THE National Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society (AIS), Fuhad Adeyemi, has described former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the late Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, as a model of all that is good, saying he was a detribalised Nigerian who welcomed all, regardless of status or background.
Adeyemi stated this during a special prayer organised in honour of Uwais, held at the AIS centre in Guzape, Abuja.
The cleric, who delivered a lecture titled ‘Essence of Life’, admonished those in positions of authority to use them wisely and leave behind a legacy that would speak after their demise.
He said the late Justice Uwais left a lasting impression on the sands of time, served as a father to all and was transparent in his dealings with everyone, adding that he was a man of humility and prudence.
Imam Adeyemi said: “The Prophet told us that you should help your dead ones with prayer and sadaqah (alms-giving). The Prophet also said that when you die, everything in you dies except good children who pray for you. He (Justice Uwais) adopted so many people as his children.
“Incidentally, those he adopted are good children, and that is why they are praying for him. It is also a message to those Allah has blessed: if you are in any position, use it well, help people and be conscious of Allah in whatever you do. You should know that a day will come when the strength will no longer be there, but your legacy will speak for you.
“Justice Uwais used his position, his age and opportunity to help not just Islam but humanity. While he was with us, he came at a time when nobody recognised us, when nobody believed in our mission.
“He trusted in our mission, believed in the work that we do, supported us, stood with us and, in fact, brought all his friends to our organisation. That is why we are always conscious of what we do, because people refer to us as Justice Uwais’s children, meaning we have to be careful in what we do.
“There is also one thing that we learned from him: his humility and prudence. There was a day I asked him where he got the money to build his house, because judges don’t have money. And he explained to me how he got every kobo to build the house he lived in. How many leaders will allow a younger person to ask that question without insulting them? He might even accuse you of trying to investigate him. I asked the question because I wanted to have that confidence and be like him.
“Justice Uwais is a model of everything that is good. He made us understand that stealing is not just ungodly but should not be part of human nature. He was detribalised; his tribe was humanity. Once you were a human being, you were his tribe.
“For example, whenever I was with him and it was time for prayer, Justice Uwais would not allow anyone else to lead the prayer except me, at a time when people said Hausas wouldn’t follow Yorubas to pray, or northerners wouldn’t follow Yorubas. That was a blatant lie where Justice Uwais was concerned.”
The eldest son of the late former CJN, Haruna, and his younger brother, Ali, appreciated Al-Habibiyyah for organising the prayer, saying that the family would sustain their father’s legacy and uphold his principles.
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