By Popoola Wasiu Bamidele

The exciting story of the longest reigned Chief Imam of Ibadanland.

Imam Mually Abdullahi Basunu was the 12th Grand Chief Imam of Ibadanland. He was the son of the 7th Imam and grandson of the 2nd Chief Imam of Ibadanland.

He was born and raised in Ibadan at Ita Okoro in Ibadan South West Local Government Area. The sojourn to become a stakeholder in Ibadan imamate started by his grandfather, Imam Uthman Abubakar Basunu, who came on a visit  from Northern Nigeria to see and felicitate with his friend, the first Imam of Ibadanland, Imam Abdullahi Igunnugun Olohun of Ayeye who became Imam in 1839.

The eldest Basunu only planned to stay for a few days before returning to North but he got trapped by Ifa divinity at the Olubadan palace.

Bashorun Oluyole who was the reigning  Baale/Olubadan of that time was earlier foretold that an important visitor would visit the town and should be persuaded not to go.

During his visit, Imam Abdullahi Igunnugun Olohun took Uthman Basunu to the palace and Bashorun Oluyole pleaded with Basunu to stay in the town to co-habit with the people.

Sadly enough, Imam Igunnugun Olohun died that same year and his friend emerged the 2nd Imam of Ibadanland.
Imam Basunu led the Muslim ummah for 32 years before he died and was succeeded by Imam Ahmad Qifu from Isale Alfa who also reigned for one year.  Imam Haruna Agbeni succeeded as the fourth Imam and led the ummah for 12 years.

The 2nd Basunu was the 7th Imam but spent just 15 years.

However, Imam Muhally Abdullahi was very lucky. He became the Grand Chief Imam at a tender age of 50. He succeeded Imam Ibrahim Gambari of Oja’gbo who spent a decade after succeeding Imam Sulaiman Alagufon who reigned for 2 years.

Imam Muhily was blessed with a very long tenure spanning over 42 years. His tenure witnessed a lot of transformation in terms of growth, reaching out to non believers through humility and generosity.
He died in 1982 at the ripe age of 93 and was succeeded by his closest friend and associate, Imam Sadiku Folohunsho (BABA n Popo Yemoja).

It was during Imam Basunu’s time that Alhaji Azeez Alao Arisekola became the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland (1980).

The story of Ibadan’s Oja Oba Central Mosque was dated back to 1839 as the first laid foundation of the present structure was started in 1921 but was officially opened in 1980 during the life and time of Imam Muhally Basunu.

May Allah be pleased with his soul.

N.B.

One beautiful thing about Imamate in Ibadanland is the uniqueness of the succession plan that bears a similar look with Olubadan traditional succession.