By Qudirat Hakeem-Apanpa.
The death of Alhaji Abdul Waheed Akin Olajide, who was a former secretary to the Oyo State Government and chairman of the Muslim community of Oyo State, has been described as a colossal loss.
The Coordinator, Oyo State Chapter of the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG), Imam Mas’ud Ayodele Akintola, noted this in a statement in Ibadan.
According to him, the deceased was “gentle, kind, loving, approachable and humble,” adding that he was also an educationist, publisher and philanthropist whose contributions would remain indelible.
“He will surely be sorely missed by all those who knew him,” Akintola pointed out. He said the late Olajide was his mentor, benefactor and role model, adding that his death had left him with a profound sense of personal loss.
He recalled that during Olajide’s tenure as National President of the Muslim Association of Nigeria (MAN), he established the Muslim Model College, while he later founded Sankore College.
Akintola noted that the deceased demonstrated his commitment to education and public service by voluntarily handing over Sankore College to the Oyo State Government on his 70th birthday.
Describing him as a workaholic and a dogged advocate for the advancement of Muslims, the MMWG coordinator said Olajide’s contributions to education, Islamic development and the wider society had earned him an enduring place in the hearts of many.
Akintola prayed that ALLAH SWT would be pleased with the soul of the deceased, preserve the legacies he left behind and grant his family the strength to bear the loss.
