Centenary celebration of an exemplary educationist, preacher and reformer
The history of Islamic, Arabic education and socio-religious advancement in the contemporary west African region would be inadequate without mentioning the personality and contributions of Sheikh Adam Bin-Abdul-Baaki, Bin-Habeeblah, Bin-Abdullah El-Ilory as an icon in academic contributions, dawah (Islamic Propagation), Islamic culture and thoughts having courage and dedication to positive socio-change in West Africa.
Born 1917, into a noble and generous home, his father, Abdul-Baaki, an Islamic missioner was a community Muslim leader (an Imaam Ratibi) an elite, scholar, whose father was Habeeblahi the son of Abdullah who was also a community Muslim leader (Imaam Omoda Mosque) from Oyilaki.Agbogunmati compound of Ilorin, Abdullahi hailed from old Oyo Kingdom.
His knowledge and faith began from home, got his early training or education from home in line with the Yoruba (African) traditions centred on morale and etiquette, especially from his own father, an itinerant scholar and preacher who used to travel round the West Africa, from villages to villages on Islamic clergy activities during which the Adam Abdullah, was always on his (father’s) company learning from him in various ways.
In one of their usual journeys, his father in line with the then tradition, entrusted young Adam Abdullah to Shehu Solihu (esin ni oo biwa) for learning, Shehu Solihu, a well known Islamic and Arabic teacher based in Ibadan (the then capital of old western region of Nigeria), was also a grand son of his (Abdul-Baaki’s) own teacher by name Maliki.
While living and learning in Ibadan from Shehu Solihu (esi ni o bi wa), the young Adam Abdul-Baaki decided to toe a new line in addition to his father’s own, then travelled to Lagos. At Lagos he started learning from one unique teacher of his life by name Sheikh Umar, who later became Al-Imaam Agbaji in Agbaji area of Ilorin, who exposed him to Islamic issues on jurisprudence (he later married Adam’s sister). This mark the beginning of his self and informal scholarship development though discovery learning.
While in Ibadan, young Adam Abdullah was opportune to meet a Syrian trader, Musa Al-Hameed, who was a highly knowledgeable, skilled teacher in Islamic and Arabic literacy arts and sciences. From this Arabian he learnt a lot on issues of world socio-economy and politics, he actually got his interests and solid exposure to Arabic and Islamic literacy arts and sciences.
During this period Adam Abdullah started learning from Adam Namaji, a master of rhetoric, logic and philosophy who hailed from Kano. Who was also a multi-disciplinary scholar, from him he (Adam) elarnt rhetoric, poems, philosophy of Sufism whne he was 27years old.
In Lagos, young and talented Adam Abdul-Baaki was also opportune to meet a Syrian trader, Musa Al-Hameed, who was a highly knowledgeable, skilled teacher in Islamic and Arabic literacy arts and sciences. From this Arabian he learnt a lot on issues of world socio-economy and politics, he actually got his interests and solid exposure to Arabic and Islamic literacy arts and sciences.
His learning by travelling and searching led him to discovering more knowledge and dipper faith. In Cairo, Adam El-Ilory met Shehu Mahmood Abulu Uyoon, a great scholar, Shehu Shatoot, Shehu Uthman, Hassan Bana, the then general instructor of the brotherhood, Sheikh Mahmood. He learnt a lot from Sudanese jurists and met with scholars like Saheed Alawy El-Makki and Mohammed Al-Amin in Makkah.
He worked and learned through participation in various local and international conferences, seminars, lectures and attendance of scholarship meetings. He benefitted immensely from his prolific studying and use of Arabic and Yoruba languages, Holy Quran and the Hadith. He dedicatedly studied the writings of the highly advanced scholars and scientists; Imam Ghazali and Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn Khaldun, al-Mawardi. Tehse boosted his inspiration for knowledge and faith which later reflected in his writings and research methods or investigation approach.
