It’s exactly 6 years today that late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao died. On July 8, 2016, two years after his demise, Professor Afis Oladosu, who is now dean of the faculty of arts at the University of Ibadan, wrote the tribute below.

In the Name of the Almighty, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“A generous person is close to God, close to Paradise, close to people, and far from Hell. However, a miserly person is far from God, far from Paradise, far from people, but close to Hell. God loves more an ignorant man, who is generous than a worshiper who is miserly.” -Prophet Muhammad.

Brethren, it was on Monday. I had gone to the city centre in pursuit of life and living; I left the ‘sanity’ in the academy for the city centre to deliver the message of the Almighty. Each time I ventured into the city, I am always prepared for the known and the unknown; I usually guide my loins in expectation of good, the bad and the ugly. But I had not gone far enough when I found myself in a traffic hold-up. I looked at my wrist-watch. Time was some minutes after 4 p.m.

There was no escape route. Then I remember that the city is in the festival mood; the Id al-Fitr was a couple of hours away. The roads had become occupied. I mean occupied.

Traffic was simply heavy. It felt as if the whole city was migrating either away from itself or into itself. It felt the whole city had congregated at that particular moment and on that particular road whose cry for reconstruction would probably be heard when the village headmaster gets a third-term in office! Wait a minute. Granting second-term in office to their Excellencies is like giving a man the opportunity to eat the ‘forbidden fruit’ twice.

Excepting for one or two former governors, whenever they find themselves in office for the ‘second time’, these “Excellencies” become authoritative; they become authoritarian. They punish the masses with under-performance and for making the mistake of casting their ballots for them for the second time!

After close to thirty minutes, luck smiled on me. The road suddenly became open to traffic. But it was only for a moment. Soon there was a grid-lock again. But where I now found myself was close to a spot where I could make a detour and escape from what was proving to be a ‘hell’ on the road. Quickly, I sought an escape. The small road that I took led me to that section of the city where the rich constantly cry. It is the suburban; the city within the city. There the rich constantly cry.

There the rich live in barbed-wired encampments; in walled dwellings which remind you of the wall Donald Trump dreams of building between the US and Mexico. In that part of the city, the rich live in mansions whose entrances are reminiscent of gated quarters of the prison yards. There the rich live as if in an asylum; they live completely quartered away from having close contact with the ordinary masses. Soon, I found myself on the road that led directly to the house of the former popular Muslim philanthropist, the former ‘king’ behind the ‘kings’, the former power behind the powerful- late Alhaj Abdul Azeez Arisekola Alao (d. 2013).

Brethren, when Alhaji Arisekola Alao was alive, there were two types of security walls around his then sprawling mansion in the city: the physical and the human. The physical comprised iron and steel. It was made up of concrete and sheet. It consisted of guns and bullets. The human, on the other hand, could be divided into two: the security detail and the ‘insecure’ detail- the pauperized legion of hangers-on featuring professional and unprofessional beggars, loafers, lazy denizens and occupiers of the periphery of life. When he was alive, the visitor would get to know of the presence of Alhaji Arisekola Alao in the mansion not so much by the presence of the security details, but by the convergence of the poor and the needy at the gate to the mansion.

Thus when I passed by the mansion a couple of days ago, it was like a passage through history. Neither the security details nor the insecure ‘details’ were there anymore. The gates were firmly under lock. But I noticed the presence of new occupiers at the entrance to the mansion. From a distance, I noticed gradual take-over of the mansion by its real owner-Time. Weeds had begun to grow on the terraces which used to shine and shone like the lights in the Haram in Makkah.

Then I asked myself: where are the friends of the former strong-man of Yorubaland? Where are those who, unless they came to him, life had neither pleasure nor treasure? Where are those who thought that without him, life was simply impossible? Alhaji’s mansion has now become a haunting space: a space lacking in mistress and master; a mansion with doors that none now open nor closes but the wind. The only dinner that seems to be taking place in the mansion now, from the point of contemplation outside the walls, would probably be that of ants and termites.

Brethren, I thought the best mansion we could and should build after-all, is that which time would not and cannot destroy. It is the mansion of piety and righteousness. Somebody asked: “What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” I ask: of what use is the dwelling that would not guarantee eternal life and eternity? If indeed Alhaji Arisekola had fans and friends while on earth, it should grieve them to discover that his estate is fast becoming a ‘mansion’ for termites and rodents.
https://www.e-nigeriang.com/termites-devour-arisekola-alao-s-multi-million-mansion/

What happened to his children?

bigtt76:
What happened to his children?

You will discover that they live for their followers than take care of their immediate family.

So sad!

