A popular Islamic cleric, Dr Sharafdeen Gbadebo Raji, on Thursday faced heavy criticisms following his claim that there are idolatrous practices in Ilorin, the state capital of Kwara State.

According to the Ogbomoso-based cleric, who holds a PhD in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence at the Islamic University, Al-Madeenah, Saudi Arabia, there are many idolatrous practices in the city.

Querying some younger clerical students during a programme he organised to condemn some practices that are not Islamic in nature, Raji said they should mention more than five idolatrous practices done by Ilorin indigenes.

He said, “They have mentioned a few things that Ilorin people do that negates Islam. mention more.”

The student (name withheld) answered, “They do idolatory practices in Ilorin, there is also a yam festival.”

Raji urged the students to add more because the practices are multiple-fold, and they are rewarded with gifts after the open conversation.

Another student retorted, “They (Ilorin people) often go to Sobi mountain to worship it. People succumb to whim and caprices of Alfas. They take women to Alfa for prayers. They also worship at burial grounds.”

However, Raji’s claim has stirred controversies among the sons and daughters of the ancient town in Kwara State, with most of them urging a lawsuit against the popular cleric, adding that he was only recruiting young boys who are hell-bent on tainting the image of their town.

Reacting, an Ilorin-based cleric, Sheikh Labeeb Agbaji, warned Raji to be careful about what he says about their town, warning that he would come for him if he does not stop talking about Ilorin.

A TikTok user who identified as Munir Aduagba said, “It saddens the heart that it was a fellow MUslim that is shading Ilorin and throwing an idolatrous card at it. The people identified in the video should pinpoint where practices are done in their family house, rather than generalising. Please don’t make it an issue of Ilorin and Ogbomoso’s fight. It is unacceptable.

Another user on TikTok, Layestewiy, opined, “Ilorin is not an idolatrous town. You cannot claim to be an Alfa, and you will say this about the city. I’m disappointed in Dr Sharafdeen, he just wants to defame us all. Those students must talk about the family that does all these practices.”

“If someone is so careless to openly slander a whole city like Ilorin, he should not be accorded an inch of respect until he apologises. Sharaf Gbadebo is a nuisance!,” one Salihu Onimasa said on Facebook.

A user who identifies as Aljaoharry wrote on X, “The major problems of Dr Sharof are that he talks too much and his methodology is not totally refined. Imagine leading the indigenes of Ilorin to say what’s not true about their state of origin and rewarding them for it.”

Meanwhile, one user who identifies as awallexy on X.com opined, “Well, objectively, the idea was good, just that the execution was wrong due to lack of circumspection on the part of Dr (Sharaff). This short video did justice to the idea behind the question. If you ask such a delicate question, then you must be ready to fact-check to filter out lies and exaggeration because people can do anything to get gifts. We won’t be in the mess if Dr had done the needful as there is no one in the South West who doesn’t know that Ilorin doesn’t have Oro or Odun isu. Fact checking the guys who have given him a soft landing.”

Replying, “…I hate what you are doing wallah, you assume Dr don’t know Ilorin enough to openly reject such utterances from the boys. His teachers are from Ilorin and Markazy, we know some of his contemporaries and Dr himself is no stranger to what Ilorin stands for, it is a huge mess from himbut we will hold back due to the love and respect we have for our brothers from Ogbomoso,” one Kolapo Imam wrote.

Raji is known for sharing his sermons on TikTok and has been widely recognised for condemning practices that are considered to be anti-Islam, exhibited by Muslims across the country. (PUNCH)