Amosun: Division Weakening Muslim Ummah

Former Ogun State Governor and Senator, Ibikunle Amosun, has said divisions among Muslim organisations and differences in interpretations of Islamic teachings are weakening the Muslim Ummah and undermining its collective strength.

He made this observation in Abeokuta during the maiden Muslim Assembly in Ogun State, organised by the League of Imams and Alfas.

The convergence, held under the theme “Synergy, Leadership and Development in the Muslim Ummah of Ogun State,” attracted Islamic leaders and titled chiefs across the state.

Speaking at the event, Amosun said the Muslim community had, over time, faced “certain challenges, such as divisions among different religious organisations and differences in understanding and interpretation of the Holy Qur’an,” noting that these had often portrayed the Ummah “as fragmented rather than united.”

The former governor noted that such fragmentation had led to discordant teachings and conflicting instructions from Islamic leaders and groups.

According to him, “these differences have sometimes resulted in discordant teachings and varied instructions from Islamic leaders and groups, thereby portraying the Muslim Ummah as fragmented rather than united.”

Amosun, however, said unity and synergy remained the key to producing visionary leadership and sustainable development.

“When the Muslim Ummah acts in synergy, by uniting in teachings, actions and shared understanding, it becomes better positioned to produce visionary leaders who uphold the values of Islam and promote peaceful coexistence, social harmony and socio-economic development,” he said.

The former senator urged Muslims to prioritise their shared faith over sectarian or organisational affiliations.

Declaring the event open, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, urged Muslim leaders and organisations across the state to embrace unity, inclusive leadership and strategic collaboration as a foundation for sustainable development and stronger community impact.

The Deputy Governor posited that religious knowledge alone, no matter how profound, cannot deliver development without active followership, structure and collective ownership.

She described Islamic scholars as custodians of faith, moral guides and a critical interface between the Muslim Ummah and government, noting that this role must be strengthened to improve engagement and policy outcomes.

The keynote address speaker, Emeritus Professor Kamaladeen Balogun, pointed out that “leadership failure within the Muslim Ummah in Ogun State is increasingly evident in subtle but damaging ways.”

He identified persistent poverty and dependency as some of the visible outcomes of the leadership failure, even as he maintained that the challenges are not insurmountable.

“When synergy is strengthened, leadership renewed, and development pursued deliberately, the Ummah regains its balance and relevance,” Balogun, who is the Chief Imam of Gbaguraland, said.

The former Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Sarafa Tunji Isola, urged religious groups, particularly Muslims, to be more harmonious, adding that it would enable them to tolerate one another and promote unity among the people.

“The more united the people are, the better for society. That is one of the objectives here. We will pray together; the essence of the gathering here is unity among the Muslims,” he said

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