My Reflections on Shaykh Abubakar Agbade’s Life and Legacy, by Bolaji Aladie
As I write this, my heart feels unbearably heavy. The news of the passing of Shaykh Amb. (Dr.) Abubakar Yusuf Ar’Rifah Abayawo Agbade has plunged me into one of the darkest moments of my life. Twenty-five years ago, I lost my biological father, and that wound has never truly healed. Now, it has been torn open afresh by the departure of the man who filled that void in my life—my mentor, my teacher, my guide, and indeed, a father in every sense of the word.
In 1993, my late dad withdrew me from my previous school without any reason given to my mum, only to enrol me at Shaykh Ibrahim Inyass International Nursery and Primary School founded by Baba Agbade, it was at later time of growing up that I realised that my father might had foreseen his limited time with me and decided to place me under the care of a worthy mentor, Shaykh Abubakar Agbade, as he passed on in year 2000, exactly a month from my Primary School graduation. Under Baba Agbade’s guidance, I not only earned my First Leaving School Certificate and Qur’an Completion evidence, but also received a treasure far greater than any certificate: his mentorship, fatherly affection, spiritual guidance, and constant prayers. I grew up shaped by his wisdom and discipline, inspired by his devotion to Allah and his unmatched dedication to knowledge. Being identified as one of his students has always filled me with pride and joy.
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Since his demised was announced Wednesday, 24th of September, I mourn with a pain words cannot describe. For months, I have often dreamt of him. Each time I woke, I fervently prayed that Allah would preserve him longer for us. But Allah has decreed otherwise. That call from home shattered me, confirming my worst fears—that the man I loved and revered as a father has returned to his Creator. Truly, nothing can console me now.
A Towering Figure of Islam and Humanity
Baba Agbade was not only important to me personally; he was monumental to Islam, Sufism, and humanity. As the Grand Khalifah of Tijaniyyah in Kwara State, and one of the foremost leaders of the order in Nigeria, he was widely revered across the nation and respected beyond our shores. His life was a beacon of devotion, knowledge, humility, and service.
He was a devoted disciple of Shaykh Ibrahim Inyass Al-Kaolakh of Senegal. His love for Baye Inyass was so deep that virtually every institution he founded bore his name. He even built a magnificent Central Mosque in Ilorin, Kwara State, designed as a replica of the great mosque in Kaolakh, Senegal. This unique edifice will forever stand as a testament to his devotion and vision.
Through education, he changed the destinies of countless families. He established the Shaykh Ibrahim Inyass Int’l Nursery and Primary School, Markaz Hiyahul Islam, Markaz Tahafizul Qur’an, and the Shaykh Ibrahim Inyass International College, institutions that nurtured both Arabic and Western learning. His model of education blended faith with modernity, producing students who today are leaders, professionals, and faithful Muslims carrying his legacy forward.
His intellectual footprint was vast. He authored many works on Islam, Sufism, and humanity, especially within the Tijaniyyah and Ibrahimiyyah paths. He was also a prolific translator, rendering Arabic texts into native languages and opening the doors of knowledge to wider audiences. He championed Anjemi—the writing of the Yoruba language with the Arabic alphabet, preserving cultural identity through scholarship.
I was privileged to witness his recognition at a national level. Last year, when I was inducted into the Nigerian Institute of Translators and Interpreters (NITI), and this year when Kwara State will host the body’s conference at the University of Ilorin, I seized the opportunity to nominate him for fellowship in the Institute. This was in appreciation of his immense contributions to language, translation, and scholarship. That honor was to be conferred later this year. How painful it is that I will never share with him the joy of that well-deserved recognition.
Baba l’Abayawo was also a convener of unity and spirituality. For over five decades, he organized the Annual Mawlid of Shaykh Ahmad Tijani in Nigeria, a sacred gathering that this year marked its 55th edition just weeks before his passing. Baba Agbade’s voice was always that of peace, reconciliation, and faith. He was a polyglot, even mastering Wolof– a language spoken in Senegal, which deepened his reach across cultures and communities.
My Grief, Our Loss
Baba Agbade’s passing is both a personal wound and a collective tragedy. Personally, I have lost a father, a teacher, and a mentor whose presence anchored me, and whose kindness I can never repay. To our community, we have lost a pillar, a unifier, a scholar of note, and a spiritual guide whose influence extended far beyond our borders.
My heart aches knowing that I will never again sit at his feet, listen to his words of wisdom, or feel the comfort of his fatherly embrace. The silence he leaves behind is deafening. Yet, within that silence, his legacy speaks loudly: it resonates in the schools he built, the books he authored, the institutions he established, the Mawlids he convened, the countless students he mentored, and the peace he preached.
Mawlana Miftahul Wusul, thank you for everything. May Allah, in His infinite mercy, reward all your sacrifices, crown your efforts, and admit you into the highest ranks of Jannatul Firdaus.
Bolaji Aladie writes with grief from Abuja.
