Through this removal, the mosque's administration has seemingly acquiesced to the widespread criticism and pressure from the public to remove the banner widely perceived as inflammatory and divisive.
The Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos State has removed a contentious banner that bore the inscription, "Jesus Christ is Not God".
This action was substantiated by a widely circulating video on social media platform X, in which a member of the community, identified as Tunde Alabi, asserted that he had personally visited the mosque on Wednesday evening to verify the removal.
The initial placement of the banner in front of the mosque had previously sparked a firestorm of controversy, eliciting a multitude of comments from Nigerian netizens.
These online commentators had unequivocally condemned the management of the mosque, strenuously urging the pertinent authorities and stakeholders to intervene and address the situation.
Through this removal, the mosque's administration has seemingly acquiesced to the widespread criticism and pressure from the public to remove the banner widely perceived as inflammatory and divisive.
In a video shared by an X user, Adeleke Opeyemi, the community source, Tunde Alabi, said the backlash pushed him to ask for the removal of the banner.
The video narrator said: “My name is Tunde Alabi. I am a member of the Lekki Muslim Community. I noticed a banner pasted in front of our mosque, causing some controversies. I sent a message to the mosque community and was told that it had been removed, so I came to confirm myself. As you can see, the one that was removed is supposed to be behind me.”
Alabi also apologised for the issues that the banner might have caused.
“I am not speaking on behalf of the mosque. I am speaking for myself. I am sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused. Today is the 18th of December,” he added.
The controversial banner has been removed from Lekki Central Mosque
Everyone can rest now.....
My opinion: No one can fight for God. Religion is a sensitive issue and we should all take it easy sometimes pic.twitter.com/WD57rTvTT1
— Adeleke Opeyemi (@Equityoyo) December 18, 2024
The contentious banner garnered widespread public attention following a social media post by renowned Nigerian actress, Wumi Tuase.
She took to platform X to express her profound dismay and disappointment upon discovering the banner, emblazoned with the inscription "Jesus Christ is Not God", prominently displayed in front of the Lekki Central Mosque.
She said, “I don’t like to get into religious conversations, but I found it very weird that Lekki Central Mosque has this in front of their gate.”
Tuase's public expression of discontent resonated with many, prompting a national conversation about religious tolerance, respect and the role of places of worship in promoting unity and understanding.