I Am Unapologetic About Being Appointed As Imam, Says Igbo Muslim Scholar

The first Igbo Muslim to be appointed as Chief Imam of the National Mosque in Abuja, Prof Iliyasu Tochukwu Usman, has said he has no apology for choosing Islamic faith provided his actions are in line with Allah.

According to him, while he accepts the good aspects of Igbo culture, he also rejects the bad ones that are not in line with his Islamic faith.

Usman, the first Igbo Professor of Arabic Studies was celebrated by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

While Obi described his appointment as one of the Chief Imams of Abuja National Mosque as a reflection of his “dedication, wisdom, and exceptional leadership”, the appointment did not go well with some critics from the South East extraction.

Obi hoped that his tenure would “foster peace, unity, and prosperity in our beloved country.”

Usman, from Enugu State, was unveiled as one of the Imams of the National Mosque, Abuja, alongside four others by the Secretary-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Prof. Is-haq Oloyede,

The other four new Imams are: Prof. Luqman Zakariyah (Osun State), Dr. Sheikh Abdulkadir Salman (Kwara State), Bar. Haroun Muhammad Eze (Enugu State), and Prof. Khalid Aliyu Abubakar (Plateau State)

He said he has not lost his Igbo roots despite being a Muslim, adding that every tribe and individual has a culture, with positive and negative aspects.

Usman said, “I want to say this, unapologetically. Actually, every tribe has a culture and every individual has a culture, whether you are Muslim or Christian. In every culture, there are positives and negatives. For instance, in Igbo land, there was a time when twins were killed because they are seen as abominations in the society and we know that even a practicing Christian would not accept this kind of culture.

“For instance, as a Muslim, my religion prohibits me from indulging in alcoholism and I know that part of my culture is that whenever we have festivals, alcohol is consumed. As a Muslim, this kind of culture is an abomination because my religion prohibits it.

“So in every tribe, there are good and bad cultures. I accept good Igbo culture. In the South East, we have good communal relationships where we are our brothers’ keeper. I accept that.

“When a brother, whether Muslim or non Muslim have a problem, I assist. This is a good culture. But any culture that has to do with idol worshipping, for instance, even our Christian counterparts don’t accept that. I am a Muslim and Igbo man who will always try to foster the good Igbo culture that is in line with the teachings of my religion.”

During the unveiling, Oloyede said the NSCIA, since the establishment of the National Mosque in 1984, has been appointing, in succession, qualified Muslims who are worthy in character and scholarship to oversee the spiritual activities of the faithful.

He said the appointment of the five additional imams was part of the measures to strengthen the Religious Affairs unit of the National Mosque and to further harness its vast potential as a centre for worship, training, learning and scholarship.

Oloyede said the clerics were unveiled after their consideration by the General Purpose Committee and endorsement by the National Fatwa Committee.

“So you can see that we are not just appointing an Imam from the South East, South-South Zone, we are indeed appointing two imams from that zone. That shows clearly that in Islam, it is about qualification”, he said.

Friday Olokor

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