Residents of Ilorin, Kwara State, especially the Muslim community were thrown into mourning last Saturday, following the recovery of the corpse of a renowned Islamic preacher, Sheikh AbdulGaniyu Aboto from a river along Sobi Army Barracks road in the state capital.
Five other corpses were also recovered from the Sobi road river and Amilengbe river in Ilorin.
Sheikh Aboto and three of his disciples reportedly drown when their vehicle plunged into the river on Thursday, September 29,2022 following a torrential downpour that lasted for about 10 hours.
The cleric and his disciples were said to be returning to Ilorin from Minna, Niger State where they had gone for a religious programme, when the sad event occurred at about 12 midnight.
For close to 48 hours, the family of the late cleric couldn’t fathomed what had happened to their patriarch as his phone went off from the midnight of that black Thursday until Saturday afternoon when the Kwara State Fire Service announced the recovery of his corpse and one other from the river; alongside his car.
Former school mates of the deceased cleric at Zumuratul Adabiyya, Okekere, Ilorin told LEADERSHIP Weekend that it was some youths who had gone to the flooded river for fishing that noticed that a car had been submerged in the river and alerted the state Fire Service about their discovery.
The spokesman of Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle confirmed the recovery of two corpses from the river along Sobi road.
Adekunle said:”Today, October 1, 2022, the Kwara State Fire Service has removed two human bodies and a Toyota Yaris car with Reg No APP544E from a river at Opposite Olusola Saraki Abattoir, along Sobi road in Ilorin, capital of Kwara State.
“Information has it that the incident occurred during the yesterday’s (Friday) downpour, when the casualties were struggling to drive through the bridge and suddenly got stuck by the flood and pushed them into the river.
“In truth, the rescued work was like a joint operation, because all the people in the neighborhood gave their full support to the firemen throughout the operation.”
Also, the general manager of Kwara Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA), Alh Saad Dan Musa, confirmed that two lives were lost when youths were reportedly swimming at Asa river to catch fish from fish ponds damaged by flood occasioned by the heavy downpour.
“As the head of Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA), I have received several phone calls from people to drive away thousand of youths swimming to catch fish along Asa riverine areas especially at Amilengbe area behind Salem House.
“From a reliable source, the flood has swept away the fishery ponds from unknown location into the river which attracted the youths to become emergency fishermen in the area which has claimed two lives as at today( Saturday),” KWEPA boss stated.
Since the recovery and the eventual burial of the remains of Sheikh Aboto and his disciples, eminent Nigerians have been mourning the demise of the great scholar and foremost Qur’an memoriser.
The burial prayer in accordance with Muslim rites was offered for the deceased at the Okekere-Ilorin residence of his teacher and late founder of Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria, Sheik Mohammed Kamaldeen Al-Adabbiy on Sunday, October 2,2022.
Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was among hundreds of Muslim faithfuls that defied early morning downpour to attend the burial prayer for the deceased.
In a condolence message signed by his chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor described as shocking and sad, the deaths of SheikhAboto al-Adaby and some other yet-to-be-identified persons in an auto crash reportedly in the early hours of Friday.
“We received with shock and sadness the deaths of the popular Islamic cleric Sheikh Aboto and a few others whose identities are not yet known. As faithfuls, we accept the judgment of our creator. We beseech Him to grant the scholar and others involved al-jannah Firdaus.
“This, indeed, is one sad news too many. The death of Sheikh Abdulganiy Aboto is a huge loss for the Muslim community and to Ilorin as a whole. He was known for his vast knowledge and great efforts in the propagation of Islamic message in the simplest form possible for his audience.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to the Emir of Ilorin Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the families of the late Sheikh and the others, and the entire Adabiyyah family worldwide. It is our prayer that Allah will grant comfort to all the bereaved families,” AbdulRazaq stated.
The Emir of Ilorin and chairman, Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Alh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari also expressed sadness over the death of Sheikh Aboto.
Sulu-Gambari described Shiekh Aboto’s demise as unfortunate and regrettable stressing that his death has left another vacuum in the dawah activities in the Ilorin emirate and beyond.
The Emir, in a condolence message signed by his spokesman, Mal. Abdulazeez Arowona, said the news of the scholar’ death together with his companions came to him as a rude shock.
