ABUJA – Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the apex body superintending over the affairs of Islam in Nigeria, has appointed Prof. Shehu Galadanci as the Murshid (General Administrator) of the Abuja National Mosque.
The Secretary-General of NSCIA, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on restructuring of the administrative system of the National Mosque on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Galadanci, who is a professor of Arabic language, is the former Chairman, Ministerial Committee on Al-Majiri/Madara Education in Nigeria.
According to him, since the demise of the late Chief Imam of the Mosque, Sheikh Musa Muhammad in 2015, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs undertook a number of restructuring with a view to ensuring best global practice.
“ The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, wishes to announce some adjustments it has undertaken in the Abuja National Mosque.
“The council has approved the appointment of Prof. Shehu Galadanci as the Murshid or the General Administrator of the Abuja National Mosque, who will serve as both spiritual and administrative Head of the mosque.
Oloyede, who is also the Registrar of JAMB, said in line with the best practices in National Mosque all over the world, the Abuja National Mosque would now be administered by Murshid, rather than a Chief Imam.
He explained that the Murshid or the General Administrator, would function as both the overall administrative and spiritual Head of the mosque as the case in most Muslim countries in the world.
He further said that the Murshid would be supported by four Imams of the mosque and Director of Finance and Administration, who are seasoned Administrators.
The secretary-general said some of the functions of the Murshid of the National Mosque, would be the upliftment of the Muslim community spiritually and intellectually.
Similarly, the three Deputy Chief Imams of the mosque were elevated to the position of Imams.
He said that one other position had been declared vacant to be occupied by a qualified person from either the South-South or South-East Geo-political zone, thereby, bringing the total number of Imams to four.
The council also announced the appointment of Dr Sakariyau Babalola as the Deputy President-General, South, Prof. Salisu Shehu, Deputy President-General, North, and Haroun Eze, Deputy National Legal Adviser.
