For allegedly being partial in the crisis rocking Ikare, the Ikare Muslim Community has said that they have lost confidence in the leadership of Alhaji Ahmed Aladesawe who is the Ondo state Chairman of the League of Imams and Alfas.
This was contained in a letter of protest dated 22-05-23 and addressed to Aladesawe which was signed by the Secretary, Ikare Muslim Community, Mallam Isiaka Ibrahim, Chairman Ratibi Imams of Ikare, Alhaji (Shaykh) Abubakari Abdullah and the Chairman, Council of Ulama; Ikare, Alhaji (Shaykh) Yekini Amuda made available to journalists.
According to the letter, at a meeting held in Owo central mosque on Thursday 11/05/23 to resolve the crises cocking Ikare Muslim community, state that; “We like to state clearly that we do not have confidence or trust in your leadership of this league anymore and we cannot have faith in your judgement on this issue,”
They expected him to direct every affairs of the league according to the Quran and Sunnah as an impartial arbiter as they noted that he has taken sides and abandoned the rules of islam on equity and fairness for his personal interest.
Describing the meeting with the stakeholders as partiality, Aladesawe was accused to have denied the Chairman of Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Ondo state, the secretary of the league who doubles as Chief Imam of Supare including the Imam Ratibis from expressing their views where the Chief Imam of Akure Alhaji Abdulhakeem Akorede forced himself to speak for only 5 minutes, after a failed attempt to shut him down like others, while Alhaji Batuta was allowed to speak for over 46 minutes.
“This is partiality! It is very obvious that you are always aligning yourself with every opinion of Batuta which is very bad for any amicable resolution of the crisis.
“With this, we do not see any good and just leadership from your leadership concerning the issues of Ikare Muslim Community,” they stated.
They alleged him of taking it personal, showing his personal motive and supporting Alhaji Momodu Liadi Musa Ekunusi, one of the self appointed representative of HRM Olukare at the meeting who arrogantly referred to Alhaji ( Shaykh) Abbas Dr. Muhammed as the former Chief Imam of Ikare.
This, they argued is disregards to the verdict of the Ondo state government that condemned the purported removal of chief Imam and the state government has affirmed Alhaji (Shaykh) Abbas Muhammed as the incumbent Chief Imam of Ikare as published in The Hope of Monday, 17, April 2023 on page 3.
They advised him not to take any further action on the pretext of resolving the crisis as they are not comfortable with him presiding over the matter as a result of the reasons stated.
Reacting on the allegations, Alhaji Aladesawe, who doubles as the General Secretary, League of Imams and Alfas for Ondo, Edo and Delta states described the allegations as false, saying that they were too faster than their shadows by pre-empting the outcome of the judgement of the reconciliatory committee about to be set up.
He said the meeting was held to listen to every parties grievances and documents presentation which were done adding that the documents are with the state Secretary of the league of Imams and Alfas.
This, he said, was done with a view to reconciling the aggrieved parties so as to move the Muslim community forward peacefully.
His words: “I have always been a man of peace and this is one of the attributes that had accorded me various positions I have held and still holding in Nigeria “
“My mission for conveying the meeting was to broker peace among the aggrieved individuals involved in Ikare crisis”
“The so-called Ikare Muslim Community should have waited for the outcome of the reconciliatory committee that was about to be set up before the protest letter which indicted me as being partial”.
Aladesawe however, cautioned that no one should dent his image, saying he is only trying to bring the aggrieved individuals under one accord as the Chairman of Ondo state League of Imams and Alfas.
