Our mosques only used for prayers, OAU ‘extremist group’ fires back

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) chapter of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has denied being an extremist group which partakes in irregular activities.

G.O Akinola, acting dean (student affairs) of OAU had on Friday, released a circular accusing the group of carrying out strange activities in mosques located in Awolowo and Fajuyi halls of residence.

Akinola had also alleged that a supposed splinter group of MSSN was caught harbouring female students in a room inside one of the mosques.

This discovery, she said, led to the closure of the mosques and release of a circular which noted that a faction of MSSN was going against Islamic religious doctrines and school laws.

However, a statement released by Gbolahan Yusuf Abdulhamed, general secretary, OAU chapter of MSSN, countered the allegations contained in the circular released by Akinola.

“We wonder if any sense of honour remains in the heart controlling the hand that penned that release”, the statement said.

“For it calls to mind baffling questions already begging for answers, not to talk of the shock and rage the association of “prostitution” with two hall mosques, a religious space, is certainly going to provoke”.

The statement further noted that the DSA didn’t do enough investigation before stating that a splinter group had emerged from MSSN.

Reacting to the discovery of female students in a male hall, the OAU chapter of MSSN explained that the acting dean blew the situation out of proportion.

The Muslim student body also denied the emergence of a faction within its ranks, saying that a certain “elder” sought to impose executives “on thousands of mature students who are capable of steering their own affair”, hence the disagreement.

“Her claim that “students who wanted to impose themselves and their doctrines which are not consistent with the constitution of MSSN Members caused issues at the inauguration” at the central mosque.

“Her first obvious collision with the truth was this – And it shows her complete ignorance of the details of this issues before delving into it or a deliberate and mischievous effort to turn the while story upside down.

“Even the most passive Muslim student on this campus knows the true story of what led to the “inauguration” fracas, and we all know the elderly initiator and sole participant to initiate the disturbance that day.

“The ridiculousness of the situation was clearly manifest in the slowness of the sisters from their section of the mosque to open the door she was knocking, for they are not used to sudden knocks on their door from the brother’s side at any other time except during the time for academic tutorials and arabic classes which have fixed times so they were slow to open the door, and when it was eventually opened and Madam DSA barged in”.

TheCable Lifestyle also learnt that the contentious mosques in Awolowo and Fajuyi halls were still open and currently in use.

Hassan Adewale Yusuf, VP admin and planning, revealed that the acting dean of student affairs and Paul Ogidi, chief security officer of the institution visited the halls on Monday but they failed to carry out any action.

Yusuf noted that the sheer number of students present at the mosques prevented them from doing anything.

“As I am speaking to you, both mosques are open”, he said.