The expansive hall of the Islamic Missionary Association of Nigeria (IMAN) Centre, Ilorin, Kwara State was filled to the brim on Sunday 24th July, 2020, when eminent scholars from far and near gathered to honour and celebrate an Ilorin- born Professor of Islamic Law, AbdulRazaq AbdulMajeed Alaro over his recent exploits.
Alaro who teaches at the University of Ilorin was recently honoured as one of the top 10 outstanding alumni of all time by the Islamic University, Madina, Saudi Arabia.
In recognition of the uncommon feat recorded by one of them, the alumni of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Universities, Kwara State branch put a progmme together to show case the academic exploits of one of the brightest Kwarans, Professor Alaro.
The presence of dozens of Professors, Kadis, community leaders and leaders of thought at the event underscored the importance that the stakeholders attached to it.
The Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq who was unavoidable absent at the event sent a power 3- man delegation led by his special adviser on Strategy, Alh Saadu Salahu. Other members of the delegation are Dr Mohammed Ghali Alaaya and Alh Bashir Adigun, special adviser on Political Communication.
The Acting Grand Kadi of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice AbdulLateef Kamaldeen led other Justices of the court to the ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Governor AbdulRazaq disclosed plan to inaugurate a hall of fame to appreciate Kwarans who have distinguished themselves in their various areas of endeavours.
AbdulRazaq said:” To appreciate and secure their place in history ,distinguished patriots like Professor AbdulRasaq Alaro who have made Kwara State proud nationally and globally, I shall inaugurate a hall of fame to be an integral part of the new Centre for Arts and Culture .
“This will further enhance and portray the achievements of such distinguished Kwarans and to serve as role models to the younger generation,” said the governor who was represented by his special adviser on Strategy, Alh Saadu Salahu.
Expressing delight over the honour done Prof Alaro by his alma mater, the governor noted that: “ Ilorin Emirate is a famous global centre of excellence in education , particularly Arabic education ,propagation of Islam and role model to other parts of the country in the sustenance of Islamic culture as a complete way of life .
He reacalled the important role that Sheikh Alimi, Sheik Tajul Adab, Sheikh Kamaldeen Al- Adabbiy, Sheik Adamu Abdullahi Al- Ilory and Sheikh Imam Abdullahi Jibril Shabbat, amongst others Ilorin eminent Islamic scholars played in the propagation and promotion of Islam in Nigeria.
He said the aforementioned scholars’ footprints in the teaching of Arabic and propagation of Islam to various parts of the country and West Africa have made Ilorin proud.
He congratulated Alaro, describing him as “our proud scholar of excellence and celebrant for today who had made Africa, Nigeria , Kwara State and Ilorin in particular proud as a recognized scholar of global excellence .
He added: “ Professor Alaro’s excellence being celebrated today vindicates our administration’s unprecedented investment, political commitment and priority to education in order to sustain the global reputation of Ilorin as a city of execellence in education , sustain the dream of the founding fathers of the state as one of the best in the country and above all to guarantee the brightest future for our children and grand children .
“I wish to congratulate all members of the Saudi Alumni Association in Nigeria and Kwara State in particular for making Nigeria proud by their stellar academic and professional achievements. They inspire more of our youths to towing principled paths to prosperity and discourage those few ones engaged in unlawful acts which portray Nigerians negatively to the outside World .
Also speaking, the representative of the Saudi Royal Ambassador, Prof Ibrahim Otuyo of AlHikma University, Ilorin, expressed delight about the long existing cordial bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He said the Saudi Arabia government is proud of the exploits of Prof Alaro who was selected for the Islamic University of Madina’s award for only 10 of its alumni globally.
The chairman of the occasion, Prof Akorede Agbarigidoma thanked the state government for its support which he noted contributed greatly to the success of the event.
Agbarigidoma stressed the need for the people and the Nigerian government to always recognise the exploits of outstanding citizens to encourage the youths to follow the footpaths of such noble and exemplary personalities.
He said Nigeria should not always be in the news for negative reasons as witnessed in the case of an international fraudster of Nigerian descent, Huspuppi, who he noted is a bad influence on the Nigerian youths.
In their goodwill messages, the grand Kadi of Kwara State, Justice AbdulLateef Kamaldeen and s former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad, described Alaro as a worth ambassador of Ilorin, Kwara and Nigeria.
Ali, particularly noted the selection of Alaro by President Muhammadu Buhari for a course at the Nigerian Institute For Strageic Studies, Kuru, Jos in Plateau state, seeking more of such opportunity for Muslim scholars in the country
In a paper titled” The Role of Saudi Arabia In Community Service: A Case Study of Professor AbdulRasaq Alaro”, Prof Muhammad Mansur Sokoto ruligised the virtues of Alaro, the award recipient.
Sokoto said he had known Alaro very closely more than 30 years when they were both students at the Islamic University, Madina Saudi Arabia.
“He( Alaro) is a very friendly and cheerful person. You hardly meet him except that he is smiling. He continually serves and helps people. Everyone who knows him will undoubtedly tell you of his wisdom and gentleness.
“As for his participation in the field of studies and research, he scored the highest honour. He is superior in the class over his peers and he does not participate in an evening of poetry or prose unless he became a pride to his classmates and nationals. The same can be said on his participation in scientific and cultural competitions
“ He graduated from the faculty of Sharia with distinction in 1993CE, therefore, his department never hesitated in nominating him to further studies. Before completing his studies at master’s and doctoral levels, he prepared during that period several research works that were accepted by a number of educational and scientific journals.
“As he also engaged in community services. During that time, he was appointed head of the African translations unit at the King Fahd Complex for the printing of the Noble Qur’an in Madinah,” Sokoto stated.
After graduating from the university and obtaining his doctorate in 2002, he taught at the University of Ilorin and continued to write research papers, and translated quite a large number of Arabic books into the local language. He wrote many research papers on financial institutions published by many multinational corporations, example of which are Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah in it’s journal” Islamic Economic Studies” in 2011 CE. They published his research titled: “Debt – Asset Swap In Financier Institutions: An Islamic Law Appraisal.”
The keynote speaker disclosed that Professor Alaro established the Assunnah Academy for Da’a wah and Research which controls institutes, schools and educational activities, adding that:”It takes care of the advocacy and voluntary charity works, so it became a part of him to build mosques,sponsor orphans, help patients who have limited provision and supervised the construction of over 300 wells.”
“No doubt that our celebrant has played an unprecedented role in the areas of research,education and Islamic leadership. He is an icon of peace, arbitration and social and educational development in all the stages of his life. The influence of his alma mater; the Islamic University of Madinah on him is very apparent. He’s truly a model to our teeming youths and the Nigerian scholars in general,” Sokoto concluded.
