PROPOSED CABINET RESHUFFLE AND MARGINALIZATION OF YORUBA MUSLIMS
The Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars Organisation was registered in the year 2020 primarily to cater for the interest of Yoruba Muslims in Public/Political affairs and protection Sharia injunctions in spiritual matters.
The group plays a pivotal role in the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidential project and to the glory of Allah, we won against all odds. During the campaign for the presidential election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the 5th Nigerian President, there was a very stiff and ferocious antagonism from the Nigerian Christians particularly from both Northern and Southwest Nigeria over the religious affiliations of the presidential candidate and even later that of the Vice presidential candidate.
Let the whole world recall that the political conspiracy against the Muslims Southwest all along precludes Muslims from emerging president or vice president since Nigeria’s independence in 1960. Chief MKO Abiola that was poised to remove the jink had his election annulled while Chief Ernest Shonekan and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who are Christians became direct beneficiaries of his political sojourn.
Thus, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commenced his political journey into the Aso Rock in 2022, the Muslims thronged out with full enthusiasms not only on their belief of his competence and capability but also on a felt relief that as a Muslim, he would attend to the age-long marginalization against the Southern Muslims and which has effectively kept them in disadvantaged positions having been long deprived of necessary government support, privileges or opportunities that could aid their ability to compete and ensure real human capital development. We did all within our capacity and even network with the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria to ensure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the election and he actually won the election fair and square.
Ironically, since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in on 29th May, 2023, we are faced with another dimension or worst form of marginalization which succinctly predicted by Prof Is-haq Oloyede in his lecture presented at National mosque during the presidential inauguration lecture and I quote ” When our brothers are in positions, we are not in power nor empowered and when our brothers are not in positions we are completely out of power” Or how can one state the exact qualities and competence of his Christian dominated cabinet members that Muslims in the Southwest do not possess and as such are incompetent to form part of his government birthed from our prayers, hot sweat and scarce resources.
From the available record, the following are examples of the ominous marginalization against the Southwestern Muslims of Nigeria;
MINISTERS ( 7 Against 4 )
- Hon. Dele Alake – Christian – (Minister of Solid Minerals Development)
- Hon. Bosun Tijani – Christian – (Minister of Communication)
- Hon. Wale Edun – Christian – (Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of Economy)
- Hon. Lola Ade John – Christian – (Minister of Tourism)
- Hon. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo – Christian – (Minister of Interior)
- Hon. Jumoke Oduwole – Christian – (Minister of Trade and Investments)
- Hon. Ayodele Olawande – Christian – (Minister of Youths)
- Hon. Ishak Salako Adekunle – Muslim ? – (Minister of State for Health)
- Hon. Waheed Adelabu – Muslim ? – (Minister of Power)
- Hon. Isiaka Oyetola – Muslim – (Minister of Marine and Blue Economy)
- Hon Tunji Alausa Morufu – Muslim – (Minister of Education)
TOP 11 KEY APPOINTMENTS ( 10 Against 1 )
(1.) Yemi Cardoso – Christian – (Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria)
(2) Femi Gbajabiamila – Chief of Staff (Muslim)
(3). Zaccheus A. Adedeji – Christian – (Executive Chairman, FIRS)
(4). Pius Akinyelure – Christian – (Chairman, NNPCL Board; not a single Southwestern Muslim in the entire Board)
(5). Gbenga Alade – Christian – (MD/CEO AMCON)
(6). Kayode Opeifa – Christian – (MD Nigeria Railway Corporation)
(7). Tope Fasua – Christian – (Special Adviser to the President on Economy).
(8). Bayo Onanuga – President’s Spokesman and Adviser on Information and Strategy
(9) Sunday Dare – Adviser to President on Public Communication and Orientation
(10). Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi – Chairman – Southwest Development Commission.
(11). Dr Charles Akinola MD – Southwest Development Commission
The only Muslim in the top 11 key appointments of the president from the South West is Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila whose presence has not been felt by the Ummah till date.
KEY SECURITY APPOINTMENTS ( 5 Against 0 )
- Wale Egbetokun – Christian – (Inspector General of Police)
- Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi – Christian – (Director-General DSS)
- Olanipekun Olukayode – Christian – (Chairman, EFCC)
- Late Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja – Christian – (Chief of Army Staff)
- Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede – Christian – (New Chief of Army Staff)
No single Muslim from the South West was able to make the list of appointees for security positions since the inception of this government.
If it could be this unfair in those few pronounced offices as listed above, how does one vouch for fairness in the underneath offices in their respective MDAs.
It was very disappointing to the Southwestern Muslims that in spite of vehement criticism against the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ticket as Muslim/Muslim, all that the Yoruba Muslims who supported the team and put enormous resources into the struggles got is this unfair representation in the government and a systemic denial of opportunities to participate in the development of the country.
It behoves President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make an amendment before it will be too late. The president was doing fine by not being bias against Christians in the North, he appointed Christian Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary to the Government of Federation from the muslim dominated northern Nigeria. The implication of this is that competent and capable hands are not only existing amongst a religious group irrespective of the region.
In terms of political participation, the records are there for anyone to verify the significant roles played by the Muslims when the storm against the Muslim/Muslim ticket garnered dust. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and certain religious leaders were seriously opposed to it and this was responsible for loss of Lagos state in the presidential election because the Christians gave their block vote to Peter Obi. The same CAN has now struck a muted tone when providence suddenly brought before its doorstep proceeds of the “accursed Muslim/Muslim Ticket”.
It was a series of these ugly happenings that left the Southwestern Muslims with no any option other than to be suspicious of a subtle political annihilation being executed against us and unfortunately, using one of us. Presently we cannot boldly say we have a single governor throughout the South west, the only one being rubbed on our face says he is half Muslim, half Christian and every conscious Muslims knew that kind of person as Christian. The case of Ekiti and Ondo States with a sizeable muslim population is worrisome and pretty disturbing. In these states, Muslims are not even considered for a deputy governor compared with Kwara State dominated by the muslim population but always concedes the position of the deputy governor to the Christians. Who is fair and who is unfair ?
OUR DEMAND
We wish to appeal to the President our own brother to make amends in the proposed cabinet reshuffle and appoint non controversial South West Muslims into various cabinet and other key positions for inclusive and fair political representation.
Sheikh Abdurrasheed Mayaleeke
President General
Prof Olaiya Abideen.
Secretary General
2nd October, 2025.
