Reactions have continued to trail the demise of Sheikh Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen Al Adabiy, the fourth Grand Mufti of Ilorin from prominent individuals across divides in Kwara State and beyond.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and immediate past Governor, Dr Abdulfattah Ahmed have also mourned the death of the erudite Islamic scholar, saying that they were saddened and shocked by the news.
In a statement by Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRazaq noted that the death of Shaykh Olayiwola has depleted the ranks of religious scholarship, as he prays Allah reposes his soul.
According to the statement, “The Governor received the news of the death of the revered Sheikh and former Permanent Secretary with shock and sadness. This death again depletes the ranks of religious scholarship and evangelism in our community and it therefore calls for sober reflection from all.
“The Governor commiserates with the family of the eminent scholar, the entire Muslim community, and the Adabiyyah family worldwide on this unfortunate development. We pray Allah, the oft-forgiving and merciful, to forgive the Sheikh, grant him Al-jannah Firdaus, and keep the great households of Sheikh Kamaldeen and our other departed leaders forever on the right path of faith, goodness, and piety”.
Senate President of the 8th National Assembly has also rected to the death of Sheikh Olayiwola, saying that he was deeply saddened by it.
This was contained in a condolence message issued by his Press Officer on Local Matters, Abdulqadir Abdulganiyu, where he described the deceased as an erudite scholar.
“Saraki prayed to Allah to forgive the deceased and admit him into Al-jannatul Firdaus. He also prayed that Allah strengthen the Kamaldeen Al-Adabiy family and the Muslim Ummah at this difficult time”, the message read in part.
On his part, the immediate past governor of Kwara State, Dr Abdulfattah Ahmed described the deceased as an exemplary scholar who upheld his late father’s legacies, saying that he shared in the pain of the Adabiyyah family.
The statement issued by Dr Muyideen Akorede, spokesperson to Dr Ahmed reads:
“The former governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has consoled the Kamaldeen family on the death of leading Islamic cleric, and former Permanent Secretary, Khalifa Alhaji Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen.
In his condolence following Khalifa Kamaldeen’s passage on Friday, Alhaji Ahmed urged the Kamaldeen family and the Adabiyyah Islamic movement to take solace in the fact that the departed scion was an exemplary man who upheld his late father, Sheikh Mohammed Kamaldeen’s legacies in Islamic and Quranic education.
“I offer my deepest sympathies to the Kamaldeen family, and the Adabiyyah movement on the sad loss of Khalifa Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen, a great man. I share your pain and ask Allah to comfort you in the difficult days ahead. May Allah elevate the Khalifa to the rank of the favoured in Al-janah and forgive his earthly infractions.
