Last Thursday, Igbaye in Odo-Otin Local Government of Osun State stood still when the news of the passing on of the oldest man and cleric, Pa (Alhaji) Lawal Abefe Okunlola Owolabi hit the town.
Born in 1897, Pa Lawal’s parents, Gbadamosi and Asanatu Owolabi, sent him to Omo Ofe Primary School, Ilesa in 1918. In fact, according to one of his children, Alhaji Idris Oloyede Owolabi, “Baba was one of the pioneer pupils of the school.”
The younger Owolabi, who is a Director in the Lagos State Ministry of Education, said: “Baba was later taken to Inisha, another town in the local council for Quranic and Islamic education between 1920 and 1942.”
Having become an Arabic scholar, Pa Owolabi started teaching and training the younger ones the way of Allah through his local Quranic centre in Igbaye. Some of his students rose to become highly cerebral scholars both in the Western and Islamic education.
The deceased in 1966 performed the last pillar of Islam (Hajj), in Saudi Arabia and was turbaned the Imam Ratibi of Temidire Mosque on the town’s Community High School Road.
The Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, Sheikh Abubakar Alabi said: “Though Baba left us as an old man, we missed him and we would continue to miss him for his constant words of advice and voice of wisdom.”
The Chief Mufasir of the Muslim Community, Sheikh Abdur-Razaq Odewale, who was delegated by the Chief Imam to lead the Janazat (funeral) prayer lamented: “Baba left us when his fountain of knowledge, unrivalled experience and fatherly protection when most needed.”
He, however, thanked God for a life well spent: “Tt is not how far but how well,” just as he quickly added: “Baba’s life was both far and well.”
Another resident of the community, who was recently turbaned the Akogun Adini of the Muslim Community, and Agesinga of Temidire Mosque, Alhaji Jimoh Osu Olatola, said: “Baba was my father, mentor, role model and upright religious leader.
“The whole town and beyond are already missing the man whose life had been serving as mirror to the rest of us.”
When asked to describe his father, Oloyede Owolabi said: “He was a father in a million to everybody, a good husband, unequal children’s guardian and gentle, accommodating and a compassionate personality. Though he was old enough to go and rest, we nonetheless have lost a best friend. May the almighty Allah rest his soul and grant him Aljanatul-Fridaus.”
Pa Owolabi is survived by a wife, Madam Rabiat, children, greatgrandchildren and great great grandchildren.