The Nucleus Breathes Life On Near-Abandoned Structure
In Nigeria, religious leaders play pivotal role in providing social cohesion that engenders solidarity and stability. With their teaching, preaching, services and supplications, they ensure mutual respect and understanding.

Against this backdrop, many have argued that as agents of positive change, they should be provided with a conductive environment to carry out their assignment to humanity.

Realising the role religious leaders play in the society, a couple of well-to-do Nigerian philanthropists came together to build a structure for the League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states.

Located on Secretariat-Kenneth Dike Road, Bodija, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the structure is named Roobittah.

Speaking on how the religious conclave came to being, Chairman of the Nucleus, Dr. Aliyu Badmus, said it was built decades ago by the late Chief MKO Abiola and the late Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao.

Going down memory lane, Badmus said: “There has always been a group of our scholars and Imams. They formed the group decades ago to facilitate their work as scholars who impart Islamic knowledge and as Imams who lead Islamic worship in mosques. They have been doing their work right fine, but they needed facilities and some philanthropists built this place for them as secretariat. Chief MKO Abiola was the one who facilitated the building, while Arisekola-Alao facilitated the renovation.”

Corroborating the chairman’s assertion, the Asiwaju Adinni of Iwo land, Alhaji Liad Tella, said: “This edifice was built about three-and-a-half decades ago by Chief MKO Abiola and Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao. Arisekola-Alao donated the land while Abiola financed it. Before the time, the League of Imams was holding their meetings at the house of whoever was the chairman.”

Tella said: “The Nucleus is a gathering of past national officers of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) from 1974 to 1990 and a few other successors who were national officers. The MSSN of old pioneered the recognition of the rights of Muslims in Nigeria; in terms of equal rights for Muslims and Christians in the political space and social order in Nigeria, particularly, the Western Nigeria. Hitherto, before 1960, there was no public holiday for Ramandan Sallah; there was no public holiday for Malud Nabbiy and only one holiday for Eid-Kabir and if it fell on weekend, there was no holiday. But there were holidays for Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year. The MSSN struggled for educational space. What predominated then was the enrollment of Muslims in missionary schools denied and public schools distorted. The government began to listen to the pressure of MSSN during the military regime and we got equal rights. We also promote friendship and accommodation with our Christian brothers and sisters.”

Some years after the late prominent Islamic leaders and philanthropists in the Southwest facilitated the building of Roobittah, the centre became decrepit and a shadow of itself. Curiously, the place that was a beehive of activities became abandoned and comatose.

Interestingly, in the build-up to the 2023 polls, the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Alhmed Tinubu wanted to pay a visit to the League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states at the centre. The Nucleus, however, felt it was not befitting to host the presidential candidate at the near-abandoned facility. This singular plan catalysed the story –changing journey for Roobittah as the Nucleus took up the challenge of giving the religious conclave a facelift and a new lease of life.

Badmus, the Nucleus chairman, told The Guardian: “After some time, the place fell into disuse and we saw the need to renovate it once more so that it could facilitate their work. When it was built, technology was not developed as this. With modern technology, we saw the need to upgrade so that they will be able to do their work better. The religious leaders are vital organ of the society. No society grows without imparting knowledge on the coming generation and in the same way, the core of Islam is the worship of Allah. There are people designated to lead that worship of Allah. This is vital. That was why we took up the challenge of renovating and upgrading the facility for them.”

Adding his voice to the genesis of giving the place a new lease of life, Alhaji Tella, said: “Maintenance of this structure as solid as it was in a very bad sharp. Hence, when Asiwaju Tinubu wanted to pay a visit to the headquarters of League of Imams, we discovered that it would not be complimentary and befitting for him and his encourage coming here.”

The Vice Chairman of The Nucleus and former president of MSSN, University of Lagos, Yisa Abdulkareem, said: “We felt that for our fathers to receive him in this place, it was something ideal to us; we, therefore, felt challenged about the condition of the place. Our fathers ought to be in a better place.

They hold meetings here regularly. It was not befitting. Anytime it rained, it descended on them, making them leave.”

With the intervention of the Nucleus, the story of the centre changes and begins to wear a look. It was, therefore, commissioned and handed over to the Islamic scholars and Chief Imams on Wednesday November 29, 2023.

