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… he says that the devil took control, seeks apologies
… forgiveness is by Allah – Religious leaders
Daud Olatunji
The Ancora Radio Veterana Ibrahim Adesola Aremu, popularly known as Akamara, on Saturday, retired to her viral series of vocal notes that accuse an alhaji Owokomago of collection of pilgrim’s IHRAM cloths for ritual purposes.
Speaking in a reconciliation meeting convened by Yoruba Land’s Wakeelul Muslimeen (Edo and Delta), Sheik Iskeel Lawal Sugar, the issuer admitted that “all the conversations of phone calls were staged” and asked for forgiveness by the religious authorities and Allah.
Akamara, who is broadcast for almost 35 years, has described his actions as “a deplorable action” that “he feels as he was eating my brother’s meat”.
He said to the interested parties that he had been under spiritual influence, confessing that “there is no Shaytan (Satan) cannot manipulate” and that “once I spent six months with a woman, leaving my family for six months. I was under a period”.
“My intention for this program was not to blur the image of Islam,” said the issuer.
“The most deplorable thing for me was to mention Owodo-Yowa. The cause of this question was a caller who chose Owodo-Yowa, believing he was too far away.”
He continued to admit without maximum terms: “I lied. It didn’t happen. It is not true that they collected the IHRAM fabric. It is not true that people used an IHram cloth for rituals.”
Akamara recalled the gathering of her long record at the service of Islam: “I was born in Sagamu. I worked in the broadcast for about 35 years. I will mark 35 years on stage next January.
“The Akamara program on the radio was used to free the people. I am not an enemy of Islam.”
He quoted his role in the exposure of the religious rogue Sheikh Madawa in Badagry – “which was damaging the image of Islam and had over 10,000 followers.
“It was called God. Today Madawa died; it was the result of Akamara’s efforts”, as proof of his good works.
In conclusion, he appealed directly to the community of faith: “I want to look for two favors: 1. I want religious leaders to forgive me. 2. I want Allah to forgive me.”
The sheikh Iskeel Lawal Sugar, who chaired the gathering of clerics, lawyers and journalists, underlined the largest relapse of the fake accusations.
“There is no one with the name Lukman Owokomago in the entire Owodo-idiroko,” he said, warning that the disinformation was threatening to make Hajj’s legitimate sponsorship derail.
A prominent donor had confided, he said, that “they could have stopped sponsoring people for Hajj. They would instead have purchased cars and motorcycles for people instead of sponsoring them for Hajj because now people believe that those who sponsor pilgrims are doing it for ritual purposes”.
To counteract the chilling effect on Hajj’s facilitation, Sheik Lawal told his track record: “God used me to send 102 people to Hajj, through my personal efforts or through sponsorship. On an annual basis, I send 18 people; sometimes 19; sometimes 11 or 13 people”.
He appealed: “I appeal to those who facilitate the sponsorship of Hajj so as not to be discouraged from sending people to Hajj”.
He added that recently at the meeting of the Hijj Board of Directors that morning, “someone told me that the question is so serious that someone in Lagos, who usually sends 30 people to Hajj every year, stopped because of the item that IHRAM clothes are used for rituals, to avoid being blackmailed”.
Despite the severity of the accusations, the clerics opted for clemency.
“We decided to be indulgent with this man because he confessed and apologized,” said Sheik Lawal Sugar.
“Usually, I wouldn’t have taken up with him like Wakeel, but he apologized and confessed. As human beings, we cannot really forgive anyone except Allah.”
He and other religious leaders have implored bloggers and broadcasters to “desist or be ready to go to prison” if they resorted to spread falsehood for monetization.
The representatives of the meeting included the president of the League of Imams and Alfas in the state of Ogun, the main imam of Owode Yewe, the Ad-Hoc president of the Muslim Board of Directors of Ogun Muslims Sheikh Ishaq Olorungbebe and Sheikh Fasasi Akeukanwo, among others.
They joined the Sheik Lawal Sugar in appealing to all Muslims, especially in the state of Yewe and Ogun, “to forgive the man and continue to be good Muslims we are”.
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