Welcoming His Eminence to Southwest Nigeria, by FEMI ABBAS

Preamble

In a few days time, precisely on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, all roads will lead to Iseyin, in Oyo State, where His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, and President General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Dr. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, will be hosted as a special guest by the Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN).

His Eminence’s mission in this region, this time around, is dual.

As the Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, the Sultan will grace the convocation and 70th Founder’s day of that premier citadel of learning. That is on November 17, 2021. But before the convocation, the beloved royal father will be in Iseyin, Oyo State, to commission an historic Islamic Centre to the delight of all and sundry.

His Eminence’s historic visit to that city will be the first ever by any Sultan.

Why Iseyin?

One of the evidences of this Sultan’s magnanimity modestly pouched in humility is to reach out to any part of the country where Muslim communities are available, no matter how remote such communities may be. Since ascending the throne as the Sultan, in 2006, there has been no part of Nigeria that His Eminence has not visited for one reason or another. His coming to Iseyin this time is just one of many trips he has taken to the Southwest to give the Muslim Ummah of this region a sense of togetherness.

Royal Presence in Iseyin

On Monday, the 16th of November, 2021, the people of Iseyin will witness for the first time, the rise of a magnificent royal sun that His Eminence personifies, with its undisputable ability to photosynthesize all the proverbial plants around if spiritually. And, the impact of that photosynthesis will forever remain indelible in the archive of that city.

Symbolic Epitaph

Epitaph is not just an inscription conspicuously placed on the mausoleum of a demised person. It is also a practical symbol of the legacy of the demised, which may continue to serve as a reminder of his/her passage through this ephemeral world. We live in today’s known world to build the foundation of tomorrow’s unknown destination. This means that epitaph, like a valid coin, has two sides. One side is theoretical while the other is practical. The combination of both is what forms the chapters of history in the memory of man. Thus, a practical epitaph emphasizes the role of history as a teacher of teachers, through generations.

Citadel of Glory

The exemplary centre to be commissioned by His Eminence that day is a citadel of glory that will change the course of the history of that city spiritually and psychologically.

The provider of that citadel is Barrister Ahmed Raji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who wants to use the provision of the citadel as a means of correcting a fundamental error that has virtually become perennial in Yoruba land. That error is the judicial system which is incompatible with the practice of Islam in the South West of Nigeria.

This son of the soil, Ahmed Raji had found a sort of abhorrence in the judicial system that compels the dissolution of Muslim marriages by customary courts without any consideration for the Islamic culture that was used in consummating such marriages in the first instance.
Barrister Raji believes that the best way of curbing such anomaly is to provide a legitimate alternative to it. He therefore built a mulyi million naira magnificent court with all necessary facilities, at which all civil conflicts, especially matrimonial disputes among Muslim couples can be settled with statutory Islamic ethos.

The centre also harbours a grandiose Mosque where the Friday prayer (Salatul- Jum’ah) can be observed by large congregations with ease and candour. And, within the vast compound of that Centre is an extra modern library that is capable of guarantying any thorough research of modern standard to the benefit of the Ummah.

Who is Barrister Ahmed Raji?

Barrister Ahmed Raji is not just a Lawyer but a leading Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He is also the Founder/Principal at Ahmed Raji & Co Chambers. At a time, in the current fourth republic, he was appointed by the Federal Government, as a Resident Electoral Commissioner during which he served in five (5) different States for a period of eight years. His expertise and experience extend to diverse and broad areas of practice, including litigation, mediation, arbitration, banking, corporate finance, maritime admiralty, election matters and telecommunications.

Law Practice Experience

As a Lawyer, Barrister Ahmed Raji has practiced for well over 30 years in areas of administrative and constitutional matters; criminal law; debt recovery; and other areas. He was a member of the legal team that successfully defended Nigeria’s National Petroleum Commission (NNPC) in an international arbitration against Petree INC (a US Company). This man is well known for his astute legal approach to client’s cases with keen attention to details and ability to give advice on complex transactions and matters on-the-spot.Barrister Raji is a holder of Masters Degree in Law from King’s College, University of London, UK, where he obtained distinction in Telecoms Law.

Spectacular Cases

As a member of the Consortium of five top law firms constituted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to handle all pre-election and commercial matters on its behalf, Barrister Ahmed Raji has personally been involved in more than 100 cases at trial and Appellate Courts. He has also played a key role in arbitrations arising from agreements touching some Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) and Oil Prospecting Licenses (OPLs). He represents private individuals, government agencies and corporate bodies in a wide-range of transactions and matter.

Besides, Barrister Ahmed Raji has led lawyers in his firm and other reputable law firms in high profile cases including criminal matters and various civil suits. His practice has exposed him to the intricate workings of the Telecom industry and regulatory agencies generally. He is a Certified Capital Market Solicitor and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).

Dedication

With a very solid Islamic background, Ahmed Raji believes that one major way of showing gratitude to the Almighty Allah for His bounties is to facilitate a legacy that can benefit people intellectually and spiritually, hence the building of the Centre which he is dedicating to his mother.
That the unique Centre is to be commissioned by His Eminence is a way of authenticating good deed as an encouragement. We pray the Almighty Allah to repose Barrister Ahmed Raji’s mother in eternal bliss. Amin!

First published in Femi Abbas’ column, The Message, by The Nation of Friday 12 November, 2021.