians at the agency be discontinued.
“We have deliberately used the phrase ‘praying area’ because to describe the structure used as a mosque is demeaning.”
Noting that the facilities in question were not fit for use, the statement read that “These were the major considerations that led to the temporary closure of these areas contrary to what was presented in the statement, stressing that separate rooms were provided and assigned for prayers to Muslims and Christians.”
A senior staff of OYSADA who spoke with journalists on the condition of anonymity, said, “The plan was to quickly renovate the place so that we can go back to using them. As I speak to you, the file is still being processed. We held a meeting with our boss, Dr. Debo Akande. We are exposed to security threat as unknown faces were seeing sleeping inside the worship centres.
“There is no rancour between the Muslims and Christians faithful. Some people just want to aggravate the situation to suit a narrative.”
Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, harped on the need to ensure proper hygiene and pious worship at the praying centres.
He said that “It is worthy of note that Dr Akande, who is being accused of being anti-Muslim, attended Islamic Mission Primary School, Bode, Ibadan, after which he attained a Diploma in Islamic Studies to deepen his knowledge of the Islamic faith.”
“In his previous role with the British Council, he designed a major project on climate and faith where he worked extensively with His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and the President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs; Sheikh Dr. Qaribullah Sheikh Nasir Kabara, the spiritual leader of Qadiriyya Sufi Order in Nigeria and West Africa; and Christian leaders like Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Prelate of the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria; and other similar faith leaders across 12 countries in Africa.
“Similar to many families in Oyo State, although he is a Christian, Dr Akande has relatives that are of Muslim faithfuls. While this is election season, it is important that the good people of Oyo State resist any attempts to use issues of religion to divide and polarize us.”
