The family of Onikijipa in Ilorin have called on stakeholders in the Ilorin Emirate Council to call the Mudir (leader) of the Markaz Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Agege, Lagos State, Sheikh Mohammed Adam (El-Ilory) to order following his persistent attacks on the personality of the Mufty of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulaimon Faruq (Onikijipa).
The notice was conveyed in a statement by the Magaji of the Onikijipa compound, Abdulrahman Onikijipa, and a copy was made available to our correspondent on Monday.
The statement was titled “No bastard among the Onikijipa: A Rejoinder to Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory”.
Onikijipa, on behalf of the family, said there is no distinction between the descendants of Onikijipa as they remain an indivisible entity.
It clarified that the statement credited to Adam that the father of the Mufty of Ilorin, Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa, was not a member of Onikijipa was not only false but also a lie.
The statement said that the Markaz leader had alleged an unsubstantiated claim which was borne out of mischief and a ploy to create a wedge among the Onikijipa family, insisting that the family does not harbour a bastard.
It was recalled that this was not the first time the revered cleric would try to rewrite the history of Onikijipa, even in explicit contradiction to his father, Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory’s narrations, in his usual bid to claim the “all-knowing.”
It described as bogus the claim attributed to Adam that only Alfa Alabi Onikijipa is the original Onikijipa and maintained that both Alfa Alabi Onikijipa and Alfa Faruq Onikijipa, the father of the Mufty of Ilorin, are brothers and one family.
“We are compelled to release this statement in view of the recent shenanigans being displayed by Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory. We would not have responded to the story he put up in his head for reasons best known to him, but for the important need to set the record straight so that in the future people will not doubt our history as one strong Onikijipa family. This is not the first time this individual has tried to rewrite history, even in explicit contradictions to his father’s narrations, in his usual bid to claim the “all-knowing”. He is the only one who can help us understand the reasons for doing that. As far as we are concerned, he is just being mischievous.
“On Friday, 22nd of Ramadan, Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory informed his listeners that he wanted to attack the Onikijipa family. During his daily tafsir, he went astray to attack our family in his usual manner, an attempt to create disunity among us. But for his information, we are one strong indivisible family.
“There are some points that need to be addressed. Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory claimed that our illustrious son, Sheikh Suleiman Faruq Onikijipa, the grand Mufti of Ilorin, is angry with Sheikh Adam Al-Ilory, Habibullah’s father, because the sheikh did not mention Sheikh Suleiman Faruq’s father in his book. This is not only laughable but a lie from the pit of hell. Habibullah should inform us of the point at which Sheikh Suleiman said this and in what context. We believe this is just another lie to discredit the Mufty’s good image. That is Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory’s trade mark: he attacks everyone. He recently did the same to the people of Agbogunmati.
“As if that was not enough, Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory narrated that Sheikh Suleima’s father is not a member of Onikijipa. This is another nonsense! His theory is that any house or household in Ilorin that is situated outside the main compound is not part of the family. Such a household, according to his theory, must have been given or gifted to the land. They are not originally part of the family. One begins to wonder if Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory remembers where his own family house is situated in Ilorin. It is there for everyone to see.
“Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory, in his desire to create disunity among us, claimed that Alfa Alabi Onikijipa is the original Onikijipa. If we had not heard this ourselves, we would not have believed it to be coming from a man who is expected to know better. But it is not surprising; that is his way. He attacks without a reason. He comes up with all sorts of theories just to prove anything! There are instances out there. But this is our story; Alfa Alabi Onikijipa and Alfa Faruq Onikijipa are brothers and one family. There is no separation among us. It is even more worrisome that such a respected scholar is using the “show me your father’s grave” theory as proof of originality. Pathetic!” the statement read.
Earlier, The PUNCH reports that Adam had alleged that the Kwara-based cleric who is always addressed as mufti (an Islamic jurist) had always pointed an accusing finger on his father (late Sheikh Adam) for not including his father’s name in the list of the noble clerics he mentioned in one of his books.
Before the lecture, Adam had challenged Onikijipa to be his subordinate while claiming that the latter came to his father’s institution to learn when he was already lecturing there.