Sheikh Labeeb Agbaji Delivers Sermon At Fidau Prayer Held For Razaq Owolabi’s Mother In Ilorin…Decries ‘Bitter’ Political Fight
Ahead of the 2027 General Election, politicians who are having political aspirations and seeking to attain political positions in Kwara State in the next political dispensation, have been advised to shun ‘bitter’ political fight as this will not only harm democracy, but also lead to internal conflicts.
An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Hamad Labeeb Agbaji, who is popularly called Ijoba, said this while giving his sermon during the fidau prayer held for late Alhaja Mariam Abike Babamale in Ilorin on Saturday.
The late Alhaja Mariam Abike Babamale died on June 14, 2025, at the age of 71. Her eldest son, Hon Razaq Owolabi represents Share/Oke-Ode state constituency in Kwara State House of Assembly, and he heads the Committee on Energy.
Sheikh Hamad Labeeb Agbaji noted that Islamic clerics are made to face ‘difficult position’ as they are expected to make themselves accessible, approachable and must welcome all the politicians seeking to attain the same political position and still ensure that they are seen to be impartial.
He urged prominent sons of Ilorin seeking to become the state governor in 2027 to ‘compete’, but however ensure that this does not lead to a strained relationship, as only one person can occupy a particular political position at a given point in time.
The popular Islamic cleric warned that a deepen rift is dangerous to the future of Ilorin, and the nation’s democracy while it also has negative aftereffects.
A prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Abdulquadri Omo Alubarika, who also gave a short sermon at the event, emphasized the need for the people of Ilorin to remain united noting that there are enough political positions for everyone.
He urged Islamic clerics in the state to ensure peace among politicians and advise them to get things done without acrimony or controversy.
Sheikh Abdulquadri Omo Alubarika also urged young Islamic clerics to learn from the elders and seek to know how they were able to ‘handle relationship’ with politicians and still keep their dignity ‘intact’.
The two clerics, in their separate sermons, also underscored the significance and lessons of death to mankind, admonishing the powerful class in society to remember death as a leveler while noting that mothers are held in very high esteem in Islam and Muslims should show kindness, respect, and obedience to their parents.
They commended Hon Razaq Owolabi for taking good care of his mother while alive.
In an interview with Team@orientactualmags.com ,Amirah Owolabi, who is late Alhaja Mariam Abike Babamale’s granddaughter, described the deceased septuagenarian as a motherly grandmother while lamenting that she will be sorely missed.
‘She was a very nice person, a motherly grandmother, who was very friendly.
I will miss everything about her, I will really miss her, we were very close, we were always together. She was everything to me.
She was always telling everyone around her to do good deeds and show patience noting that no one knows when he or she will die , we were not expecting her to die now but God knows best, may Allah repose her soul and grant her al-janah firdaus’ Amirah added.
Theresa Ikeozahu, who led a delegation of officials of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc to the event, noted that they were there to honour Hon Razaq Owolabi and offer their condolences.
Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc is a leading provider of innovative insurance and financial services in the country.
‘We don’t just do business transactions, we take our business beyond business by ensuring that our customers become members of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc family. We see them as an extension of the Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc family’ she said.
Top politicians, family members, religious leaders and political associates of Hon Razaq Owolabi attended the event and what made it earn a unique feature was the presence of the state chairmen of the two major political parties in the country; APC and PDP.
The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Soliu presided over the prayer session while Sheikh Taiwo Agbarere and Sheikh Kehinde Agbarere jointly compered the event.
Dignitaries at the fidau prayer include Rep Raheem Olawuyi, Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, Director General of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Abuja, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s Senior Adviser and Counselor, Alhaji Saadu Salahudeen, the governor’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Jiddah , a member of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Abdulahi Danbaba, Kwara State APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, Kwara State PDP Chairman, Hon Babatunde Mohammed, Governor Abdulrazaq’s Chief Private Secretary, Alhaji Lateef Oloyin, former Kaiama LG Chairman, Alhaji Hassan Bagudu, and the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters, Prince Sulaiman Abubakar Sai Kayi.
Oloreke of Oreke land, Oba Joseph Adefila , Chief Umar Oladipupo Sanusi, the Balogun of Share, who represented Olupako of Share ,Oba Olawale Haruna Ilufemiloye, and other traditional rulers from Kwara South graced the occasion.
Mr. Zakariyah Fagade, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, CMD, Kwara State University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Dr Bola Ahmed AbdulKadir, former NNPCL Board member, Dr Ghaali Alaaya, Barrister Alabi Abdulkareem, Hon Hassan Oyeleke, Mr Sulaiman Oba Kadir, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dr Bode Ogunjemilua , Unilorin Teaching Hospital, former Chairman of Ekiti local government, Hon Yinka Dallas, Engineer Ayo Ilesanmi, Aremo Femi Adetola, and Alhaji Toyin Olokooba also attended the event-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
