* As Timehin, Danmole, Iyepe, others urge legal compliance, good governance at Mosque Guidance anniversary
The Grand Chief Imam of Lagos State, Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Noulla, has called on mosque administrators across Lagos to strengthen documentation, financial accountability and good governance to safeguard Islamic institutions against ownership disputes, demolition and mismanagement.
He made the call at the third anniversary programme of the Mosque Guidance and Development Lagos Initiative (MGDLI), held at the Shamsi Adisa Thomas Central Mosque, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The three-day programme, which ran from October 30 to November 1, 2026, featured a medical outreach on Friday, a practical demonstration of mosque cleaning on Saturday, and a lecture and panel discussion at Sunday’s grand finale.
The gathering brought together Islamic leaders, professionals and other stakeholders to examine challenges facing mosques and explore practical ways to improve their administration, protect their properties and promote sustainable development.
Speaking at the grand finale, Sheikh Abou-Noulla emphasised that the protection of mosques must begin with proper legal ownership of their land.
He urged Imams and mosque administrators to obtain the necessary title documents before commencing construction, warning that religious institutions were not exempt from the laws governing land ownership and development.
“Every country has its government and laws, and the laws of the land must be obeyed. Nobody is above the law,” he said.
Citing Surah Al-Baqarah 2:282, which emphasises documenting deferred financial transactions, the cleric urged Muslims to extend the same principle of documentation and accountability to mosque property management.
“If you want to build a mosque in Lagos and you have identified a piece of land, you have to conduct a survey to establish its status and obtain the necessary title documents before embarking on construction,” he said.
Timehin warns against poor mosque documentation
In his keynote address titled, “Mosque Documentation and Hygiene: The Foundation for Sustainable Islamic Development in Lagos,” a lecturer at Lagos State University, Professor Saheed Olurotimi Timehin, identified proper documentation, hygiene and good governance as critical to the survival and development of mosques.
He warned that inadequate record-keeping could expose mosque properties to ownership disputes, illegal sales and avoidable losses, particularly where individuals who donated land failed to legally transfer ownership to the mosque.
Timehin urged mosque administrators to maintain comprehensive records, including land ownership documents, survey plans, title deeds, financial statements, donation registers, project accounts and administrative records.
He also stressed the need to document mosque activities, building inspections, electrical and plumbing installations, fire safety equipment and other facilities.
He encouraged mosque committees to adopt secure digital systems to preserve important records and make them accessible when needed.
“The true greatness of a mosque is not measured by its physical appearance or size but by the quality of worship it supports, the integrity of its administration, the cleanliness of its environment, and the positive impact it has on the community,” he said.
Describing documentation as an expression of Amanah (trust), justice and accountability, the lecturer said proper record-keeping should not be interpreted as a sign of suspicion among mosque leaders.
“Documentation should be understood not as a sign of distrust, but as a divine injunction and a means of safeguarding trust,” he said.
On environmental cleanliness, Timehin urged mosque administrators to pay greater attention to toilets, ablution areas and prayer halls, ensure adequate water supply and drainage, and establish sanitation committees responsible for regular cleaning and maintenance.
He also identified transparency, consultation, clearly defined responsibilities, accountability and succession planning as important components of effective mosque administration.
MGDLI explains campaign against mosque property disputes
Chairman of MGDLI, Alhaji Musoddiq Adele Sanni, said the initiative emerged from concerns over mosque demolitions, disputed ownership and the sale of mosque properties.
Sanni, who traced the organisation’s beginnings to his tenure as chairman of the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), explained that investigations into some reported cases revealed that individuals who donated land for mosque projects had not completed the legal process of transferring ownership to the institutions.
He said this omission had allowed some donors’ successors to lay claims to the properties as family inheritance, leaving the affected mosques vulnerable to litigation and possible demolition.
According to him, the initiative organised its first mosque development sensitisation programme on October 28, 2023, at the Shamsideen Adisa Central Mosque.
He disclosed that MGDLI had grown to more than 20 members from different professional backgrounds, including law, media, surveying and engineering.
Sanni said the organisation had been working to address challenges confronting mosques through advocacy, public lectures, educational publications, mosque visits and legal interventions.
He called on Muslims to take responsibility for protecting their religious institutions rather than waiting for external intervention.
“Who would help us solve these problems? The honest answer was clear: nobody but we the Muslims ourselves. We must take responsibility for addressing our own challenges,” he said.
Danmole advocates institutional support for MGDLI
The President of the Lagos Muslim Community and former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon Muhammad Oyinlomo Danmole, advised MGDLI to strengthen its institutional relationships by seeking the backing of the Lagos Muslim Community, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).
He said such partnerships would give the initiative greater recognition and authority, making it easier to draw the attention of relevant institutions to challenges affecting mosque administration and property ownership.
Danmole urged the organisation to work with established Muslim bodies and government institutions, assuring it of the Lagos Muslim Community’s willingness to support its activities.
“When people don’t have authority, nobody will listen to you if you want to do something. Get your authority from an authorised body,” he said.
He also expressed optimism about possible collaboration between MGDLI and NIREC.
Hon Iyepe offers to join initiative
Also speaking during the panel discussion, former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr Abdullateef Abdulhakeem, called for better organisation and management of mosques, urging Muslims to take greater interest in the administration of their religious institutions.
Abdulhakeem, popularly known as Hon Iyepe, volunteered to become a member of MGDLI and pledged to help publicise its activities and objectives to a wider audience.
The anniversary programme provided an opportunity for Islamic leaders and professionals to examine practical challenges facing mosque development, with discussions focusing on securing mosque properties, improving administrative standards and maintaining clean and safe worship environments.
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