Professor Mansur Isa Yelwa has resigned as Chief Imam of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) following the university management's decision to approve land for the Tijjaniyyah Muslim Students' Association of Nigeria (TIMSAN) to build a mosque on campus. He announced his resignation at the end of his Juma'at sermon last Friday. In a viral video, Yelwa expressed concern that the approval could trigger demands from other Islamic sects for similar facilities.
Yelwa stated that no other mosque in the university had previously received formal approval from management. He warned that the Tijjaniyyah approval would lead to requests from the Qadiriyyah, Izala, Salafiyyah, and Shi'a groups. He emphasized that all Muslim students had been treated equally under his leadership.
He said he had no personal issue with the Tijjaniyyah sect or its members. His objection was to the precedent he believed the decision set. Yelwa noted that he had served as Chief Imam for 17 years without conflict involving students, staff, unions, or management. He claimed the approval, which he learned about through social media last week, undermined the unity he had worked to maintain.
Yelwa stressed that as Chief Imam, he was responsible for overseeing all mosques and prayer activities on campus. He believed the new development compromised his spiritual accountability before Allah. He stated that the progress made over 17 years had been undone in seven days.
Students may now face a fragmented religious environment on campus as multiple Muslim groups seek mosque approvals following the Tijjaniyyah decision. Those involved in interfaith or intra-Muslim student activities should prepare for potential tensions and monitor official university communications on space allocation.
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