Date: 2017-02-27

KWSG, Bolaji Abdullahi, Speaker, others mourn

...as Fidau holds, Thursday

How did Sheikh Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye died and how was his last moment on earth? Was there a premonition of his death and what were his unfulfilled dreams?

These questions and many others were answered by children, students and close associates of the popular Islamic preacher who spoke with National Pilot at the deceased's residence, yesterday.

The cleric, who died on Sunday after a brief illness at the age of 95, was buried according to Islamic injunctions same day.

Speaking on his last moments, a son of the deceased and Vice Principal, College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Ilorin, Alhaji Abdulkadri disclosed that his father had premonition of his death. He said "When he finished praying on Saturday, I approached him and he told me that he was expecting a guest and if the fellow postpones the visit till tomorrow (Sunday), he was not likely to meet him.

But, according to his eldest son, Alhaji Abubakar Sidiq, late Alaiye had two unfulfilled dreams which were to propagate Islamic religion intensively and to make the society better than its present state. Sidiq told this medium that his late father dedicated his life to Allah through his relationship with family and the society.

He said, "He would have wished to propagate the religion more as he always encouraged people to live in the fear of Allah. He was never one of those greedy clerics. His entire life was dedicated to Allah and we miss him already.' Alaiye's first daughter, Alhaja Ramata, described her father as a caring parent to all his children.

She added that he did not only showed the children the path of Allah but ensured that his children gets the true picture of what God wants them to do in life.

"We never expected he will leave so soon but we don't have any choice. Our only prayer now is that God should grant him eternal rest," she said in hush tone. Another son of the deceased, Dr. Muhammad Kamal Alaiye, a lecturer of Arabic Studies at the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malate, stated that the world has lost another great preacher.

"He is a cleric who associated with the less privileged and was a distinguished preacher. I tell you, the world has lost a great preacher."

One of his students, Alhaji Abdulwasiu Igboho said, "As a student under him, I have never heard him curse anybody. There can never be anyone like him." An interpreter (Ajanasi) to the late cleric, Alhaji Sakariya Oniyan revealed that Sheikh Alaiye while alive detested favouritism and no one ever approached him with problems without getting solution.

Scores of dignitaries converged on his Anifowoshe residence yesterday as the remains of the late cleric was laid to rest in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital at 4:30pm.

Until his death, Sheik Alaiye who was born in 1922 was founder of JamiuIyatu Falie Alkamali Islamic School. He is survived by two wives and several children.

Among the dignitaries who thronged the residence to pay last respect were the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of National Pilot Newspaper, Alhaji Billiameen Adedamola; Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Ali Ahmad; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold; former chairman of Federal Character Commission, Prof. Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem; former Managing Director of National Pilot Newspaper, Alhaji Yunus AbdulRahman and former Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Government, Alhaji Mas'ud Adebimpe.

Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Solihu Bashir led other Islamic scholars in the Janazah.

Reacting to the development, the All Progressives Congress (APC), spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, through his twitter handle condoled with the family of the deceased.

He said "Today, Ilorin lost a foremost scholar of Islam; I lost the great pillar and father, Sheikh Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye. May Allah grant him AlJannah." Meanwhile, the fidau for the cleric will hold 10am on Thursday at his residence in Ilorin.