The Grand Mufti of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan, has cautioned the Osun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs against interfering in religious matters, insisting that the ministry should restrict itself to its statutory responsibilities.
HERALDSUN reports that the religious title was bestowed on Molaasan by the monarch in 2021 amidst controversy.
The Osun State Government had in a letter dated November, issued a strong caution to Oba Akanbi, over alleged inflammatory statements capable of igniting religious confrontation and inter-town conflicts.
In a lette with reference number CD.17/1/VOL.VIII/377 and signed by Wale Alliyu on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the government said it had observed with worry recent well-publicised statements credited to the monarch.
The government in the letter obtained by HERALDSUN, said the monarch’s activities are raising communal tension, sowing seeds of communal and religious discord and discrediting traditional values, describing them as serious threats to peace, unity and stability of the state and Iwo domain.
According to the letter addressed to the Oluwo Palace, a copy received by the monarch’s secretary on November 03, the administration noted that the persistence of such crisis-inciting activities and conduct against peaceful interfaith cohabitation had reached a level it could no longer ignore.
But Molaasan, in a post on his Facebook page, said it is unfortunate that a ministry established to serve the entire people of Osun State would allow its official platform to be used in a manner that suggests religious bias or preferential treatment.
He also said he found it difficult to believe that Governor Ademola Adeleke was fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the letter.
“I am inclined to believe that someone within the ministry may have allowed personal grievances against Islam and the Oluwo to influence an official decision. This, however, calls for clarification from the appropriate authorities,” he said.
He argued that the disagreement between the Oluwo and his antagonists, particularly where religious sentiments are involved, should not be unnecessarily converted into a chieftaincy issue.
According to him, if individuals who have repeatedly engaged in verbal attacks against the Oluwo are not cautioned, the ministry must equally exercise restraint and avoid issuing letters that could be perceived as biased or discriminatory.
“If your ministry is not established to serve idol worshippers alone, then demonstrate your neutrality by applying the same standards to everyone, irrespective of religious affiliation. We cannot accept a situation in which one religious group is subjected to official scrutiny while others are treated differently,” he stated.
Sheikh Molaasan stressed that the Oluwo is not just an individual but an institution held in high regard by millions of Yoruba Muslims, and any action perceived as an attempt to undermine that institution must be approached with caution.
“We are not asking the ministry to abandon its responsibilities. Rather, we are demanding fairness, impartiality and respect for religious diversity. The ministry must not allow personal interests or religious sentiments to influence the discharge of its official duties,” he said.
He added that religion is a sensitive matter and nobody should use the authority of public office to intimidate, marginalise or undermine another person’s religious identity.
“Our position is unequivocal: Do not interfere in our religious affairs. Face your chieftaincy responsibilities and leave our religion for us,” the Grand Mufti said.
He vowed to continue to defend the dignity, rights and interests of Yoruba Muslims through lawful and legitimate means, insisting that respect for religious diversity must remain a fundamental principle of governance in Osun State.