He recalled the roles played by the late Sheikh Aboto in promoting morality, good conducts as well the fear of God among the general public with reference to the holy Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) adding that: “His sermons were unique, highly intellectual and deeply heart-touching.”
“ During his lifetimes, late Sheikh Aboto touched so many lives through his public lectures along Taiwo road, Ilorin during the months of Ramadan as well as other locations and communities across Nigeria and Africa continent by extension,” he added.
The emir extended his condolence to the entire Adabiyyah family worldwide, families, associates, natives of Aboto community in Asa local government area of the state as well as sympathisers over the death of a pious and highly intellectual scholar.
Sulu-Gambari prayed Allah to forgive the deceased’s shortcomings, accept his good deeds and admit him into al-janatul firdaus.
In his own condolence message, the national president of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Alh Aliyu Uthman- Otta, described Sheikh Aboto’s death as a great and irreparable loss not only to the people of Ilorin Emirate but also that of the entire Muslim ummah.
The community leader,in a statement signed on his behalf by the union’s national publicity secretary, Mal. Nurudeen Ibrahim, described the deceased scholar as a meticulous teacher,superlative preacher and remarkable community leader who served Islam and humanity with utmost dedication.
He added that Shaykh Aboto was a man with unique style of preaching and a member of the class of clerics who were always conscious and focussed on their responsibilities to the society, saying that Shaykh Aboto worked so hard at illuminating innumerable number of Muslims in his brilliant career that spanned more than three decades of active Islamic propagation.
Uthman- Otta said that the union was saddened that Shaykh Aboto and those who are yet to be identified died in their primes and at a time when their services were most needed towards deepening spirituality and general social progress.
The retired intelligence technocrat condoled the family members,friends and followers of Shaykh Aboto across the world as he urged them to take solace in the fact that the late scholar died in the active services of Allah and humanity.
While praying Allah to grant the entire Muslim ummah, especially his wives and children and those of those who died along with him the fortitude to bear their deaths, Uthman- Otta prayed Allah to forgive their shortcomings and grant their souls Aljana fridaous.
In a tribute, Abdillah As- sudaisiy Al- Ilori said: I knew Sheikh AbdulGaniy Aboto in 1993. That was the first time I accompanied Kwara State contingent to that year’s National Qur’ānic Recitation Competition in Katsina, Katsina State. Since then I became very close to him to the extent that many used to think I was his first son. He loved me so much, as he loved my dad.
“Despite how busy I was with the pursuit of my legal career, Alfa Aboto was always wanting to hear from me. I guess this was due to the old bond. We used to be very close. By next year, it will be 30 years since I knew him. Anytime we met occasionally at some events, he used to greet me specially, to the extent that many around him would be asking who I am. Anywhere he saw me, he used to hold my hand and would never leave me easily out of love. His house then at Taiwo, behind Stadium Complex was a second home for me. I used to go there in the morning and leave in the night.
“Sheikh AbdulGhaniy Aboto was highly gifted with many qualities, yet he was still humble to the core. No one can describe him with arrogance. Particularly, I can’t forget the day I accompanied him to my Dad at our family house then regarding an incident that occurred during the Musabaqah hosted by Kwara State in the year 2000. By Allāh, not to many scholars can do what he did that night.
“Sheikh Aboto was an historian, and he used to watch his tongue in his lectures even though he get misunderstood sometimes. No one is perfect, he tried his best to preach the pure Islām to the best of his ability as he inherited it from Alhaji Agba. He was in the forefront of warning against shirk among the Muslims and would never attack the Sunnah or its adherents.
“ Although my grandfather used to tell me of the “Maadasi” (memorizer of the Qur’ān) around my family house at Popo Igbonna, Ilorin, Kwara State in the olden days; solid investigation reveals no one preceded Sheikh Aboto in the memorization of the full Qur’ān with tajweed practically and theoretically in Ilorin Emirate. This was why the Rabitatu Hamalati Qur’ān in Kwara State honoured him with the title “Awwalul Hāfizheen” few years ago.
“Sheikh Aboto was known for boldness in speaking the truth and there was no where he couldn’t travel to for the purpose of da’wah. He earned the most prestigious rank before Sheikh Muhammad Kamaldeen Al-Adabi with his gift of memorizing the Qur’ān and his mastery of its recitation with tajweed.”
