Oyo Grand Chief Imam Denies Endorsing Abeo Nurudeen For Iyaloja, Clarifies Visit

The Office of the Grand Chief Imam of Oyo State, Sheikh Abdul Ganiyu Abubakri Agbotomokekere, has denied endorsing Alhaja Princess Folashade Azeezat Abeo Nurudeen for the position of Iyaloja of Oyo State, describing reports suggesting otherwise as untrue.

The office clarified that Abeo Nurudeen’s visit to the Islamic leader should not be misconstrued as an endorsement or an official declaration of support for her ambition to become the Iyaloja of Oyo State.

In an official declaration dated Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and signed by Sulaiman Olalekan Makinde (Assudani), Special Aide to the Grand Chief Imam of Ibadanland on Media and Publicity, the office explained that the visit was a courtesy call.

According to the statement, Abeo Nurudeen visited the Grand Chief Imam at his residence in Oja’ba, Ibadan, on the evening of Tuesday, October 20, to seek his prayers and blessings.

It stressed that the Grand Chief Imam did not endorse her for the position, emphasising that the visit was purely a personal and religious engagement and should not be interpreted otherwise.

The statement further clarified that the Office of the Grand Chief Imam does not have the authority to appoint or endorse an Iyaloja of Oyo State, noting that such responsibilities do not fall within the established duties or customary functions of the office.

It added that the Grand Chief Imam’s residence remains open to people from all walks of life who seek prayers, spiritual guidance and blessings, regardless of their political, traditional or chieftaincy ambitions.

The office maintained that receiving a visitor does not amount to an endorsement of that person’s aspirations or ambitions.

It therefore urged members of the public, media organisations and social media users to disregard what it described as a misleading interpretation of the visit and refrain from circulating unverified information capable of causing misunderstanding or misrepresenting the position of the office.

The statement concluded with the Grand Chief Imam’s prayer for continued peace, unity, understanding and harmonious coexistence among the people of Oyo State and Nigeria at large.