The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, (NSCIA) Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar has called for celebration of Nigeria’s Icons while alive instead of eulogising them after their demise.
He was speaking in Abuja yesterday at the official presentation of a Book titled: Dynamics of Revealed Knowledge & Human Sciences in honour of the Registrar of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.
The Sultan described Prof. Oloyede as a very honest, hardworking and truly religious person who detest corruption in all ramifications. He said he became closer to Oloyede when he assumed the position of Secretary-General, NSCIA and found in him a dedicated and committed Nigerian who should be emulated by all.
Sultan appealed to all those in authority at all levels to cultivate the habit of honouring our Heroes while alive instead of immortalising them with monuments, streets, etc.
In his speech, a former governor of Kano State Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau attributed the virtues and values of Prof. Oloyede to the spiritual knowledge and training he received from the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria in his university days.
Speaking, the Pro-Chancellor & Chairman of Council University of Lagos Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN said Prof. Oloyede has raised the bar of service to God and humanity by his incorruptible posture not only in the Joint Admission & Matriculation Board (JAMB) but in all the places he has served. He challenged all public-office holders to emulate Oloyede who he described as hero of Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign by paying into Federal Government’s coffers the sum of N7 billion from JAMB’s 2017 revenue. He later donated N5 million to the Foundation launched in honour of Oloyede.
In his short remarks, Oloyede admonished all Nigerian to shun all sentiments be it religious, ethnic and cultural differences so that the Nation could be great, adding that terrible damages are being done by these evils to the Nation’s polity.
In attendance was the Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof Sulaiman Abdulkareem Age, his predecessors, former presidential adviser, Dr. Tunji Olagunju and the National President of NURTW, Alhaji Najeemdeen Yasin, among others.
