Chief Imam Ogbomoso defends self against allegation of not belonging to Imam Ayilara family
Femi OGUNLANA
The Chief Imam of Ogbomosoland, Sheikh Teliat Yunus Olushina Ayilara II, has reacted to the allegation that he usurped the position of Chief Imam on the ground that he is not a “true son” of Ayilara family, whose turn it’s to fill the vacancy in the wake of the demise of the last occupier, Sheikh Asafa Sanusi, in 2021.
A section of the Ayilara family of Oke-Agbede Ogbomoso has caused a stir when it issued a strong-worded letter, emphatically disowning Sheikh Ayilara and asserting he is not one of them and consequently wants him removed as Chief Imam.
On a letterhead bearing “The Ash-Sheikh Imam Mahmud Ayilara’s Descendants” with address A101 Ayilara Compound, Oke-Agbede, Ogbomoso, the letter addressed to High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin (the Areago of Ogbomosoland and who is interim chairman, Soun-in-Council), titled, “Appointment of Chief Imam of Ogbomosoland,” and signed by eight members of the family, including Alhaji Ibrahim A.Ayilara, Alhaji Hadi Abdulkareem, Mallam Dhikrullah Mahmud Ayilara, Mallam Abdulazeez Tahir Ayilara, Mallam Abdulyekeen Nafiu Ayilara, Alhaji Nurah Abdulganiy Ayilara, Hajia Sidiqat Mahmud Ayilara, Hajia Faoziyat Abd. Ganiy Ayilara and Hajia Hafsat Abd.Kareem Ayilara, stated inter-alia:
“Some members of these units, some of whom were vested with the mission of selecting a suitably qualified candidate for and on behalf of the family betrayed the household and went behind closed doors, deceitfully and erroneously presented one Teliat Yinus Olushina to the late Soun as the candidate unanimously agreed by the Ayilara’s family (even though there were unanswered queries and disagreement as to how the impostor was related to our grandfather, Ash-Sheikh Mahmud bn Uthman Ayilara Al-Imam) to be the next Chief Imam of Ogbomoso and same was admitted by the late Royal Father believing it to be true. Premised upon this admission, the late Soun appointed and inaugurated Teliat Yunus Olushina as the Chief Imam of Ogbomosoland on the 11th November 2021 and the 19th of November 2021 respectively.”
Continuing it said: “Consequently upon this appointment and owing to Mahmud’s unit’s dissatisfaction, due consultation were made with the righteous elders and leaders of the entire Ayilara family and Imam Mahmud’s unit in particular, it was discovered that Teliat Yunus Olusina is not in any way a member of Ayilara family of Ogbomoso in general and neither is he a progeny of late Sheikh Imam Mahmud Uthman Ayilara. It is therefore noteworthy to remark here that the appointment of Teliat Yunus Olushina was made in error under the mischievous presentation of the faction earlier mentioned and as such the appointed was void ab initio.”
They claimed several requests made to the Chief Imam to prove his linkage with the Ayilara family, were rebuffed, adding he instead asked “to leave ancestral history out of the matter, hence nothing meaningful and tangible from his response.”
The development generated wide reactions but now Sheikh Ayilara has come out boldly to assert otherwise.
In a genealogy chart of the Ayilara family, which he posted on his verified Facebook page, he is shown to be fifth generation from Usman Ayilara, who is given as the progenitor of the family.
According to the family tree, compiled by one Oyegbola Bashir Ajani, the progenitor of the family, Usman Ayilara, had seven (male) children, among whom were Mahmud Ayilara (the seventh Chief Imam of Ogbomoso) and Abass.
Abass begat Salawu, Yusuf and Fasansi.
Yusuf begat Tairu, Jahratu, Teliat, Ashifa and Hassanah.
Teliat, it’s, that sired Yunus, the incumbent Chief Imam.
It is as simple as that according to the genealogy as presented by Chief Imam Teliat Ayilara.
Confirming the chart the personal assistant to the Chief Imam, RK Teliat said it showed the authentic pedigree of the Chief Imam.
He submitted in a phone interview with ogbomosoinsightonline.com: “The family tree has been published which is the authentic one and it is the truth of the matter and in fact, the community has since accepted this side of the story and we are already forging a new relationship.”
Continuing, he said, “To the aggrieved party the family and the entire Muslim community have been trying to approach them and aso resolve the issue.”
Meanwhile, whether this settles the wrangling or not remains to be seen even as the November 2 date for the stakeholders’ meeting on the matter is awaited.
