From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Government has denied involvement in the resignation of the Chief Imam of the oldest Jumuah Mosque in Kebbi, Wala Jumuah Mosque,Alhaji Rufa’i Ibrahim.
Commissioner for Religious Affairs,Arc. Muhammed Sani Aliyu confirmed this while addressing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi to correct wrong impression going on in some quarters about the resignation of the Imam.
Aliyu explained that,the former Imam voluntarily resigned based on the excuses best known to him and his Deputy,Mallam Mammam Nata’Ala Yahaya has been directed by the Sole Administrator of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area to be Acting Imam of the Mosque.
According to him, “we have heard with surprise that he has religuished his appointment as the Imam of the Mosque. Whatever the reasons behind his resignation,the State Government has no hands in his resignation.
“What was cleared to us was that,His Excellency,Dr. Nasir Idris,the Governor of Kebbi State,in his bid to assist the less privileged,in his his efforts to support the masses generally due to the hardship in the country during this Ramadan,decided to extends the same gesture of support to Imams whom he had perceived as the leaders of their respective communities.
“Unfortunately,we learnt that when the support got to Wala’s Mosque,the Chief Imam was not there and the support was handed over to the Deputy Imam.
“We were also reliable informed that they have handover the support to him. Unfortunately,we were made to understand that he didn’t want others to know what exactly had transpired”.
Aliyu explained that the purpose of the gesture extended to all the Imams in the state was to reduce the pressure on them from huge requests from the Almajiris and less privileged who might being besieged their Mosques for assistance on daily basis.
He disclosed that,instead of the former Imam of the oldest Jumuah Mosque in Kebbi State to contact Commissioner of LGAs and Chieftaincy Affairs whose Ministry was used to send the gesture to all Chief Imams, or Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Governor himself,the Imam took the matter to DSS in order for him to get information on the gesture.
“So ,the DSS thereafter invited those involved in the distribution. That is why the Ministry of Religious Affairs were invited to shed more lights on the issue.
“After our investigation,we realized that the gesture came from His Excellency, Dr Nasir Idris,the Governor of Kebbi State and passed through the Ministry of Local Government Area”.
Aliyu said his Ministry were surprised that such responsible Imam shouldn’t have taken the case to DSS while there were many channels for him to get any information he needed on the Governor’s gesture were available to him.
“The State Government is not in anyway witch -hunting anybody. If there is supposed to be witch -hunting, such support will not be taken to that Mosque. The fact that the Governor has considered everybody as his own,that is why whenever there is support or assistance,he always tried to carry everybody along.
.”So,it is our hope and prayers that our people should continue to go about their normal activities and remained calm”.
He however urged the Gwandu Emirate to commence the processing of appointing a substantive Imam stressed that the issue of Imamate have to do with interest.
‘if someone is appointed,he must have shown interest. And such person would be invited for interview base on his interest. Now that he has not shown interest again,he mustn’t be force. After all, the leadership of the Mosques is something has to do with man relationship and his Creature.
“So, there is nothing bad if he said he can’t continue to be leading them. We are happy about the action taken by the Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area and we want the Gwandu Emirate to it as a matter of choice.
“We call on Gwandu Emirate Council to follow due process and appoint substantive Chief Imam of the Mosque”.