Fashola, clerics laud Adegbite

 Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has opened the floodgates of tributes to the departed Islamic scholar and lawyer, Dr. Lateef Adegbite, who died Friday in Lagos, after two months of illness.

Fashola described the death of the man who was also Baba Adinni of Egbaland and the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Dr Abdul Lateef Oladimeji Adegbite as painful and a sad loss to the nation.

In a statement shortly after receiving the news of the passage of the elder statesman and muslim leader, Governor Fashola described the late Dr Adegbite as a straightforward, honest and courageous personality who spoke the truth at all times.

“He was an apostle of peaceful co-existence whose religious convictions were not in doubt but who nonetheless epitomized the peaceful essence of the Islamic religion till be breathed his last.

Some Clerics in Lagos on Saturday described Adegbite  as a detribalised Nigerian, a patriot and a committed religious person .

Some of the clerics who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on his demise said that he would be greatly missed not just by the Muslim community but also all Nigerians.

Prof. Is’haq Akintola, Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIT) told NAN that the late Adegbite was a great teacher of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.“He will be greatly missed by Nigerians not just Muslims, he was generous to a fault; he knew how to sit down with the opposition and make them smile.“He never uttered a word of anger throughout his tenure as the secretary general Secretary of the supreme council for Islamic affairs; he inspired the spirit of dialogue and non violence.“He was an exemplary leader, and there’s is no way we will not find it difficult to fill the vacuum that he has left behind,” he said.

In his comment, Imam Shuaib Abdullahi, Executive Director, Zakat and Fadakat Foundation, said that Adegbite died peacefully.“I was with him when he gave up the ghost; his wife called me around 4 p.m yesterday, that he needed my presence that I should come, I had to rush down to his house; I met him unconscious.“We commenced prayers for him, at the initial stage he was opening and closing his eyes, looking at me, I held him while praying, suddenly he gasped, immediately he did that I knew that was the end. He eventually had the call of Allah, peacefully.

“I think we have lost a very big institution, an icon, a colossus in the person of Adegbite, who had the peace and unity of the country at heart.“He was a detribalised and very humble person. He is a great loss for us,” he added.

In his tribute, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, Director of Communication, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, said Adegbite was “a statesman, a great lawyer, a great Nigerian, and above all a religious man”.“It’s a great loss to the family, to Ogun State, the entire Muslim world, and to Nigeria. He was a man of many parts, one of the pillars of Islam in Nigeria.“He was one of the peace builders between Muslims and Christians, he died at a time he was mostly needed. He was always at the forefront; we lost an iroko,” Osu added.

Superior Evangelist, Alao Da-Silva,of the Celestial Church of Christ, Lagos said that Adegbite’s death was a great loss to Nigeria and to the Muslims, and prayed that his soul rest in peace.“He was dedicated to his job, his religion and to Nigeria, so his death is a great loss, we pray for his soul to rest in peace,” Da-silva added.

Adegbite will be buried in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun state today.