By Abdulwarees Solanke
On Friday 22nd December, I received an emergency call from my affectionate nephew, Abdulsabur Abdulazeez, who many people claim resembles me too much to notify me of a health emergency concerning his father, Imam Salahudeen Ariyayo Abdulazeez. As I am my annual leave in Lagos, I immediately left Lagos and proceeded to the University Teaching Hospital, Orita Mefa Ibadan where he was on admission since Thursday morning. I offered prayers for him at his sickbed although he did not see me. On my second visit on Saturday morning before returning to Lagos, I also prayed and hopeful of his recovery. One of his intimate friends, Professor Abdulrasheed Aderinoye who was also at the hospital urged prayers for him from us all.
Between Monday 18th and Wednesday 20th, 2018, Imam Abdulazeez was in Abeokuta had participated actively in a conference of League of Imams and Alfas. He returned home heartily that Wednesday evening, discharged all he brought from the journey and distributed fruits and little things for his grandchildren at home. He also led the Maghrib and Isha prayers in the neighbourhood mosque in his compound in Alaafia Estate, Akobo in the outskirts of Ibadan. He built the mosque in the memory of his son, Sheriff who died in an auto accident in March 2012 at Ikire Osun State while returning from his Ede base where he worked for Odua Group. Since returning to Lagos from the visit, I was in constant touch with Sabur and Salwah two of his children to find out progress on his health. Early on Monday, I still called Sabur who gave hope of recovery while preparing for the day’s morning visit. Not up to an hour later, Sabur’s call came through again. “Daddy Aishah, Daddy ti lo”. Someone had called him from the hospital to break the shocking news to him that his father, Imam Ariyayo Abdulazeez is dead. I was also devastated. But I urged him to be calm and take control as I know his three sisters, Salwah, Zulaikha and Suruurah would, and Sheriff’s wife, Qudrat would be inconsable at the hospital.
On that Christmas day, I tearfully returned to Ibadan with my family for the Janazah of a man who was a father to all, a man I had known for his selflessness in the past four decades since he married my eldest sister, Alhaja Mutiat Olapeju. His closest friends, Dr. K.K Olosho, Dr. Abdullateef Abbas, Professor Abdulrasheed Aderinoye and the Chief Imam of the University of Ibadan, Professor Oloyede, Engineer Raji and Mr. Kola Bolomope had taken charge of his burial plans immediately. He would be buried the same day, as Islam does not tolerate delay in the burial of a muslim. It is an important obligation.
We arrived his compound before zhur prayers and I went straight into his sitting room, where he was neatly shrouded in white Ihram clothe. The grave diggers were busy under an apple tree at far right side of his expansive home digging his final resting place. The chief Imam of Ibadanland arrived the compound shortly before Asr. And after the Asr prayers, he led a multitude of a faithful in the brief Janazah , after which he was carried to his final abode and lowered into the grave under the apple tree. We returned to the admonition and prayer session where many people also shared their memories of the man who was most benevolent. That was all as Oloso told us there would be no further ceremony. This is the position of Islam. Prompt burial. No Israf or waste. As I left Ibadan after a family meeting presided by Dr. K.K Oloso, I continued my reflection on Imam Abdulazeez, a man whose heart was most plain; his home so welcoming; his hands freely giving. He so much believed in his destiny. He followed his own path without envying other, measured in his own race of life. He totally submitted to Allah in life’s buffeting storms. This much I know because I grew in his house, my sister his wife of over four decades. He was a father to me. So, I lost a dear one.
Without speaking it, he cherished individual rights and freedom, never imposing his will on others because I seem to see him with a philosophy of “everyone has intelligence and talents and the capacity to reflect, explore and exert them to attain good”. But if you approach him without imprudence, for counsel, you gain a wider view on even your own assumed best view, drawing from deep well medieval and modern experience and quranic insight. His home was a sort of transit and refuge for many he knew not from Adam but who today grew to be his children who value him more than they would value their own direct, immediate family. His home was a solace. An itinerant stuck in journey, an orphan without hope, a family without shelter, a woman whose husband has pushed out, a child whose parents abandoned or sent packing, a scholar returning from foreign study or a pilgrim in transit always found in his expansive compound a refuge or a fresh start. Only those cherish him who knew how saints and philosophers of old lived. Private, silent, uncomplaining, contemplating in philosophical quietude. He was a perfect example of one who started life as a starter and attained the height of education with impressive grade from the University of Jos and eminence in career as a broadcaster of note from the Broadcasting Service of Oyo State as director of personnel service having gone through the mill in the Corporation’s Programme Directorate.
He started broadcasting in the late Bola Ige-established Television Service of Oyo State, TSOS in the in 1982 as a pioneer staff and retired as a director on attainment of the mandatory retirement age over a decade ago.
Since his early days at TSOS before its merger with the Radio Service, he was one of the voices of Islam. He inspired the rise of a vibrant muslim community at Ile-Akede as he also pioneered the formation of the Muslim Media Practioners of Nigeria in Ibadan. One of the fruits of his Islamic activism is the construction of a major landmark in a beautiful masjid within a space considered far-flung from operational activities of broadcasting at Ile Akede before but has now become the centre of attraction in the Corporation.
He was turbaned the pioneer Imam of Masallacin Ile-Akede, leading prayers and coordinating the affairs of muslims in the station. In retirement since 2007, he retained the imamship of BCOS Muslim Community leading the weekly Jumaat Service and Tarawih prayers in Ramadan. His sermons were relevant and deep. He also led daily prayers in the Sheriff Ariyo Memorial Masjid as well as active in most activities of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the League of Imams and Alfas, The Oyo State Muslim Community, the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria and the Muslims of South Western Nigeria (MUSWEN) Forum. So His last years were spent indeed in the service of Islam and helping humanity.
Inna lillahi wa ina ilaehi rajiuuna, our Dear Imam Salahudeen Ariyayo Abdulazeez.
Abdulwarees Solanke, Assistant Director, Strategic Planning & Corporate Development Voice of Nigeria.