‘Oloso’s delayed professorship, an act of God’

FAMILIES, friends and well wishers of the newly promoted Professor of Islamic Studies, Kamil Oloso, converged on the ancient Central Mosque at Oja’oba in Ibadan to celebrate with him, describing his delayed promotion as divine.

This was at a prayer reception organised by the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) Oyo state chapter in honour of Prof. Kamil Koyejo Oloso of Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan.

In his comment, one of the earlier Professors in the Department, Prof. Saheed Malik thanked Allah for fulfilling his dreams and prayers in his lifetime as he was the only Professor in the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies for 10 years without leave.

Malik said as a staff of University of Ibadan for over 42 years and had been Professor for 27 years, he was happy that the Department now has the full compliments of Professors in both Arabic and Islamic studies.

He reminded Oloso to see his new elevation and delayed professorship as a trial and destiny from Allah as he was long overdue in the last 20 years.

Malik prayed unto Allah to give Oloso the wisdom and good health to enjoy his new position, urging him to continue to inspire others coming behind him.

The chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Bayo Oyero thanked Allah for his benevolence on Oloso by attaining the peak of his academic career in his lifetime and not bagged it posthumously.

Oyero, who is the chairman of Ibadan Muslim Community, described Oloso as a scholar per excellence, saying Allah’s time is the best.

Speaking in the same vein, an Ibadan-based Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Habibulah Buhari, who delivered a short lecture, advised Oloso to remain steadfast and continue to play his leadership role in the community.
Buhari, who prayed for good health of Oloso, said his delayed professorship was a trial for him from Allah, but which he was able to succumb.

Alhaji Ishaq Sanni, Chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo State, recalled the various role played by Oloso in the formation of NACOMYO in Oyo State as well as other Muslim organisations in the state.

Sanni said the Muslim Community was honoured with the elevation of Oloso to the position of Professor, thus joining the league of Muslim Professors produced within the Muslim Community.

Earlier, Alhaji Dawood Afolabi, the NACOMYO Coordinator in Oyo state said the prayer reception was to express the association’s appreciation to Oloso for the unique role he played in the formation and development of the group in the state.

Responding in an emotion-laden voice, Prof. K.K. Oloso, thanked the organisers of the reception for the honour as well as all those who were instrumental to the realisation of his promotion, saying the delayed conferment was Allah’s will.

Quoting extensively from the Holy Qur’an 12 verse 91, Oloso prayed unto Allah not to let those coming behind encounter the difficulties he suffered before attaining the peak of their respective professions.

A prayer session was led by Sheikh Lukman Ahmad with the recitation of the glorious Qur’an with additional prayers by Alhaji Yinka Balogun and Alhaja Sekinah Adekola, Iya Adinni Musulumi of Yorubaland.

Others in attendance were Professors Oloyede Abdulrahman, chief Imam of UI, Afis Oladosu, Ayo Ahmed, Dr. Wole Abbas, Dr. Dawood Alaga, Dr. Junaid Ogundiran, representatives of Chief Imam of Ibadan land, Oloso family and Imam Abdulhakeem Afuye.