His 1946 sojourn in Arab Republic of Egypt was a landmark in his academic certification by Sheikh Al-Azhar University of Cairo as knowledgeable and competent in Arabic and Islamic arts and sciences. Sheikh Adam Abdul-Baaki respected the importance of documentation, language and history in understanding the present and the future as seen in his books and other endeavours.
Through his different levels of friends, associates and relations across religious, socio-economic and political strata of the society Sheikh Adam Abdukl-Baaki grew and achieved great material; and spiritual success.
Growing up in the first half of twentieth century, having elite background of his time with training, personal encounter with multi-skilled teachers, elders and been well traveled around his African communities and abroad, Adam Abdul-Baaki grew had a clear world views of his time, knew the history of people, places and religions. Well informed of the effects of world war ‘one’ and ‘two’, the fall of Othman empire in the middle east, the fall of Sokoto caliphate in sub-Sahara Africa (1903), now northern Nigeria and other global events as they affect African people. He was aware of history that Islam got to Africa since first Hijra or 700AD through the caravan from the north Africa, (as history noted that Islam was in Okesuna as early as 1900AD while the first mosque in Oyo Empire was built in 1755AD).
He witnessed the colonial masters’ incursion on socio-economy, culture and politics of African people of early and mid twentieth century, a period when Africa experienced conflict of civilization, when European common laws was fast replacing the African customary laws and sharia. These situation reflected in his total world views.
Sheykh Adam in educational activism then shared the same passion, experience and challenges of other great African heroes, scholars, liberators and reformers like late Herbert Macauley of Nigeria, late Kwame Nkruma of Ghana, late Nnamdi Azikwe, late Sir Ahmadu Bello late Chief Obafemi Awolowo of Nigeria and others in history, his (Sheikh Adam’s) own concern was the colonial master’s incursion as it affected education, language, culture and religions in Africa particularly the Yoruba land.
History recorded that colonial government introduced formal educational system along with commerce, Christianity and European culture as superior to Africa. During this historical period, under the colonial masters a lots of Muslim children were converted into Christianity through the medium of commercial organs and Christian missionary schools (an organized baits that promised a guaranteed socio-economic needs of African people but deprived them of freedom and were eroding their culture). Realizing the negative impacts of colonial masters on education and religions on African Muslims, Sheikh Adam Abdullahi did not only join other African heroes in preaching against imperialism in Africa, he also decided to arrest the situation by opening a centre for the teaching of Islam, Arabic lierary arts, sciences, culture with promotion of Yoruba rich culture and language.
Sheikh Adam Abdullahi El-Ilory in 1952, with commitment to strengthening the age long existing Islamic, African and Arabic education in (south western Nigeria) the Yoruba land, he founded a formal centre of learning Islam and Arabic Arts and sciences, firstly located at Sodeke area in Abeokuta, later the centre was moved to Agege in Lagos as permanent site. The centre was set up with clear curriculum and ethos as against the hitherto the then informal school methods that tend to take too much resources and less benefits to the students of Islamic and Arabic studies and their society in Africa. With this he also challenges the incursion of western civilization into African society, preserving the identity of African people and this explains his refusal to include English or French language in the school’s educational curriculum.
He also established a clinic (a health center) to cater for the community health of Muslims and a printing press (Islamic Cultural Press Center) to serve in Islamic and community information dissemination to Muslims.
He was among supporters of religious socio-associations like An-Sar Deen Society of Nigeria (where he was once a teacher), Federation of Muslims Women Association of Nigeria, FOMWAN, founder and pioneer member; League of Imaams and Alfa of Yoruba Land, ROBITA and many other charitable organizations.
His literary works, Books in Islamic thoughts and history were typical of his unique styles, knowledge, philosophy and experiences in life. Shaykh Adam Abdullahi made a landmark leadership contributions in the translation of the Holy Quran from Arabic language to Yoruba language with other scholars of Yoruba origin.
For his exemplary achievements he was honored with several accolades both at home and abroad these include his laurel of Arabic arts and sciences, by the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The institute he founded Markaz later became synonymous to his name, at a time to mention Markaz was the same as to mention Sheikh Adam in West Africa. Markaz remains a globally renowned centre of Islamic and Arabic literary arts, sciences and cultural teachings and serves as a quality incubator for future leaders, great scholars, (Imams, Ulamas,) preachers and other professionals in West Africa.
