Late Mohammed Lawal’s Values, Life And Legacy Remembered At Prayer Service Held To Mark His 17th Death Anniversary In Ilorin
Top politicians , transport union leaders, Islamic clerics and others paid tributes to late Admiral Alabi Mohammed Lawal during the prayer service held to mark his 17th death anniversary in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, on Saturday.
They shared their favorite memories of the former governor and extolled his virtues.
The annual prayer session was held at the mosque built by the deceased politician, which is located next to his residence, Admiralty Villa in GRA, Ilorin . The prayer service was presided over by the Chief Imam of Idi-Ape, Alhaji Adisa Imam.
Dignitaries at the event include Magaji Are of Ilorin, Alhaji Aremu Zubair, Magaji Ile Isokun, Alhaji Aliu Olanrewaju, , Baba Isale of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdulahi Sodiq, Magaji Alalubosa, Alhaji Yahaya Olorunisomo, , Magaji Orisankoko, Alhaji Mustapha Orisankoko, former Kwara state ANPP Chairman, Alhaji Abiodun Usman, former Chief of Staff, Government House, Ilorin, Alhaji Olowojare, former Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Isa Malete , and Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Kwara state, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Ariwoola.
In his short sermon, Mallam Lukman Isalekoto described late Mohammed Lawal as a devout Muslim ‘in the real sense’ noting that he was not like some others who claim to be Muslims only for ‘impression’ purpose.
He also commended him for making his wealth available for propagation of Islam citing the ‘gigantic’ mosque he built which was the venue of the prayer session . Mallam Lukman noted that the former governor could have used the money committed to the mosque building project for ten filling stations at different locations if he had so wished.
He also recalled that while serving as Military Governor of Ogun state, Lawal had requested that the late Sheikh Abdulahi Adam should send Islamic clerics who would be handling ‘tafsir’ at the Government House, Abeokuta during the holy month of Ramadan since he would not be attending ‘tafsir’ at the MARKAZ Agege as he had done while in Lagos.
Two Islamic scholars; Zazili and Saubana were mandated to ‘handle’ this, and they consequently began to preside over the ‘tafsir’ at the Government House, Abeokuta, during the holy month of Ramadan.
‘The former governor was also the first person to come up with the idea of having clerics invited to preside over trafsir at the Government House, Ilorin during his governorship here in Kwara state. He also gave cars to Islamic clerics, and we had Grade, A, B and C. He loved his community, Ilorin, while serving as Military Governor of Ogun state, he visited Ilorin regularly and he was doing this on alternate weeks and anytime he would not come due to product of circumstances beyond his control, he will send someone who will come with envelopes for those he used to give money’ he said.
Mallam Lukman Isalekoto also urged wealthy individuals to ensure that they engage in activities that will make people remember them after leaving the planet earth emphasizing the need to leave ‘a philanthropic legacy’.
While urging the children of the former governor to ensure that the mosque building project is taken to completion, he also advised the former governor’s eldest son, Mallam Hakeem Lawal to consider giving other elective positions a try having given governorship a shot twice.
He cited Mallam Salihu Mustapha, who was a gubernatorial aspirant and later gave senate a shot in the 2023 senate election, and emerged victorious. Mallam Salihu Mustapha was the Ilorin East /Ilorin South ANPP reps candidate in 2007.
In an interview with Team@orientactualmags.com, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Ariwoola also extolled the virtues of the former governor recalling what he did to ease things for transporters in the state.
‘May his soul rest in peace. When he was the governor , I was the chairman of the then ruling party in Ifelodun local government, he did a lot during his governorship, and we must continue to hold him in reverence because we don’t know who will honour us too when we die.
He did a lot to ease things for transporters in the state, no transporter in any community will say his impact was not felt, people are now emulating him’ he said .
Late Mohammed Alabi Lawal, a retired Admiral , who died in November 2006, served as Military Governor of Ogun state from 1987 to 1990, and he later served as civilian governor of Kwara state between 1999 and 2003-Team@orientactualmags.com
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