LAGOS, Nigeria – Higher Authority in Lagos State has advised the Executive of Lagos Central Mosque and Chief Imam, His Eminence Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Nolah, not to go ahead with their respective Annual Ramadan Lecture; it expressed its displeasure over the uproar the clash of date had been generating.
This was made known by Lookman Seriki, General Secretary, Lagos Central Mosque.
According to him, the Authority stated deep concern that the situation might snowball to crisis if not quickly addressed
For about two weeks there had been impasse over Annual Ramadan Lecture: on the one hand was the Executive Council, through its Mission Board constitutionally authorized to carry out the duty, and on the other hand, is the Chief Imam, His Eminence, Alhaji Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Nolah, who was determined to carry out a parallel Annual Ramadan Lecture. Both had scheduled respective Annual Ramadan Lecture for Saturday, March 1st, 2025, at the same venue of Lagos Central Mosque and at the same time of 10a.m.
In fact, because of the impasse, at the behest of the Chief Imam, the police personnel visited Lagos Central Mosque on three occasions, and invited some Executive Council members of the Mosque along with some administrative officials.
Suffice to State it here that Executive Council had earlier suspended its own Annual Ramadan Lecture as it was determined to preserve the peace and harmony in Lagos by all means possible. Thus, towards this end, the Executive Council had taken necessary measures, including airing of jingles on radio and placing advert in the newspaper announcing postponement of its planned Annual Ramadan Lecture and enjoining all to embrace peace and conduct themselves in orderly manner this coming Ramadan and beyond
The Executive Council took this extraordinary decision, even before the advice of Justice Andrew Lewis Alagoa, on Wednesday, 26, February, 2025, the presiding judge on a related suit filed by Alhaji Femi Okunnu and others against Executive Council of the Mosque.
The Executive Council had planned not to challenge the judge plea before the substantive suit “begins” on Monday, March 3, 2025.
Thus, the Council did not oppose the plea – before the adjoining date – that the Chief Imam be allowed to carry out his parallel Ramadan Lecture because of peace, especially in this month of Ramadan.
Executive Council is satisfied that the plaintiffs were not able to get their most sought-after immediate injunctions as they (plaintiffs) had prayed, as the Justice Alagoa adjourned the case to Monday, March 3rd, 2025 for thorough examination.
