Lagos Central Mosque Crisis: Court Orders Chief Imam To Take Charge of Ramadan Lecture

Lagos Central Mosque Crisis: Court Orders Chief Imam To Take Charge of Ramadan Lecture

By Fly Cable News

The Federal High Court in Lagos, Wednesday ordered all parties in the dispute over the yearly Ramadan Lecture of the Lagos Central Mosque to refrain from taking any action that may lead to break down of law and order in the state by maintaining the status quo.

Justice Ambros Lewis-Alagoa, who made the order, further ruled that since there is no contention or controversy over the spiritual leadership of the Mosque, the current Chief Imam, who is the spiritual head, should be the one in charge of organising the Ramadan Lecture pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.

The judge made the status quo order while adjourning for the hearing of a motion on notice filed by The Registered Trustees of Jamat-ul-Muslimeen Council of Nigeria of Nigeria, Alhaji Femi Okunnu and Alhaji Chief Saheed Yemi Lawal.

The other parties to the suit are Alhaji Chief Sikiru Alabi Macfoy, Alhaji Chief A.A. Mustapha, Mufassir Imam S.A. Gafar, Dr Muiz Banire, SAN, Sheik Sulaimon Abu-Nolla and the Attorney-General of Lagos State.

According to the motion on notice, the plaintiffs through their counsel, Dr Kemi Pinhero, SAN, are asking for the following orders:

1. An order of interlocutory injunction, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice filed herein, restraining the 1st Defendant whether by himself, privies, proxies, cronies, agents, servants, or such other persons, howsoever described, from further acting, continuing to act as and/or carry out the functions of the Baba Adinni of the Lagos Central Mosque and/or managing or further managing the affairs of the Lagos Central Mosque and/or exercising, any power(s) connected incidental or ancillary to duties, powers and functions of the Baba Adinni of the Lagos Central Masque.

2. An order of interlocutory injunction, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice filed herein, restraining the Ist Defendant whether by himself or through his agents, nominees, deputies, cronies or any Person(s) acting on their authority, instructions or directives, howsoever described, from parading himself as the Baba Adinni of Lagos Central Mosque and/or calling, participating in or superintending any meeting whatsoever, whether in his capacity of the Baba Adinni of the Lagos Central Mosque or any other capacity whatsoever.

3. An order of this Honourable Court appointing Alhaji Tajudeen Ojikutu and Dr. Ganiyu Labinjo as interim administrators or interim caretakers of the Lagos Central Mosque to carry out the functions of the office of the Baba Adinni, manage the funds and other affairs of the mosque, superintend all meetings of the Executive Council and do such other acts as are incidental to the functions of the office of the Baba Adinni, pending hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed in this suit selection and/ or appointment into the Baba Adinni or other vacant titled Chief offices in the Lagos Central Mosque and such further or other orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

When the matter was called for hearing, Mr Bisi Oyesanya, SAN, representing the first and second defendants told Justice Alagoa that he had filed a notice objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.

Oyesanya added that the position of the law was that once the jurisdiction of the court was challenged in a matter, the court ought to take the objection challenging the jurisdiction at first before going into the main matter.

However, plaintiff’s counsel, Dr Pinhero, and Dr Muiz Banire, SAN, who represented himself as the fourth defendant, objected to that line of arguement insisting that that was the old law.

However, since it was obvious that the matter could not be heard and determined before the coming Ramadan fast which comes up in a few days’ time, Pinhero prayed the court to grant an order for status quo to be maintained so as to keep peace during the Ramadan.

Pinhero stated that one of the bones of contention is the organisation of Ramadan Lecture, that the defendants are trying to organize.

He contended that this singular act amounted to usurpation of the authority of the Chief Iman who had the power to organize such lecture on behalf of the Mosque.

Pinhero said the fear now is that both parties had fixed the Lecture for the same day which may snowball into break down of law and order.

Mr Kunle Adegoke,SAN,, counsel for the third defendant , Muiz Banire, SAN, and Efe Ize-Iyamu for the 5th defendant, supported the application for an order of status quo made by Pinhero.

Consequently, Justice Alagoa ordered all parties in the matter to refrain from all actions that may lead to breach of peace.

“I am directing all parties not to engage in any act that may ignite violence or crisis. ”

“Since there is no dispute as to the issue of the spiritual head of the Mosque, the spiritual head of the Lagos Central Mosque is to take care of the organization of the Ramadan Lecture.”

Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till Monday 3 March 2025.