The committee group, which made the renovation come to a fruition, which has Alhaji Badmus as Coordinator, comprises Alhaji Jamiu Ekungba, Prof. Kamil .K. Olosho, Prof. Rasheed Aderinoye, Barrister Yisa. K.O. AbdulKareem, Prof. Afiz Oladosu and Alhaji Liad Tella.

Conducting the Islamic leaders round the building, Badmus disclosed that the structure is made up of modern and 21st century facilities, comprising a 120-capacity conference hall, a committee office, officers of the organisation with each having its toilet. In accordance with building laws, provision was equally made for people with disabilities. The renovation cost a sum of N42 million.

“We are doing this because of what we learnt from and we have seen you do. It is what we met in your hands. If we are doing something great, we are doing it for ourselves,” Badmus told the Chief Imams.

Expressing his happiness for the success of the project, the Asiwaju Adinni of Iwo land, Tella said: “I feel fulfilled with that this edifice has become a reality.”

Alhaji Jamiu Ekungba, the Asiwaju Adinni of Owoland, who is a member of the Nucleus, said the group would continue to support the cause of Allah and humanity.

On his part, Prof. Rasheed Aderinoye, a member of the group, said: “It is a kind of transformation for the Muslim community, not just for the location, because for years this place has been there like an abandoned building. This transformation is not just about renovation but about a reconstruction of an edifice. It is a great achievement; it is a thing that gives the Muslim community a special status. People will see a new building here. It is a purposeful centre that will be used for worship and meetings and in fact, for the convenience of people that are coming in and going out. It is a form of honour for the League of Imams and Alfas in Southwest, Edo and Delta states.”

The vice chairman of the group and former president of MSSN, University of Lagos, Yisa Abdulkareem said: “Today, we thank God, it has become something fantastic. We never believed that it could become as beautiful as this. We started small, but later on, changes started coming in. Every day, we discovered that whatever we had planned for was no longer in vogue.”

Expectedly, the joy of the Muslim clerics knew no bound as they showered prayers and encomiums of members of the Nucleus.

Leading the pack, Sheikh Bello Kewulere, the President-general, the League of Imams in Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States who doubles as Chief Imam of Ekiti State, prayed for all members of the Nucleus for a resounding success in whatever they attempted to do.

Sheikh Kewulere said: “You turned us to a new baby. We did not have much money, but the Nucleus made this happen. We still have a lot to do. But God that helped us to this level will support you to do the remaining part successfully.”

He, however, made a request for a mosque so that Muslims around would be able to observe their Juma’at there. The chief imam also charged the Nucleus to build some shops around the edifice so that there would be means of paying those working therein.

From Ondo State, the Chief Imam of Owo, Sheikh Ahmed Aladeshawe, lauded the gesture.

The Chief Imam of Ijebu land, Sheikh Muftau Gbadegesin, who spoke on behalf of Ogun State, lauded the body for making the feat happen; while the Chief Imam of Ibadan, Sheikh AbdulGaniyy Abubakri Agbotomokekere, was equally there but left early while Dr. Bashir Adetunji, who spoke for Oyo State expressed deep appreciation for bringing the edifice alive.

From Ogun State, the Chief Imam of Egba land, Alhaji Saadi Bamigbola, an 89-year-old cleric, said: “I thank you all for making this happen. You did this for Muslims. Anyone who does well God, he or she will be rewarded accordingly. Seeing this project coming alive, our joy knows no bound.”

From Osun State, the Chief Imam of Osogbo, Sheikh Musa Animashaun, said: “No one will come here that will not be happy with what is happening here. I am happy to see this edifice. We thank God that people among us did this? Our God, people of goodwill and leaders are applauding you for doing this.”

From Lagos State, the Chief Imam, represented by Alhaji Saadu Bello, who said: “Anyone that supports God and His work will get good rewards. He will be supported by Allah. In trying times, God will be with you. This is an architectural masterpiece. Whatever you lay your hands on shall be successful.”

Present at the event were the Waziri of Yoruba land, Alhaji Lateef Adekilekun; Alhaji Surajudeen Batuta Mufty from Ondo State; Toafeek Yekini, Chief S.O. Babalola, Alhaji Lawal Sugar, Abdulafeez Werenise-oluwa, Alfa Sarafdeen, Alhaja Anifat Omolabake and others.