There are strong indications that the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Muslim Community (UMC) has completed plans to replace the branch of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) in the institution.
It would be recalled that the activities of MSSN-UNILAG were suspended November 2015 over allegation of external influence among others.
After the suspension, the parties involved agreed to the review of the bye-law guiding the MSSN-UNILAG but efforts to do so failed.
This, our correspondent learnt that, has made the UMC abandoned the review process for another alternative.
The efforts reportedly failed over alleged attempt to impose certain conditions by the UMC on the students which they rejected at a congress.
iWitness NG authoritatively gathered that the new association is named UNILAG Muslim Students’ Association.
Though, the paper work for the floating of the new association has been completed, it was learnt that the university authority is yet to approve it.
iWitness NG correspondent on the UNILAG campus gathered that interviews have been conducted for some students to occupy leadership positions of the new association.
Two Muslim students of the university confirmed to iWitness NG that they were truly invited for an interview on Wednesday, January 18, 2017.
It was learnt that most of those interviewed are students from the Department of Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) Education.
It was learnt that over 20 students were invited for the interview through a text message sent by ‘UMC’ – UNILAG Muslim Community.
The message read, “You are cordially invited to a meeting with the Chief Imam of Unilag on Wed. (18-01-2017) by 2pm at the Islamic Centre, Unilag Mosque. Please be punctual.”
Those at the interview panel, as gathered by iWitness NG, are: Dr. Muteeu Abayomi Olopade, Mr. AbdulRaheem Basheer and one Alfa Talha.
While Dr. Olopade is from the Department of Physics; Mr. Basheer, islamic studies; Alfa Talha is a staff of the UMC.
One of the students, who pleaded anonymity for the fear of victimisation, said, “I got an invitation to attend the interview and I went there.”
Another student said, “When we got there, Dr. Olopade told us that they just want to put caretaker committee in place to take charge of activities in the mosque, and organise activities like tutorials and others. After that, they began to call us inside to face the panel one after the other.”
iWitness NG learnt that the students were asked questions about their personalities, tested in Qur’an and other aspects of the deen.
When contacted on the telephone, Mr Basheer refused to speak on the development.
After our correspondent introduced himself and stated the reason for calling, Mr Basheer said, “No comment. Good morning,” and subsequently dropped the call.
Reliable sources on the UNILAG campus suspected that the new association executives may be introduced to newly admitted students of the university as caretaker committee members.
The announcement of the new executives was predicted to be made during the UMC’s Freshers’ Orientation Programme expected to hold today (Friday, January 20th, 2017) at Islamic Centre Hall, University of Lagos.
iWitness NG had exclusively reported that the Chief Imam of UNILAG Muslim Community, Prof. Murtala Bidmus, has assured leaders of MSSN B-zone of delivering MSSN-UNILAG to them.
While some alleged that the currently crisis rocking the MSSN-UNILAG was in a bid for Prof. Bidmus to make IRS students take charge; others said it the was a retaliation attempt by the current Vice-Chancellor of the UNILAG, Prof Rahmon Bello, who was allegedly offended by the Muslim students when he was the UMC Chairman.
Some also said it was the effort of a Salafiyyah group and MSSN B-zone to take grip of the MSSN-UNILAG, which is currently under the control of one Saheed Ashafa-led MSSN Lagos.
