Stakeholders Urge Proper Documentation, Accountability, Hygiene to Protect Lagos Mosques

Islamic leaders and professionals have called on mosque administrators to embrace proper documentation, financial accountability, good governance and improved hygiene to protect Islamic institutions from ownership disputes, demolition and mismanagement.

The call was made at the third anniversary celebration of the Mosque Guidance and Development Lagos Initiative (MGDLI), held at the Shamsi Adisa Thomas Central Mosque, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

Delivering the keynote address titled “Mosque Documentation and Hygiene: The Foundation for Sustainable Islamic Development in Lagos,” a lecturer at Lagos State University, Professor Saheed Olurotimi Timehin, identified documentation, hygiene and good governance as essential pillars of sustainable mosque development.

Timehin warned that poor record-keeping could expose mosque properties to ownership disputes, illegal sales and avoidable losses, particularly where original donors had failed to legally transfer ownership of donated land to the institutions.

He urged mosque administrators to maintain proper land ownership documents, survey plans, title records, financial statements, donation records, project accounts and administrative records.

He also called for proper documentation of mosque activities, building inspections, electrical and plumbing systems, fire safety equipment and other facilities, while encouraging the adoption of secure digital record-keeping systems.

“The true greatness of a mosque is not measured by its physical appearance or size but by the quality of worship it supports, the integrity of its administration, the cleanliness of its environment, and the positive impact it has on the community,” he said.

The lecturer described documentation as an expression of Amanah (trust), justice and accountability, stressing that it should not be regarded as a sign of distrust.

“Documentation should be understood not as a sign of distrust, but as a divine injunction and a means of safeguarding trust,” he said.

On hygiene, Timehin urged mosque leaders to improve sanitation in toilets, ablution facilities and prayer halls, ensure adequate water supply and drainage, and establish sanitation committees to coordinate cleaning and maintenance.

He also identified transparency, accountability, consultation, clearly defined responsibilities and succession planning as essential elements of effective mosque governance.

The Grand Chief Imam of Lagos State, Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Noulla, also urged imams and mosque administrators to secure legal title to land before embarking on construction.

He said compliance with land laws was necessary to protect mosques from legal disputes and possible demolition, stressing that religious institutions were not above the law.

“Every country has its government and laws, and the laws of the land must be obeyed. Nobody is above the law,” he said.

Citing Surah Al-Baqarah 2:282, which emphasises the documentation of deferred financial transactions, the cleric urged Muslims to apply the principle of proper documentation to mosque property management.

“If you want to build a mosque in Lagos and you have identified a piece of land, you have to conduct a survey to establish its status and obtain the necessary title documents before embarking on construction,” he said.

Chairman of MGDLI, Alhaji Musoddiq Adele Sanni, said the initiative was established following complaints about mosque demolitions, disputed ownership and the sale of mosque properties.

Sanni, who traced the organisation’s origins to his tenure as chairman of the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), said investigations into some of the cases revealed that original donors had failed to legally transfer ownership of donated land to the mosques.

He explained that successors of some donors subsequently claimed the properties as family inheritance, exposing the mosques to ownership disputes and possible demolition.

He said the first mosque development sensitisation programme was held on October 28, 2023, at the Shamsideen Adisa Central Mosque, adding that the organisation had grown to more than 20 members drawn from legal, media, surveying, engineering and other professional backgrounds.

Sanni said MGDLI had continued to address challenges confronting mosques through advocacy, public lectures, educational publications, mosque visits and legal interventions.

He called on Muslims to take collective responsibility for protecting and properly managing their religious institutions.

“Who would help us solve these problems? The honest answer was clear: nobody but we Muslims ourselves. We must take responsibility for addressing our own challenges,” he said.

The President of the Lagos Muslim Community and former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Oyinlomo Danmole, urged MGDLI to seek institutional backing from the Lagos Muslim Community, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).

Danmole said such collaboration would strengthen the initiative’s authority and enable it to secure the attention of relevant institutions when reporting challenges involving mosque administration.

“When people don’t have authority, nobody will listen to you if you want to do something. Get your authority from an authorised body,” he said.

He assured MGDLI of the Lagos Muslim Community’s willingness to support its activities, while expressing optimism about possible collaboration with NIREC.

Also speaking during the panel discussion, former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr Abdullateef Abdulhakeem, tasked Muslims with ensuring the proper organisation and management of mosques.

Abdulhakeem volunteered to join MGDLI and pledged to help spread the initiative’s message to a wider audience.

The three-day anniversary programme, which began on October 30 and ended on November 1, 2026, brought together Islamic leaders, professionals and other stakeholders to discuss ways of improving mosque administration, property protection, hygiene and sustainable development.