By Gbenga Sodeinde
FAYOSE Market in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital is a popular market in Ekiti State known for the sale of phones, accessories and other items with almost 400 shops for commercial activities.
The market despite it’s size and capacity lacks a mosque for muslim traders who have about 40% population to freely perform their religious obligations.
In a bid to bring succour to the path of traders who are adherents of islam at Fayose market under the auspices of Fayose Market Muslim Community, members recently resolved to build a mosque where they could observe at least 2 out of their 5 daily prayers, hence they made some legal moves by writing a letter to the Ministry of Lands to officially request for a piece of land within the market for a mosque.
Surprisingly, there was no response from the Ministry to the letter since about three months even though some new market stalls had sprung up on same spot requested by the Muslim Community.
To avoid rancour, the Muslim Community sought another piece of land at an obscure and deserted location within the market to erect it’s proposed mosque but to its greatest dismay, the foundation was dismantled barely a day after it’s construction.
A member of the Fayose Market Muslim Community who spoke to journalists under the condition of anonymity said the president of League of Imams and the Ekiti State Council for Islamic Affairs have been duly informed about the dastardly act of the yet to be identified officers who claimed to have come from the Ministry of Lands.
The Muslim Community wondered reasons for the action even when the mosque has not in any way disturbed anyone’s businesses.
Members of the Muslim Community alleged marginalization as they said construction of two new structures without government approval had recently begun for unspecified purposes within the market .
While accusing some disgruntled elements of attempting to sow the seed of enmity and religious acrimony among people of diverse religions within Fayose Market, they wondered why those who came to dismantle the mosque foundation did not touch the other structures at the market.
Members of the Muslim Community however assured that they will continue pursue the course legally by reaching out to appropriate people in positions of authority for their intervention to avert any form of violence.
They promised that members of the Muslim Community would be law abiding but urged the appropriate ministry to do the needful and grant them what they rightly deserve as mosques are found at most institutions either government or commercial in the state and in other states .
Members of the Fayose Muslim Community said a mosque at the market became necessary to save the traders and their customers from the burden of going to far distance to pray and thereby closing or exposing their shops at intervals on a daily basis.
They also urged Government to caution those perpetrating unwholesome activities under the guise of government as their actions were tantamount to destruction of the House of God which could be resisted by muslims incase of a reoccurrence.
