The Oyo State Government has challenged the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) to reconcile its allegation that Governor ‘Seyi Makinde is anti-Islam with his record of building and supporting mosques years before he assumed public office.
The government said Makinde’s longstanding relationship with the Muslim community, particularly his personal investment in Islamic institutions before becoming governor, contradicted claims that he was hostile to Islam.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on November 5, 2026, the government disclosed that Makinde built the Omituntun Mosque and employed a resident Imam long before his emergence as governor.
It added that the governor and his family had consistently supported Ramadan lectures, Islamic programmes and other religious activities, stressing that his engagement with Muslims did not begin with his quest for political office.
The government argued that such investments, made before Makinde acquired political power, raised questions about the basis of MURIC’s allegations.
It also cited the governor’s recognition of the Islamic calendar through the declaration of a work-free day for the Hijrah celebration, as well as his support for Muslim organisations and institutions.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the demolition of the Adogba Central Mosque during the reconstruction of the Iwo Road Interchange, the government said Makinde had personally visited the mosque before the demolition, worshipped alongside Muslims and explained why the structure had to give way to the infrastructure project.
According to the statement, the governor subsequently fulfilled his promise to rebuild the mosque, handing over a new structure equipped with modern facilities to the Muslim community.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by prominent Muslim leaders, including the Sultan of Sokoto, the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims.
The government said the rebuilding of the Adogba Mosque further demonstrated that the demolition was necessitated by the infrastructure project and was not an attempt to undermine the Muslim community.
On MURIC’s allegations that Muslim students and teachers were forced to participate in Christmas carols and Christian crusades, the government said no official directive, circular or policy document had been produced to establish that Makinde ordered or approved such activities.
It consequently challenged the organisation to identify any Islamic practice abolished, Muslim right withdrawn, Islamic institution dismantled or government policy introduced to suppress the practice of Islam under the present administration.
The statement maintained that Makinde’s record of building mosques, employing an Imam, supporting Islamic programmes and rebuilding the Adogba Central Mosque demonstrated a commitment to religious inclusion rather than hostility.
It added that the governor, if elected President of Nigeria, would continue to uphold the constitutional rights of Muslims, Christians and adherents of other religions to practise their faiths in peace and dignity.
