The Sultan of Sokoto, His eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III yesterday dedicated N500,000.00 yearly award to the best graduating Islamic studies student from the faculty of arts, University of Ilorin in honour of Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory.

The Sultan who disclosed this yesterday while delivering his address at the opening session of the ongoing international conference on the life and works of Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory (1917-1992) organised by the department of religious University of Ilorin said, "It is appropriate for the Muslim ummah to support the university in endowing a professorial chair in honour of Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory.

"On my part, it is my wish to establish a special prize in the name of Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory, in the amount of half a million [naira] to be given annually to the best graduating student from the department of Islamic studies, beginning Insha-Allah from the next convocation of this great university."

He called for the inculcation of the right Islamic teaching framework by Muslims with a views to solving the growing social upheaval in the country.

Sultan Sa’ad urged Muslims to remain united irrespective of their ethnic differences to achieve excellence and development among the ummah.

"It is only by coming together that Muslims will overcome their challenges and move to greater heights," he stressed.

He said Muslims should preserve the work of intellectual Muslims in order to spread knowledge which will help in solving problems in their domains.

He explained that Islam is predicated on knowledge adding that Muslims should always try to put in place a society that thrives on education for development.

He admonished Muslims to learn from the works of eminent Islamic scholars so that they will use their wisdom in solving their contemporary problems.

He said the contributions of Sheikh Adam to Islam cannot be overemphasized. Declaring the conference open the governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmad said Sheikh Adam Al-Ilory has contributed immensely to the development of Islam.

Represented by the commissioner for commerce and cooperative, Alhaji Muhammad Raji, the governor said the state government will continue to support programmes that will preserve the works of great scholars.

The vice chancellor the University of Ilorin, Professor Ishaq Oloyede said the university is being operated on a tripartite structure which encourages teaching, research and community service.

He said Al-Ilory was an accomplished teacher and researcher who produced many books.

He said the conference coincided with the 20th anniversary of the passing away of the Al-Ilory and 60th anniversary of his Islamic school.