Vanity upon vanity

His business

life!!

wicked termites after devouring him; they turned on the mansion he left behind, ehn?
the children also deserted the house. if he had built real legacies like a university, his name would live on. Not bad that edifice in New Bodija, Ibadan should be taken over by government and be used as children hospital or a school like Institute of Vanities and Wastages Among Black Race, my opinion.

eNIGERIANG:
It’s exactly 6 years today that late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao died. On July 8, 2016, two years after his demise, Professor Afis Oladosu, who is now dean of the faculty of arts at the University of Ibadan, wrote the tribute below.

In the Name of the Almighty, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“A generous person is close to God, close to Paradise, close to people, and far from Hell. However, a miserly person is far from God, far from Paradise, far from people, but close to Hell. God loves more an ignorant man, who is generous than a worshiper who is miserly.” -Prophet Muhammad.

Brethren, it was on Monday. I had gone to the city centre in pursuit of life and living; I left the ‘sanity’ in the academy for the city centre to deliver the message of the Almighty. Each time I ventured into the city, I am always prepared for the known and the unknown; I usually guide my loins in expectation of good, the bad and the ugly. But I had not gone far enough when I found myself in a traffic hold-up. I looked at my wrist-watch. Time was some minutes after 4 p.m.

There was no escape route. Then I remember that the city is in the festival mood; the Id al-Fitr was a couple of hours away. The roads had become occupied. I mean occupied.

Traffic was simply heavy. It felt as if the whole city was migrating either away from itself or into itself. It felt the whole city had congregated at that particular moment and on that particular road whose cry for reconstruction would probably be heard when the village headmaster gets a third-term in office! Wait a minute. Granting second-term in office to their Excellencies is like giving a man the opportunity to eat the ‘forbidden fruit’ twice.

Excepting for one or two former governors, whenever they find themselves in office for the ‘second time’, these “Excellencies” become authoritative; they become authoritarian. They punish the masses with under-performance and for making the mistake of casting their ballots for them for the second time!

After close to thirty minutes, luck smiled on me. The road suddenly became open to traffic. But it was only for a moment. Soon there was a grid-lock again. But where I now found myself was close to a spot where I could make a detour and escape from what was proving to be a ‘hell’ on the road. Quickly, I sought an escape. The small road that I took led me to that section of the city where the rich constantly cry. It is the suburban; the city within the city. There the rich constantly cry.

There the rich live in barbed-wired encampments; in walled dwellings which remind you of the wall Donald Trump dreams of building between the US and Mexico. In that part of the city, the rich live in mansions whose entrances are reminiscent of gated quarters of the prison yards. There the rich live as if in an asylum; they live completely quartered away from having close contact with the ordinary masses. Soon, I found myself on the road that led directly to the house of the former popular Muslim philanthropist, the former ‘king’ behind the ‘kings’, the former power behind the powerful- late Alhaj Abdul Azeez Arisekola Alao (d. 2013).

Brethren, when Alhaji Arisekola Alao was alive, there were two types of security walls around his then sprawling mansion in the city: the physical and the human. The physical comprised iron and steel. It was made up of concrete and sheet. It consisted of guns and bullets. The human, on the other hand, could be divided into two: the security detail and the ‘insecure’ detail- the pauperized legion of hangers-on featuring professional and unprofessional beggars, loafers, lazy denizens and occupiers of the periphery of life. When he was alive, the visitor would get to know of the presence of Alhaji Arisekola Alao in the mansion not so much by the presence of the security details, but by the convergence of the poor and the needy at the gate to the mansion.

Thus when I passed by the mansion a couple of days ago, it was like a passage through history. Neither the security details nor the insecure ‘details’ were there anymore. The gates were firmly under lock. But I noticed the presence of new occupiers at the entrance to the mansion. From a distance, I noticed gradual take-over of the mansion by its real owner-Time. Weeds had begun to grow on the terraces which used to shine and shone like the lights in the Haram in Makkah.

Then I asked myself: where are the friends of the former strong-man of Yorubaland? Where are those who, unless they came to him, life had neither pleasure nor treasure? Where are those who thought that without him, life was simply impossible? Alhaji’s mansion has now become a haunting space: a space lacking in mistress and master; a mansion with doors that none now open nor closes but the wind. The only dinner that seems to be taking place in the mansion now, from the point of contemplation outside the walls, would probably be that of ants and termites.

Brethren, I thought the best mansion we could and should build after-all, is that which time would not and cannot destroy. It is the mansion of piety and righteousness. Somebody asked: “What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” I ask: of what use is the dwelling that would not guarantee eternal life and eternity? If indeed Alhaji Arisekola had fans and friends while on earth, it should grieve them to discover that his estate is fast becoming a ‘mansion’ for termites and rodents.
https://www.e-nigeriang.com/termites-devour-arisekola-alao-s-multi-million-mansion/

u just wan use us write big and many many English....Nha lie u dey lie..Nothing do Alhaji house. .I live opposite Alhaji house so mind what you write next time.Oniro oshi!

bigtt76:
What happened to his children?

