A popular Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Habeebullah Adam-El-Ilory, on Sunday in Ilorin, extolled the virtues of the late first lawyer in Northern Nigeria, Alhaji A.G.F. AbdulRazaq, at his one year remembrance prayer.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AbdulRazaq, who died on July 25, 2020 at the age of 93, was also a First Republic minister.
NAN also reports that the prayer, held at the family house of the late legal luminary at Surulere area of Ilorin, was attended by eminent personalities from across the country.
The occasion was hosted by AbdulRazaq’s his first son and new Mutawalle of Ilorin, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq and his siblings.
Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, a scion of the family, led the people of Kwara to the solemn event, attended by the Deputy Governor, Kayode Alabi, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Salihu Danladi and cabinet members.
The event was also attended by top traditional rulers; Muslim clerics, led by Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir; the academia, members of the cultural community, led by Alhaji Uthman Otta, bureaucrats, politicians as well as businessmen and women.
The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, was represented by the Balogun Gambari, Alhaji Muhammad Adebayo.
The chief imam of Ilorin, who led the prayers for the late former minister, beseeched Allah to continue to be with the family he left behind.
Adam-El-Ilory, whose sermon dwelt on religious, socio-economic and political developments in the state, described the deceased as Nigeria’s price and a phenomenon thrown up by life once in a century.
He urged AbdulRazaq’s children not to depart from their father’s path, especially his patience, commitment to education, humility as well as love for humanity and development.
The Muslim cleric commended the governor for his prudence, humility, Spartan lifestyle and commitment to attending to the basic needs of the people.
“I had envisaged that you (government officials) will be raining millions here today, but to my surprise, you did not.
“Otherwise, we would have asked where you got the money from. This shows you are prudent in government,” the cleric said.
Adam-El-Ilory likened the governor’s prudence to that of the iconic fifth caliph of Islam, Umar ibn AbdulAzeez, who, he said, drew a line between family and government obligations.
He said the governor had onerous tasks of delivering a state that would be at par with its contemporaries in basic facilities and human capital development indices.
The Islamic scholar urged the governor and his party men to forgive one another and avoid taking vengeance.
He commended the governor for his humility and efforts to reposition the state by fixing basic infrastructure and restoring confidence in the state.
The scholar, who is the Rector of the popular Markaz Agege in Lagos, said that he found it strange that anyone would wish for any government to fail.
“If some people got to power and then left a trace of blood and agony in their treatment of dissents, you should not do that.
“Your ancestry does not align with that. Forgive anyone who may have wronged you in any way.
“That will be the greatest legacy for your late father, who was a great man of all time,” the scholar told the governor.
Speaking on the recent development at Ilorin Eid, Adam-El-Ilory said: “The character some people put on during the last Eid-el Kabir celebration was not proper. It was disruptive and condemnable.
“The implication of such was that we were disrespectful to the Almighty, the Prophet and constituted authorities.
“This act is not acceptable in a city like Ilorin that is dominated by Muslims.
“What God mainly requires from us at the Eld-el Kabir celebration is the fear of Him that we carefully exhibit on our way to and return from the prayer grounds.
“I am not a politician but a cleric, and clerics are not expected to be partisan.
“This is the truth, whether we like it or not. It is not about hatred against or love for anyone. It is about saying it the way it is.
“Those who truly love Kwara must love you (governor) and wish you success in office,”Adam-El-Ilory said. (NAN)
