IN the quiet, reflective sanctuary of the Bab Salaam Orphanage Home in Lagos last Sunday, it was a gathering of gratitude as religious leaders, legal luminaries, politicians, academics and well-wishers gathered for a special dua for the 60th birthday of senior advocate, scholar and public servant, Dr. Muiz Adeyemi Banire, SAN.

The choice of venue, an orphanage established by the late Chief Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo lent a deep spiritual weight to the gathering.

The occasion served as both an altar of thanksgiving and a springboard for a lasting legacy project undertaken by the celebrant at the facility.

The spiritual exercise commenced under the auspices of the League of Imams and Alfas, led by the Chief Imam of Lagos State, Sheikh Sulaiman Oluwatoyin Abou-Nolla (represented by Imam Saaba).

Following the solemn prayers, the entire Holy Quran was recited for the celebrant.

Delivering the main sermon, the National Missioner of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdurrahman Ahmad, anchored his reflection on Surah Ad-Duha (Chapter 93 of the Holy Quran), the chapter of divine comfort and bright tomorrows.

Reframing the attainment of three-score years not as an evening of life but as its true dawn, Sheikh Ahmad urged Banire to look forward with unwavering optimism.

“At 60, it’s the beginning of life, so they say,” the scholar exhorted. “Your tomorrow, by Allah’s grace, will be better for you than your todays.”

Drawing attention to the celebrant’s character, Sheikh Ahmad noted that uprightness in a turbulent world is itself a divine mercy. “In spite of your being very gentle, Allah sustained you. You didn’t get lost. You didn’t follow the crowd to do anything. Allah guided you to protect your name and your integrity.”

The Chairman of the Occasion, Professor Is-Haq Oloyede, brought a sobering sermon on the transience of worldly positions and material wealth. Reflecting on his own decade of public service, the former JAMB Registrar called on the congregation to engage in rigorous self-examination.

“Every position has its end,” Oloyede admonished, warning against the spiritual poison of arrogance and unbridled consumption. “If you are stealing, you are lying, you are corrupting” he urged, reminding the faithful that truthfulness remains the bedrock of all righteousness.

Asked whether Banire stands as a role model, Oloyede was unequivocal: “There is no dispute about that. He has made significant contributions to the development of not just Nigeria, but humanity in general.”

The gathering drew warm tributes from across Nigeria’s professional and political landscape, each speaker highlighting a different facet of the celebrant’s life:

Lagos State Attorney General, Lawal Pedro, SAN: Welcomed his birthday twin (both born October 6) and fellow Lagos Island indigene into the “Diamond League,” praising Banire as an energetic, forthright confidant across government, academia and the bar.

Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu (Ogun Central), likened Banire to a diamond for his resilience, highlighting his contributions to Property Law at the University of Lagos and his transformative tenure as Lagos Commissioner for Transportation and Environment.

Alhaji Imam Habibullahi Muhammad Thawfeeq (Shitta Bey Mosque), described Banire as a God-fearing advocate who prefers repairing broken reputations to tearing them down.

Good wishes were also delivered by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule; MUSWEN President, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo; Barrister Musibau Oyefeso and business mogul, Alhaji Chief Tajudeen Owoyemi. Adding a human dimension, Executive Secretary of the MIND Foundation for Development, Sulaimon Olokodana, noted that the legacy project unveiled at the orphanage was designed to be a permanent stream of Sadaqah Jariyah (ongoing charity).

This sentiment was echoed by Banire’s wife, Mrs. Jemilat Olufunmilayo Banire, Founder of the Rhesus Solution Initiative. “60 is not the end of the journey; it is another beautiful beginning,” she affirmed, describing her husband’s quiet determination, love for justice and deep devotion to his family.

When Dr. Muiz Banire took the podium, it was not to claim personal credit, but to return all glory to the Almighty. Citing Chapter 55, Verse 13 of the Quran—“Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny?), he described Islam as the sole architect of his life’s path.

“Whatever that we have become today, or we are today, is courtesy of Islam, nothing else,” he stated.

Banire fondly recalled how the late Chief Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo used to subsidize Ramadan meals for Muslim students at UNILAG, a gesture that inspired Banire’s own lifelong commitment to funding Ramadan iftar at the university mosque.

Concluding his address with a call to spiritual revival, the Senior Advocate challenged the ummah and its leadership to strip away worldly distractions: “Let’s go back to the basics. Let’s tell them who Allah is, the power of Allah.”