…From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan..
The eighth day Fidau in remembrance of the late business mogul and Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola Alao was held in his Oluwokekere, Basorun, Ibadan residence on Friday with the children pledging to sustain the philanthropic gestures of the renowned Islamic leader.
Aged 69, Alhaji Arisekola-Alao, who died in London last week Wednesday and was buried in his Ibadan palatial home on Friday, June 20, was until his demise the Deputy President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).
Addressing the crème de la crème of the society at the eighth day Fidau, one of the children of the deceased, Alhaji Idris Arisekola-Alao vowed that the family had resolved to keep up the good virtues of the late Aare Musulumi through a Foundation to be instituted very soon in his memory.
“Despite Alhaji Arisekola’s death, the family will continue to stay united and the doors of this house shall remain open to all and sundry. We will continue to render the philanthropic gestures that Aare has been known for including the sponsorship of faithfuls to Hajj and Umra,” Idris reiterated.
Dignitaries in attendance included the Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; former Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Remi Babalola; former Minister of Special Duties, Elder Wole Oyelese; Chief Adekunle Ojora and wife; National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Najeem Yasin; as well as the renowned Islamic preacher, Alhaji Muideen Ajani Bello, among others.
Speaking on the occasion, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide lamented the sudden demise of of Alhaji Arisekola-Alao whom she described as an irreplaceable son and pride of Ibadan whose death would create a great vacuum in the land.
Akinjide said: “I have never seen anybody who has all the attributes of Alhaji Arisekola-Alao. Even though God has elevated him to the place where he wined and dined with the highly, locally and abroad, he never lost touch with the common people.”
The Minister then admonished the family to remain united and keep up Arisekola’s legacy saying they should not allow anybody to divide them.