Nigerians from all walks of live have continued to extol the virtues of the late business mogul and religious leader, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola, who died in his sleep in London on Wednesday.
Some of those who spoke highly of the late businessman include the Senate President, David Mark, Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and former governorship aspirant in Kwara State and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mohammed Dele Belgore.
Mark, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, said he was saddened by the death of Arisekola and condoled with his immediate family, Muslim community and government of Oyo State, noting that the deceased was a great pillar.
According to him, the contributions of the late Arisekola to the development of his immediate environment and dedication to the course of his religion, promoted peaceful co-existence.
“Alhaji Arisekola was a man of peace and a patriotic citizen who loved his country. Arisekola was a successful captain of industries. He triumphed and contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the nation,” he said.
He urged members of his family to emulate the exemplary life of their late patriarch, adding that the only way to immortalise the late Arisekola was to replicate his virtue of hard work and discipline.
Fayemi, in a statement in Ekiti, said the legacies of goodwill, philanthropy, commerce and religious tolerance left behind by the late Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao, will continue to live after him.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, Fayemi described the death of Arisekola, as a gargantuan loss of a bridge of unity that linked Nigerians of different religions together.
The governor said he was deeply pained by the loss of the eminent industrialist and religious leader because he (Fayemi) believes that the deceased would still be around for more years to offer the needed counsel to political office holders.
Fayemi noted that Arisekola, who served as the Deputy President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), used his position to preach against terrorism being experienced in some parts of the country and lent his voice in support of religious harmony.
Describing the deceased as a reputable captain of industry, Fayemi said Arisekola, with patience and diligence built one of the largest business conglomerates in Nigeria with interests in the key sectors of the economy.
The Governor added that the late industrialist provided economic succour to many Nigerians and foreigners through his business interests.
He further explained that Arisekola was an uncommon philanthropist who assisted the poor by giving them economic empowerment, scholarships for indigent students, provision of places of worship and other infrastructures in various communities.
Fayemi urged the family of the deceased not to despair in this moment of grief, but to be consoled by the good life he lived and the lives he touched in his lifetime.
Fayemi also sent his message of condolence to the family of the deceased, the government and people of Oyo State, who have lost an illustrious son.
Former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011 governorship election in Kwara State, Mr. Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN) yesterday said that, the death of late Alhaji Arisekola-Alao was one too many not just for the Oyo State or the Nigerian Muslim community but to all lovers of peace, human liberty and shrewd business acumen.
Belgore in a condolence statement issued in Ilorin yesterday said that, “Aare was a great humanist whose philanthropic gestures and humility were as legendary as they were infectious”.
According to the statement, “As his background clearly showed, Arisekola is a role model for the beauty of hard work and human resilience.
“My condolence goes to the immediate family, the government and people of Oyo State, the Muslim community and indeed to the Nigerian business community,” he added.
Similarly, the Muslim Media Watch Group has described the death of Arisekola-Alao as a great loss to the Muslim Ummah and nation in general.
A statement issued in Ilorin on yesterday by the National Coordinator of the group, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, said that, “The demise of Alhaji Arisekola-Alao, the Are Musulumi of Yoruba Land has created a big vacuum that would be difficult to fill.
“A quintessential personality, late Arisekola remained an outstanding personality whose philantropism transcended ethnic, religious and geographical boundaries; all in his determination to provide for the welfare of the masses and reduce the sufferings of the indigent people in the society.
“For the Nigerian Muslims, he was in the forefront of Islamic propagation in the South-west as he supported the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria branches financially in secondary and tertiary institutions, including the donation of propagation vans for Muslim youth bodies,” he said.
A former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in Oyo State and immediate past Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Chief Sharafadeen Abiodun has described the death of Alhaji Arisekola as shocking and devastating.
The former Odu’a Investment boss however prayed to Allah to grant Alhaji Arisekola Aljanah firdaous and enjoined all the people of Ibadan, Oyo State and the country as a whole to take solace in the fact that the late businessman lived a fulfilled life worthy of commendation because he lived for others, especially the masses.
Also speaking to journalists in Ibadan, a gubernatorial aspirant on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, Mr. Seyi Makinde said, “The death of Alhaji Arisekola is a quite shocking and debilitating news to indigenes and residents of Oyo State. He was a philanthropist of note and Muslim leader whose character exuded love and peace among other religious faithful.”
The Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Olajumoke Akinjide, has described the death of the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland as a great loss to the people of Ibadan land, Oyo State and Nigeria.
Akinjide, in a statement by her media aide, Mr. Adedeji Adeyemi, said the late business mogul would be remembered as a patriarch, religious leader, philanthropist and a bridge builder par excellence.
“It is with the deepest sense of sorrow that I mourn the sudden demise of our patriarch. He was an icon and a rare humanist whose vacuum will be difficult to fill. I commiserate with his family, the good people of Ibadan land, Oyo State and Nigeria at large. May the good Lord grant him eternal rest,” Akinjide said
Meanwhile, the Muslim Community in Nigeria yesterday mourned the death of Arisekola–Alao, describing his sudden death as “a big loss to the community and the nation at large.”
The Muslim groups in their various condolence messages said as an exemplary leader, a philanthropist and lover of peace, his death has created a big vacuum in the Muslim community and the entire nation.
The Islamic groups include NSCIA, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Muslim Community of Oyo State (MUSCOYS) and Muslim Society of Nigeria (MSSN).
Others were Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), National Council of Muslim Youth Organisation (NACOMYO) and Obafemi Awolowo University Muslims Graduate Association (UNIFEMGA).
In its message, NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, who alongside with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar was in Arisekola-Alao’s London house, described his death as shocking.
“Arisekola-Alao arrived London on Tuesday and till a moment before his sudden death, he was hale and hearty.
Oloyede, who also doubles as national coordinator of NIREC said the death of Arisekola-Alao, was a big blow to the Muslim Community not only in Nigeria but also in Africa.
On the same note, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo State, said, “we have lost an illustrious son of African. As a businessman, philanthropist, a religious leader, patron and sponsor of many Islamic programmes and groups, the religious community has lost a real gem.’’
The National President of UNIFEMGA, Prof. AbdulWahab Egbewole said the death of Arisekola-Alao should be a lesson to everyone that “we need to do our best to serve Allah, make our footprints in all the area we found ourselves.
“As a young boy Arisekola-Alao invested his youth to champion the course of Islam, hence he became the Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land at the age of 25,’’ he said.
In his tribute, the MMPN Chairman, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the demise of Arisekola-Alao was a personal loss. He said the late businessman was a mentor and guardian to many Islamic groups within and outside the country.
“Arisekola-Alao was a focused religious leader, a successful businessman, concerned community leader and a bridge builder,” MMPN said.
NACOMYO said the death of Arisekola-Alao was a big loss to the Ummah and younger Muslims. The groups Coordinator in Oyo State, Mas’ud Akintola, said Arisekola-Alao’s death has created a big vacuum for the Ummah and prayed to Allah to grant him pardon and put him in the best paradise.
In a similar voice, FOMWAN through her National Public Relations Officer, Alhaja Sururah Oyero said Arisekola-Alao used his position and achievement in worshiping Allah and in the services of the Ummah and Community.
“We pray that Allah forgives him and grant him the very best part of His Al-jannah and give his family and Muslim Community the patient to deal with the lost,’’ FOMWAN prayed.
Prof. Ishaq Akintola, MURIC coordinator said the group was saddened by Arisekola departure from the world, saying he was a shining mode for all and a leader of exemplary qualities.
“ Arisekola-Alao was a deeply religious man, a love and promoted of peace, a philanthropist, a humanist and a patriot, he was kind to a fault.
“As a committed Muslim, he single-handedly funded the propagation of Islam in the whole of South-west for several decades. As a philanthropist, he fed thousands, without asking for anything in returns.
Meanwhile, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, a former Minister of Sports, has described the death of Alhaji Arisekola-Alao, as a big loss to Ibadan land and Nigeria as a whole.
“I put a call to him on Monday when he was still in Switzerland and he said he would be back on Wednesday (yesterday), it was a big surprise to me that he is dead. Only God knows why he took him away from us, Ibadan and the nation as a whole will miss him for his generosity and good leadership”.
An Ibadan-based gospel musician, Mr. Yinka Ayefele, expressed shock on hearing the death of Arisekola-Alao in London.
“He was one of the people that God used to sustain my life during my trauma period. He was a father to me; we have lost a very important person in my life.
“We have lost a rare gem, the Muslim community, especially the students and the less privileged, I condole with the family, may Allah give them the fortitude to bear the lost,” he prayed.
Thisday