The Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Sheikh Teliat Yinus Ayilara, has fired back at the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, over a query issued to him for performing the Hajj pilgrimage without informing the monarch.
In a letter addressed to the Soun, the Chief Imam stated that his office is not a traditional title and therefore not under the control of the Soun of Ogbomoso. He emphasized that the Soun has no power to query him.
The Chief Imam’s response came after the Soun issued a query to him for traveling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj exercise without his knowledge. However, the Chief Imam clarified that he responded to the Soun’s letters out of respect for Yoruba culture and tradition.
In the letter signed by his secretary, Ogunleye Sulaimon Ajasa, the Chief Imam maintained that as a Muslim and spiritual head of the Muslim community in Ogbomoso, he cannot subject the rules of Islam to Yoruba tradition and culture.
Earlier, the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, formally queried the Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Sheikh Taliat Yunus Olusina Ayilara, for failing to notify him before embarking on the recent Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
According to a query dated June 10, 2024, the Soun expressed disappointment and concern over the Chief Imam’s breach of a pre-existing agreement, which required him to notify the Soun before leaving Ogbomoso for any purpose, including religious duties like the Hajj pilgrimage.
The query, signed by the palace Secretary, Toyin Ajamu, also highlighted that the Chief Imam unilaterally appointed an acting Chief Imam during his absence, further violating the terms of the agreement and exacerbating the situation.
This incident is the latest in a series of disagreements between the two leaders over the past few months, straining their already tense relationship.
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