74TH POSTHUMOUS BIRTHDAY OF A GREAT MAN, AN ENIGMA

Had death not struck that Wednesday,18th June,2014,at his London,United Kingdom home,Alhaji AbdulAzeez Akanmu Arisekola Alao,C.O.N,would today have celebrated his 74th birthday.

Born on Valentine’s Day (February 14th)1945,at his parents Adigun Village,Ibadan,Oyo State of Nigeria,the first Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland,Aare of Ibadanland and the Vice-President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs(NSCIA),was buried in his Oluwo Nla,Ibadan home,Oyo State of Nigeria,on Friday,20th June,2014.He was aged 69 years. May Allah (SWT)continue to show his kind soul mercy in Aljannah Fridaous.Amen.

In order to capture the essence of Aare Arisekola,one must read a compedium of tributes,”ARISEKOLA IN OUR MINDS”,edited by Professor Rashid Aderinoye. Not only is my tribute included in the aĺl-encompassing book,I was granted the honour of writing the foreword of the said book, published in 2015.

Of all my writings on/tributes to Aare Arisekola,my favourite is,”AARE ARISEKOLA,THIS IS YOUR LIFE”,published when Nigeria honoured him with the national award of the “COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE NIGER(C.O.N)in Abuja,on Monday,22nd December,2008.

For reference,please read The Guardian on Saturday newspaper issue of Saturday,17th January,2009 (page 21),Sunday Tribune newspaper issue of Sunday,25th January,2009 (page 14)and the Nation newspaper issue of Friday,4th July,2014 (page 17).

As I titled another tribute of mine to the late Aare Arisekola,”AARE,THE BIRDS HAVE FLOWN AWAY”,not only have the birds flown away,dogs today swagger past the dead lion’s den!

The world misses you, Aare Ariskola,a great man and an enigma. Continue to rest in peace.