Seems he was the person that disowned his children, asked the government to take over the school and willed his money $50k each to his driver and cook. He said they were more useful to him than his children.

Professors na wa o! You no just talk say weeds, termites and ants don chop the house... Na big grammar dem sabi... Solve our socioeconomic issues... For wey!

Very true. He may even had willed all his cash to the less privileged while the children gets nothing but an estate incurring liabilities

okomile:



You will discover that they live for their followers than take care of their immediate family.

So sad!

Vanity upon vanity

Ooh wao! They should've sued him naaa, abi dem beg am to use hin preeek summon dem to this world?

Ijawwomaninoyo:


Seems he was the person that disowned his children, asked the government to take over the school and willed his money $50k each to his driver and cook. He said they were more useful to him than his children.

bigtt76:
Ooh wao! They should've sued him naaa, abi dem beg am to use hin preeek summon dem to this world?

His Will revealed that, that's what he wrote in his Will. His wife died 8 days before him.

This termites must be brought to book...

Such is life!

bigtt76:
What happened to his children?

All in Diaspora

That professor wrote absolute nonsense if you ask me.

Wey the termite pics

Arisekola's kids are mostly doing fine all thanks to subsidy deals, truth is nobody wants to leave in an empty cold mansion of your father in ashi bodija, when you can reside in the best best part of Ibadan, lagos , Abuja and Nigeria

yeah the vanity upon vanity crew needs something to wail on, but trust me, the Arisekola's family are doing far great, as they are deeply rooted in both onshore and offshore oil trades

.

bigtt76:
What happened to his children?

He probably willed it to one of his kids, dt one probably lives abroad & cant ever live in nigeria. Also he can't sell it cos the rest of the family will FIGHT him/her for selling their family house.


We need proper real estate planning laws in this country. Our cultural norms is part of what is making our cities undeveloped. There are so many abandoned 'family houses' like these, all over cities in Nigeria. Rotting & no one can sell them.

KingAzubuike:
That professor wrote absolute nonsense if you ask me.

Your ignorance is suffocating

The Dean of faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan did not write this.

If only Nigerians (political leaders and followers alike) will understand this, naked and alone we came to this world naked and alone we shall leave it, people will see the pointlessness of robbing your neighbor just to acquire things you’ll eventually leave behind.

A wiseman once said to me, a good name is better than gold. Funny thing is most people think stealing from another to give little to a few can earn you a good name. But that’s just the tax you pay for hurting your own conscience.

A good name lasts longer than gold, it never tarnishes.
It doesn’t come by giveaways, or a multitude of instagram likes, a good name is an address on a street with buildings that never crumble because it resides in a grateful heart and lives on in those that come after you’re gone.

The fools gather wealth without knowing who will spend it. Vanity upon vanity

Fake story fa

He contributed his own quota to humanity, he gave a building to Muslim corpers in Agodi GRA as a lodge(i lived there during my service year), imagine the rewards being churned out for him even after his death for that selfless act...He was a great man

bigtt76:
What happened to his children?

No wealth transfer

MightySparrow:
wicked termites after devouring him; they turned on the mansion he left behind, ehn?
the children also deserted the house. if he had built real legacies like a university, his name would live on. Not bad that edifice in New Bodija, Ibadan should be taken over by government and be used as children hospital or a school like Institute of Vanities and Wastages Among Black Race, my opinion.

You too would die sooner than you think. And then what becomes of your 'legacy'? The few well-worn boxers you leave behind would end up as one Okada rider's bike washcloth, while your 'credentials' would end up as wrapper for akara and suya.

So there you have it, vanity is vanity. There are no small or big measures to it.

Hedonisco:


You too would die sooner than you think. And then what becomes of your 'legacy'? The few well-worn boxers you leave behind would end up as one Okada rider's bike washcloth, while your 'credentials' would end up as wrapper for akara and suya.

So there you have it, vanity is vanity. There are no small or big measures to it.

Vanities are in degrees. (by his grace god has promoted me beyond okada) Igbinedion University, Oni and Sons children hospital. if you know this mansion, the mansion of Mai Deribe in Maiduguri. The white like Henry Ford foundation, Rockifeller, Bill and Melinda Gates. Where is MKO Abiola's or Arisekola's foundations. And, there millions of such scattered all over black communites .

OP why did you add Edo and Delta state to his title? When did Bendel become part of Yoruba Chieftaincy title?