The Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sheik Liadi Orunsolu, is dead.
Tribune Online reports that he died at the age of 98 on Tuesday morning, at his Abeokuta residence.
His remains would be committed to mother earth at 4.00 pm. The late chief imam was until his death the President-General, League of Imams and Alfas in Ogun State.
In his condolence message, the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said the late Imam lived a pious, worthy and highly commendable life.
The governor sent his condolences to the people of Egbaland in particular, the state and the Muslim Ummah in general.
He described Orunsolu’s death as a great loss to the state and noted that the late Chief Imam spent his days praying and teaching values and precepts of the Quran.
“Baba Orunsolu lived a pious, worthy and highly commendable life that will be remembered by posterity. I urge all Muslims in the state to immortalise him by living the virtues of love, peace, and good neighbourliness he lived and propagated,” the governor said.
He added that the death of the late cleric marked the end of an era and a great personal loss.
“I will personally miss his warmth and candour. He always spoke truth to power and was a huge pillar and supporter of our administration. We were like father and son and he never related with me as a governor. He was brutally frank on issues concerning the people and the wellbeing of our state.
“The fact that Chief Imam died after the successful completion of the 2020 Ramadan fasting and Eid celebration at a grand old age of 98 indicates Allah’s pleasure with him. He was unpretentious about what he preached and practised, and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his forthrightness.
“I pray that Allah would grant the soul of the departed good rest in Aljannah Firdaus and comfort his family,” the statement concluded.
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Similarly, the Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has commiserated with the Orunsolu family, the League of Imams and Alfas, and the entire Muslim faithful in the state, over the death of the cleric
Senator Amosun who described the death of Alhaji Orunsolu as painful noted that Egbaland, in particular, and Ogun State in general, have lost a respected religious leader and a renowned Islamic scholar.
“The Chief Imam was an erudite Islamic scholar who was well versed in Islamic Religious Knowledge. He was a symbol of unity who rallied the Ummah in Egbaland as one indivisible entity during his lifetime.
“Alhaji Orunsolu maintained effective leadership as the Chief Imam of Egbaland and President of League of Imams and Alfas in Ogun State, whilst also provided wise counsel to the entire Rabittah in the entire Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States.”
In the same vein, a three-time governorship candidate in the state, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, said late Imam was an exemplary Islamic scholar and leader who was committed to the growth of Egbaland and by extension Ogun State.
“I am saddened by the demise of Sheik Orunsolu. He was a very good promoter of the tenets of Islam. He always stood for truth and peace. Having interfaced with him on many occasions, I can say Baba was a very versatile Islamic scholar whose deeper understanding of Islamic teachings and principles easily stood him out among others,” Isiaka added.
In his own condolence message, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite noted that the late Chief Imam used his position to foster peace and help the downtrodden in the society.
“I worked with him for eight years while I was Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Ogun State. We worked on the Eid praying ground twice yearly, during Eid-el-Fitr and Eid-el-Kabir.
“He was a gentle soul who always prayed for progress of Ogun State and Nigeria in general. May Allah forgive him and grant him Aljannah Firdaus aamin,” the Minister added.