In its 16-page special edition dedicated to celebrate the late Sheikh Abou at 100, published in August, 2022, Muslim News wrote:
We dedicate our August 2022 print edition to celebrate Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou, OFR, Baba Adinni of Lagos, who clocked 100 years on Wednesday. #Alhamdulilah. The excitement was palpable! Prominent Nigerians joined family & friends for the centenary celebration yesterday in Lagos pic.twitter.com/PKwCrYYxWT
— Muslim News Nigeria (@muslimnews_NG) August 11, 2022
Sheikh Abou was a distinguished Islamic Scholar from a noble lineage of Imams and religious devotees. He was a great asset to Muslims at local, national and international levels. His past and present activities were sufficient testimonies in this regard.
Sheikh Abou inherited a strong tradition of Islamic scholarship and leadership. His father, Late Imam Tijani Faramobi Abou was a grandson to a former Chief Imam of Lagos, Late Muhammad Nolla. His mother, Nusirat Abou was the daughter of Late Imam Muse of Olowogbowo family in Lagos, as well as the first Iya Sunna of Surulere (New Lagos) Central Mosque.
Born at Ita Akanni area of Lagos on 10th August 1922, he started his quest for knowledge at the Lagos Government School and later the Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Alakoro. He attended the prestigious Al-Azhar University, Cairo between 1944 and 1958, where he obtained Al-Allamiyyah Certificate B.A Arabic and Islamic Studies and Licentiate in Islamic law from the faculty of Shari’ah in the Judiciary section of the University.
During his stay in Egypt, Sheikh Abou wined and dined with various international organisations and attended to different prominent leaders in the likes of King Farouq of Egypt, President Jamal Abdul Nasir of Egypt, Prime Minster of Pakistan Muhammed Alli, President Nkruma of Ghana, Hurchv of the Soviet Union in different States representing the good people of Nigeria.
He had the honour of receiving and introducing visiting founding fathers Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Late Sir Sadauna of Sokoto, Late Ahmadu Bello, Late Alhaji Muhammed Ribadu – Former Minister Mines and Power and Late Emir of Kano Alhaji Sanusi to the government of Egypt at that time.
He also served as an Executive Member of the World Assembly of Muslim Youths from 1954 in Karachi Pakistan. He served as a delegate to many International conferences, including the first World Afro-Asian Writers Conference in Teshkand (USSR) and Pecking, in China in 1958 and the All African People’s Conference, Accra Ghana in the same year. He also served as a delegate to World Youth Festival in Moscow.
Back home in Nigeria in 1959, he took up a teaching appointment at Ansar-Ud-deen College Isolo, where he became a Housemaster, Vice Principal and Acting Principal until his retirement in 1972, but he was still an active player in national and international Islamic affairs. He joined the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society in 1960 and has since served in various capacities, especially as a member of its Mission Board.
At National level, Sheikh Abou was a member of the Governing Council of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi between 1990 and 1992. He was patron of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) in the 1960s; a member of the Fatwa Committee of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the National Missioner of the Muslim Association of Nigeria; member, National Committee on Shari’ah and member, Council of Ula’mas.
He was turbaned as Baba Adinni of Lagos on August 14, 2009 as a crowning glory of his years of service.
In action and words, in education, he groomed some of the best minds and captains of industries of our beloved country. In religion or whatever, he was a role model that coming generations would use as example.
Sheikh Abou served nobly. His contributions towards school establishment was exemplary. The Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria conferred an award of excellence on him after many years of service.
The Lagos Central Mosque is Sheikh Abou’s special love. He cherished the noble traditions he met. He, as a chairman, had dedicated himself to embrace its prominence and centrality amongst Mosques in Lagos. His name lent credibility to the unity cause in the formative period of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN).
He was knowledgeable and of correct intellectual disposition. Youth associations, scholars, Islamic, Arabic or Western, drank from his cool font of wisdom and knowledge.
In his youthful days, Sheikh Abou was involved in athletics, football and body building, little wonder that at 100 (now 101 before he died), he still lived an active life as a religious leader.
Sheikh Abou was an embodiment of peace, clean of scandals and ill-reports. He was a man of integrity and honour; honest, humble, modest and unassuming. He was very patient and disciplined with a lot of self restraint.
He was ever content with the provisions of his Lord and ever grateful to Him. He lived a very simple and decent life. He was a polished gentleman with rich international experience and contacts.
To crown it all, he was a member of the Federal Government Hajj delegation for the years 2012 and 2013. He had a close relationship with the Sultan of Sokoto and also had the privilege to meet with the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
The moral and religious qualities and quest for knowledge are lessons to learn from Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou.
… With additional information from his biography posted on the Lagos Central Mosque website.
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