MURIC, Alaafin at loggerheads over appointment of new Chief Imam

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) are at odds over the appointment of a new Chief Imam for Oyo town. The Alaafin had asserted that he holds the exclusive right to appoint the Chief Imam — a claim MURIC strongly opposes.

MURIC’s founder and executive director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, stated on Wednesday that no law grants the Alaafin such authority. He described the monarch’s claim as “baseless” and an abuse of traditional privilege by certain Yoruba rulers.

“The Alaafin of Oyo claimed that he had the exclusive right to appoint the Chief Imam of Oyo town. We reject this statement. It is false, baseless, and without legal backing. Muslims are born free and have the right to appoint their own leaders without external interference,” Akintola said.

He further argued that tradition cannot override constitutional law. “If he has no power to appoint the bishop, he cannot claim the power to appoint the Chief Imam. Nigeria is not a monarchy; it is a democracy,” he added.

MURIC called on the Alaafin to respect the autonomy of the Muslim community in Oyo, asserting that religious leadership should emerge from within the faith group, not be imposed externally.

The group also urged the Oyo Muslim community to consult the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) and present a single candidate for the Chief Imam position through internal consensus.

According to MURIC, the Alaafin’s role should be ceremonial, limited to blessing the candidate selected by the Muslim community, rather than deciding on the appointment.

Akintola concluded, “Each group chooses its own leader. No law gives the Alaafin the exclusive right to choose the Chief Imam. Stop impugning our dignity. Respect begets respect.”