By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Ganiyu Olamiji Oyebanjo, popularly known as GOCO, has called on Islamic clerics to avoid using Friday sermons to defend political actors or advance partisan narratives.
Oyebanjo made the call in reaction to a recent Friday sermon by Imam Gusau titled “Senator Shehu Buba Umar Was Just a Mediator (Muslih), Who Has Never Been a Sponsor of Banditry, Terrorism!”
Speaking on the controversy through KosofePost, Oyebanjo said reconciliation remains an important principle in Islam but argued that the Friday Minbar should not become a platform for partisan political advocacy.
He said the primary purpose of the Friday Khutbah is to promote the remembrance of Allah, spiritual instruction and piety, citing Qur’an 62:9.
According to Oyebanjo, using the pulpit to defend political figures could undermine the religious purpose of the sermon and create divisions among worshippers.
He also questioned the application of the Islamic concept of Sulh, or reconciliation, to cases involving allegations of armed criminality, kidnapping and terrorism.
Oyebanjo distinguished between ordinary conflict resolution and Hirabah, which he linked to Qur’an 5:33, arguing that reconciliation in such circumstances should not be interpreted as granting immunity from justice or accountability.
He further criticised what he described as the use of the term Muslih, meaning a peacemaker or reconciler, to characterise political figures involved in negotiations with armed groups.
According to him, genuine Islamic mediation should seek to end oppression, protect victims and uphold justice rather than provide cover for political interests.
His comments followed the sermon defending Senator Shehu Buba Umar against allegations that he sponsored banditry or terrorism. Those allegations and the circumstances surrounding any mediation efforts remain matters of public and political dispute.
Oyebanjo urged religious scholars to maintain the distinction between their spiritual responsibilities and partisan political activity.
“Let our religious scholars face their spiritual callings and stop heating up the polity,” he said.