Concerns Over Adeleke's Absence at Eid Prayer Ground

 

There is a growing concern in Osun State on Sunday over unannounced absence of the State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, at Eid prayer in both Osogbo and Ede without any official statement. 

Governor Adeleke seat was reserved at the Muslim Central Prayer  Ground, Osogbo during the Sallah prayer, but the seat was vacant till the end of prayer on Sunday morning.

As at the time of filing this report, the photographs of the governor have not been sighted at any public place either within or outside the state.

However, there were speculations that the Governor might have avoided Ede prayer ground because of his bad experience during the last Friday's Jumat at Ede Central Mosque where the worshipers allegedly worked out on him when he was invited to speak at the end of the prayer.

According to an eye-witness, the worshipers were visibly angry because the Governor came late to the Jumat service which should be observed by 2pm. The governor reportedly came few minutes to 3pm and the prayer was  delayed for him, a decision which infuriated many worshipers as they considered such a concession unIslamic. 

It was learnt that the vicinity of the Central Mosque was already tensed before the end of the sermon and prayer, thus when the governor was called upon to address the congregation, many worshipers walked out on him. 

It would be recalled that a video of Governor Adeleke has been trending online since Friday where he is found struggling to Sujud during two Rakat jumat prayer.

Information has it that like on Friday, the governor was also late on Sunday for the Eid prayer, a development  which necessitated his boycotting the entire programme at Osogbo, where he was billed to worship, so as not to curry the anger and hostility of the worshippers who have severally questioned his open disregard to Islamic faith. 

Many also believed that the Governor avoided worshipping at Osogbo to forestall a repeat of embarrassment that followed his action last year when his security and protocol reportedly attacked the National Secretary of the APC, Senator Basiru Ajibola.

In recent time, Ajibola has been critical of the government of Adeleke, describing it as ineffective just as he called for a State of Emergency in the state on account of Adeleke's disobedience to the Court of Appeal judgement which reinstated the local government chairmen and councilors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).