With its quality programs and projects, Markaz continues to attract, maintain and produce quality scholars, clerics, preachers and other professionals in all walks of life, many who are found today being reputable leaders contributing to socio-economic and political development of the society having a peculiar Arabic literary style (Niqabatul Markazyeen) and well spread across African, Middle East and Europe, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote de voire, Senegal, England, France and more.
Today, Markaz maintains a strong networks of old students ((Niqabatul Markazyyeen) who are community leaders (specially in western Nigeria), scholars, jurists, preachers, traders, managers, and multi-dimensional experts in West Africa, late Sheikh Imam Sodrudeen Bamidele Akanmu Biobaku Anwalu-Solieen, was among the leaders of Markazyyeen. Sheikh Al-imaam Raji Sulaiman Al-Imamam was the first principal (Amid Markaz) appointed in 1969. to mention fe among many well spread across Africa are; Chief Missioner of Ahmadiyya Mission Shagamu, Imam Habibullah Ibrahim; Chief Imam of Oyo Alaafin, Sheikh Imam Mas’ud Abdul Ganiyyi; Alhaji late Abdul Wahaab Zakariyya (Bakiini Ilorin); Naib Imam of Owu Kingdom, Imam Nuh Shodeinde; Chief Imam of Okukku (late) Juma’h Yusuf; Chief Imam Gbagura (late) Sardrudeen Biobaku; Chief Imam Islamic League of Nigeria, Sheikh Raji Sulaiman El-Imam; Chief Inisha Imam Suraqat, late Chief Imam Osogbo, Sheikh Jumaat Sanusi.
Presently, Markaz has capacity of over 3,000 students of different categories with seasoned managemet and staff. The erudite scholar, Sheikh Mohammed habeeblahi Adam El-Ilory OON, (may Allah protect him and prolong his life), the son of late Sheikh Adam El-Ilory, who is also distinguished products of Markaz is the Rector (Mudhir) of the Arabic and Islamic training center, Markaz since 1997.
Blessed with close friends and associates among them wewre; Sheih Bukhari Adedimeji Aroworeki, Sheik Thanni Sakete; Muhiobudeen Yusuf Cotonue, Muslim Ajase Port novo, Alhaji yashau Aidara, late Alhaji Babatunde Jose, late Chief M.K.O Abiola, Alhaji Justice Abdul Fatai Dabir, Alhaji Kamal Buhari Alayo, late Alhaji Saafi Edu, late Alhaji Imaam Bello (Ebutemeta), Alhaji Sunmonu Ufuka, Alhaji Jimoh Bangbola, late General Muritala Mohammed (former head of state, Fed. Rep. of Nigeria), Alhaji Salahudeen Muhammed Raji Oladimeji Ede, Sheikh Iblian Bodurin Zakairnal, Alhaji Bashar Tafsir Agbaji, Alhaji Yahaya Ataragba (Ilorin), Isa Imaam (Orobe Lagos), Sheikh nazir Kabarakano, Mamudu Saliga Kano, late Sultan Dasuki (former Sultan of Sokoto), Alhaji Shehu Shagari (former President fed. Rep. of Nigeria), Alhaji Gazali Muktar Salekoto, Alhaji Dan Maatuka Makana.
Sheikh Adam Bin Abdul-Baaki, Bin Habeeblahi, Bin Abdullahi El-Ilory’s life was a total commitment to promoting the Islamic heritage of knowledge and faith, understanding and wisdom, justice and security, harmony and peace. These virtues, being his legacy remains the prride and vivid focus of Arabic and Islamic Training Center, markaz, Agege and its alumni (the Niqabatul Markaziyeen) since. Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Baaki El-Ilory (a laureate of Arabic Arts and Science; Arab Republic Egypt), may Allah bless his soul and rest him in peace. Ameen.
