24 Years After…Olori Ewe of Oro Kingdom Lives on
By Raheem Akingbolu
I didn’t know Alh. Chief Yesufu Gbadeyanka Adedoyin, the Late Baba Adini of Ijomu Oro and Olori Ewe of Oro Kingdom, Kwara State during his life time but I have spent at least three weeks now getting familiar with his life and times.
Everywhere I turn, family, faithfuls and friends keep regaling me with memorable stories of this selfless man, who lived solely for Allah and humanity.
Exactly a month ago, myself and my friend of close to two decades, Demola Adedoyin, a former Brand Investment Manager at Unilever Nigeria, agreed to meet at Ansaru Islam Society National Mosque in Utako Abuja after Jumat service, to discuss a media plan for one of his clients.
After the prayers, I noticed something strange. One after the other, a few elders in the mosque gathered around Demola, and the story changed.
Prior to that moment, my friend hadn’t told me he had any relationship with the society other than joining them in prayer. I moved closer and I discovered the story was centered around his father, who meant so much to the society nationally.
Some of them said, “Eeyan l’Alaji Adedoyin, a gbe sin ga ni. O lawo si, o si fe ilosiwaju eda ati ilosiwaju esin. Oruko iru eni bee o gbudo parun l’awujo”.
“Baba Daada…”
“He was also in Ilorin at the launching of the Ansarul Islam Mosque, with donations ”
At this point, my journalistic instinct struck and I became curious to learn more about a community leader who rose to become not only a business tycoon, but a strong pillar of Islam.
We drove to a nearby restaurant and for 30 minutes, our discussion centered around the late Olori Ewe, who submitted fully, with his wealth and clout to Islam and became a strong ally and follower of Sheikh Kamaldeen Al-Adabiyah, founder of Ansaru Islam Society.
In the tone of a loving son, who loved his father passionately, Demola spoke glowingly to me about the life and times of his father.
According to him, “it is very important to do whatever we can within limits to make him proud where he is”.
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He loved and served his children, loved Oro Kingdom, loved humanity and above all, loved Islam and gave the religion his best.
He trained both his children, both biological and non-biological ones and contributed in no small measure to the growth of his community and spread of Islam through Ansarul Islam.
In his time, he was seen by many scholars and other followers of Baba Kamaldeen as an ANSAR (helper) of the Ansarul Islam Society.
Though the origin of the society is Ilorin, the indisputable cradle of Islam in Yoruba land, Oro Kingdom, the Olori Ewe community got the first Ansarul Islam Grammar School, before Ilorin, because of Baba Adedoyin led a relentless effort to promote western education alongside Islamic education.
Baba Adini Adedoyin breathed his last on 24, November 2000 and his death threw the entire Kwara State, especially members of his dear society into deep mourning.
To die and leave a memorable legacy in the heart of one’s loved ones is a mere transition as the memory will continue to linger.
This is the essence of Alhaji Adedoyin’s life of many parts.
On Sunday 24th of November 2024, it will be exactly 24 years since this patriarch of community service and Islamic propagation translated from mortal to the immortal.
To this end, his children, friends and elders of Ansarul Islam Society have decided to immortalize him in a most dignifying and rewarding manner.
In his memory, plans are at top gear to begin a roadshow for Fund Raising to complete the ongoing building of The Ansarul Islam National Mosque Islamiyah / School Complex to further strenghten the Deen with well-rounded education that sustains his legacy.
Unsolicitedly, yours sincerely has agreed to assume the position of the chief promoter of the program and the project.
All roads lead to the Ansarul Islam Society National Mosque, Augustus Aikhomu Way, Utako Abuja on Sunday, 24th November for the 24th Fidau prayer of the Late Patron of the society in Ijomu Oro.
The service is planned to be a Dedicated Assalatu and Commemoration Service starting at 9am.
In a message by the Chairman, Ansarul Islam Society Abuja Branch, Alhaji AbdulGaniy Yusuf, AISN extended prayers towards the successful organization of the Commemoration of a great leader and father in Islam. He beseech Allah (SWT) to keep us all alive beyond the date and to eternally comfort his departed soul and that of the entire Muslim Ummah with paradise.
