By Rotimi Agboluaje, Ibadan
12 May 2024 | 3:18 am
Attaining a new age is a remarkable event worth celebrating for the gift of life of witnessing another round of year on earth. More significantly is the attainment of a milestone and joining the octogenarian club.
Oloso
Attaining a new age is a remarkable event worth celebrating for the gift of life of witnessing another round of year on earth. More significantly is the attainment of a milestone and joining the octogenarian club.
Without mincing words, attaining the age of 80 in a country where life expectancy hovers around 56 years is no mean feat.
To commemorate the significance of joining the octogenarian club, family members, friends, mentees, admirers and associates of the widely acclaimed scholar, Prof. Kamil Koyejo Oloso, on April 26, 2024, converged on his Bodija residence to celebrate the man they venerate.
Among those at the event were Prof. Dawud Shittu Noibi, Prof. Assif Ahmed, Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, Dr. Gani Adeniran, the Chief Imam, Bodija Muslim Community, Imam Adebayo Afuye; the Special Assistant to the Governor on Islamic Affairs, Imam AbdRasheed AbdulAzeez, and a host of others.
Leading a private supplication, Prof Noibi prayed for more productive, progressive and prosperous years in sound health for the celebrant.
Noibi eulogised Oloso for his contributions to humanity, the country and service to Allah, using the occasion to admonish people to live life with the strong belief that they came to the world with nothing and they would leave with nothing.
He said: ‘’People should live life with the strong belief that we come to this world and we will leave with nothing. So, we should think more of service to God and then to humanity.
Prof Oloso (left) during the private prayer led by Prof DOS Noibi (middle) in Oloso’s Bodija residence, Ibadan to mark the 80th birthday.
“As Muslims, our focus should be to the hereafter where we shall account for whatever we are doing in this worthless world.”
Congratulating Oloso for attaining the significant age, Adeniran described him as an intimidating phenomenon in the politico-religion firmament of Ibadan, Oyo state and indeed Nigeria, saying the professor has become the barometer for the measurement of the mood and sensitivity of Muslims with every sense of responsibility without being combative or egregious.
Adeniran said: “Our paths crossed early in the 80s when I was undergraduate and a member of the Muslim Students Society of Nigera. Professor Oloso’s commitment to the welfare of Muslim students was legendary and unassailable.
“He was also in the inner caucus and the commanding heights of the affairs of Islamic affairs at the house of the late AbdulAzzeez Arisekola-Alao, the immutable Aare Musulumi of Yoruba.
“At 80, he has seen it all in the religious circle and promotion of harmony and peaceful co existence generally. Congratulations sir and may Allah grant you many more years on this side,” he said.
On his part, the Special Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Islamic Affairs, AbdAzeez, described Oloso as a dependable, generous and courageous father.
His words: “Oloso is one of our fathers. I have known him for about 40 years and I have known him as a good and dependable father who would always be with you through thick and thin. When he is with you, he is with you wholeheartedly. He has been supportive and helping many people. He is a courageous man.
“Professor is equally generous. He is always concerned about the welfare and betterment of others. He is always available to offer insights and advice. He has played a lot of role in the development of Islam, Arabic language and humanity.
“As the father for his children and father for us, I pray he will not end his journey on the wrong side of history. We pray for more life and sound health for Oloso. We pray that he will spend many more years on earth.”
Responding to the encomium showered on him, Oloso thanked Allah for blessing him with life wrapped in longevity and sound health to serve humanity in different capacities, commending those who came from far and wide to honour him.
The renowned scholar also prayed to Allah to make the hereafter better than the worthless earthly world, saying he came to this world and is going back to Allah with nothing except the good work he was able to do while on earth.
Who is Prof. Oloso?
Born in Lagun, Lagelu Local Council of Oyo State, Prof. Kamil Koyejo Oloso is a product of Madrasah Kharashiya in Ibadan.
As a young graduate of the Quranic school with his very close friend, the late Abdulazeez Ariyayo Salaudeen settled at Garage Olode in Ife South Local Council of Osun State where both were teaching at a Quranic Madrasah.
There, they were so popular that no other Malams were known. Realising the importance of Western education, he sat for the West Africa Examination School Certificate conducted by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and passed, after leaving Teacher’s Training College, where he obtained his Grade Two Teacher’s Certificate.
He then proceeded to the University of Ibadan, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Art in Arabic and Islamic Studies combined, graduating with a Second-Class Upper Division. After his one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), he taught at Islamic High School, Ibadan.
As Allah prepared him for a future higher level, the late Professor Musa Abdul withdrew him from secondary school and appointed him as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies in the premier university where he later obtained his doctorate degree and later rose to the apogee of the academic career by becoming a professor.
Through his journey of life, he was elected National President of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN). This position took him to many countries in the Middle East. On one of the trips, he went with his adopted father, who was a patron of MSSN, Alhaji Chief Yisa Yagboyaju to Malaysia, Qatar, Germany, Kuwait, London, France and other places on dawah activities.
Later, fortune brought him closer to the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao, who through the Military Governor of the old Oyo State, the late Adetunji Olurin, asked him to constitute what could serve as the Oyo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board in 1986.
The board was made up of himself as Chairman with the late Alhaji Aga Salaudeen, Prof. Assif Ahmed, and Prof. Rashid Aderinoye as members. Later, he was appointed Chairman, Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, after which he served as Chairman, Oyo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for a second time.
Oloso later served at the National Hajj Commission as Dawah officer. He was also appointed as South West Coordinator of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS).
Oloso remains a permanent member of the League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland as a renowned scholar. Today, he is the Chief of Staff (Wakeelu Muslimeen) to the Muslim Community of Oyo State. He retired from the service of the University of Ibadan at the mandatory age of 70.
He is happily married in line with popular teaching of Islam to four wives all joyfully living together under one roof. He is blessed with brilliant children and blossomed grandchildren.
