Daud Olatunji
The Ogun State Muslim Council, Egba Zone, has installed the Peoples Democratic Party’s deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election, Alhaja Dr Lateefah Oyeyemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, as its Grand Matron, as she urged Muslims across the state to take an active role in determining the political leadership of the country.
Sowunmi-Kolapo, who is also the Iya Suna of Egba Land and running mate to PDP governorship candidate Oladipupo Adebutu, was installed and decorated at the Ake Palace, Abeokuta, on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The ceremony, which attracted Muslim leaders, political stakeholders, traditional figures and other members of the community, was held under the theme, “Socio-Economic Stability: A Fortress for Global Security.”
The installation has assumed political significance coming ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with Sowunmi-Kolapo using the occasion to call for increased civic participation among Muslims and urging voters to reject electoral violence, vote-buying and political apathy.
Speaking in an interview after her installation, the new Grand Matron described the honour as a demonstration of confidence and support from the Muslim community.
She said, “It’s a great honour for me because when people appreciate you and they show it, you can only be thankful to God and the State Muslim Council.”
Sowunmi-Kolapo explained that the position was in line with the tradition of the Egba Muslim community, noting that the Iya Suna of Egba was expected to serve as the Grand Matron of the Ogun State Muslim Council.
She said her new responsibility was particularly significant because she was succeeding the late former Iya Suna, Chief Mrs Khadijat Edionseri popularly called Cash Madam.
According to her, “It is a great honour to step into the former Iya Suna, Chief Mrs Khadijat, who is now late. I just pray that Almighty Allah guides my steps and makes everything fruitful at the end of the day.”
The PDP deputy governorship candidate also expressed appreciation to members of the Muslim community for the support she had received throughout the process leading to her installation.
She said, “The Muslim community, I’ll just say thank you to them because the shower of love and support that I got from them from the beginning of this journey is unprecedented and I don’t take it for granted.”
However, she used the occasion to broaden her message from religious leadership to civic and political participation, urging Muslims to recognise the importance of political power in protecting their interests and heritage.
Sowunmi-Kolapo said the Muslim community must not remain passive in matters concerning its future.
She said, “I also still want to appeal to every one of them that the struggle today is about Islam, it is about our heritage.”
She recalled advice given to her by an elder, stressing that religious leaders and members of the community could not afford to remain politically inactive.
According to her, “An elder was telling me something when I went to visit him. He said Muslim leaders or religious leaders should not sit back and think that they will hand over everything they seek to them on a platter of gold.”
She added, “If you don’t struggle for power, some oppressors will use the same power to destroy you, which is why we say our power is in our votes.”
The PDP candidate urged Muslim parents, leaders and community stakeholders to educate their children and wards on responsible democratic participation.
She said electoral participation should be peaceful and driven by citizens’ choices rather than inducements.
“Let us tell our wards, our children, there should be no violence. Everybody should go out to exercise their civic rights and ensure that those that they want actually get there,” she said.
Sowunmi-Kolapo also warned Muslims against allowing monetary inducements to determine their political choices.
She said, “They should shun money politics because anybody who throws money at us, we know that the person is doing that to gain even greater favour from us in the future. And that favour most times is not always in our interest.”
She consequently urged voters to participate fully in the 2027 electoral process rather than assume that their votes would be manipulated or that others would determine the outcome on their behalf.
She said, “Everybody should ensure that this time around they participate in the election. They shouldn’t sit back and say, ‘Oh, they will write the votes.’ Nobody will write the votes. It is what you do that will count.”
She added, “Everybody should come out and ensure that this time around they vote the leaders that they want in power.”
OMC links economic stability to security
Earlier at the ceremony, the OMC, Egba Zone, used the occasion to draw attention to the connection between socio-economic conditions, education, security and global stability.
The guest lecturer, Sheikh (Dr) Sulaimon Faruq Onikijipa, OON, who spoke on the theme, “Socio-Economic Stability: A Fortress for Global Security,” urged governments to give greater priority to security, education and the economic wellbeing of citizens.
Onikijipa said a stable society could not be achieved where citizens were denied access to quality education, security and the basic socio-economic conditions necessary for dignified living.
He argued that addressing insecurity required more than security operations, stressing the need to tackle the social and economic conditions that could contribute to instability.
The cleric also placed a responsibility on religious leaders to contribute to good governance by providing moral guidance to political leaders and speaking truth to power.
He urged religious leaders not to compromise their responsibilities because of financial considerations, saying they should advise leaders in the interest of the people.
Onikijipa said religious leaders should not only preach the teachings of their faith to political leaders but must also practise the values they preach.
He urged them to encourage political leaders to prioritise the welfare of citizens and contribute to building a peaceful and stable society.
Obasanjo commends Kolapo
Also speaking at the ceremony, Senator Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo commended the Ogun State Muslim Council, Egba Zone, for recognising Sowunmi-Kolapo and giving her the opportunity to serve in the organisation.
Obasanjo described the new Grand Matron as humble, faithful and kind, while acknowledging her contributions to the Muslim community.
She also appreciated the support of the Muslim Council and other stakeholders who contributed to the installation.
The event featured the presentation of an Award of Excellence to Sowunmi-Kolapo by the Egba Muslim Congress in recognition of her contributions and service to the Muslim community.
Religious leadership meets 2027 politics
The installation brings together two aspects of Sowunmi-Kolapo’s public profile as she heads into the 2027 election — her longstanding position within the Egba Muslim community and her role as the PDP’s deputy governorship candidate.
Her decision to use the occasion to urge Muslims to participate actively in elections also places civic education, voter participation and peaceful democratic engagement at the centre of her message to the community.
For the OMC, however, the ceremony was anchored on the broader question of socio-economic stability and its implications for security and development.
The speakers repeatedly linked education, security, responsible leadership, economic wellbeing and active citizenship to the creation of a stable society.
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