– Unveils 429-page autobiography on Sunday
– Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat, El-Rufai, Pantami to grace occasion
Renowned scholar and Islamic rights activist in Nigeria, Prof. Lakin Akintola, will on Monday, July 10, 2023 retire from the services of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, after spending 39 illustrious years in the institution.
Muslim News gathered that Akintola, who is a Professor of Islamic Eschatology, will clock the age of 70 on the same day, necessitating his retirement as an accomplished academic.
Popular in the country for his relentless agitations for Muslim rights, Professor Akintola, founder of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), was among the twelve (12) Hijab advocates that won the Nigerian Muslim Personality of the Year 2021, an award organised by Muslim News, Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic Newspaper.
In commemoration of his retirement, an event is billed to hold on Sunday, July 9, featuring the unveiling of his 429-page autobiography titled: ‘My Jihad: The Autobiography of an Islamic Eschatologist cum Human Rights Activist’.
An array of personalities including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; immediate past Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; immediate past Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami will grace the 2-in-1 event.
Other dignitaries expected are: Oluwo of Iwo Kingdom, HRM, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi; Oniba of Iba, HRM, Oba Adesina Sulaimon Raji, Chief Imam of Lagos State Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Nolla; Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole; Mallam Yusuf Ola-Olu Ali, SAN (chairman); President, Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, and the hostess, Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello.
Speaking with Muslim News on Friday, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr. Busari Muhammad, said the event would take place at LTV 8, Ikeja, Lagos State by 10 am.
According to him, the ceremonies will commence with a review of the book by the Vice Chancellor of Ahman Pategi University (APU), Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji.
He added, “We have set up mechanisms for the past two to three months towards the realisation of the day. Our committee has engaged professionals in various aspects of organisations, ranging from the hall to be used, the decors, the guests, the organisations, the scholars and so on, even the involvement of the media in the programme. We have done our bit and we expect that the programme will be successful.”
Professor Akintola joined the services of LASU in 1984, barely a year after the university was established by the late former Lagos State Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Muhammad stated.
He added that the MURIC director started as an Assistant Lecturer and rose through the ranks to become a Full Professor. He had his inaugural lecture at LASU in 2018.
“He is a well-known scholar and Islamic activist who has fought vehemently for the restoration of Muslim hope and Muslim rights in Nigeria. He is also an advocate of peace and humanity. He has defended humanity in general.
“He was once the Head of the Department of Religion at LASU. He has been the Dean of the Faculty of Arts. He has also headed many committees at the university.
“If I could remember some years ago, he was the Chairman of the Security Committee of LASU who oversaw the security of the lives and property of the students and the lecturers of the university and he did it meritoriously.
“He belongs to many academic and voluntary organisations. He is a member of the Nigeria Association of Teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies (NATAIS) and some other important organisations.
“He also belongs to Sharif Guard in Nigeria. He is a member of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. He is also a member of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria. His academic background made him belong to many great organisations.”
The Chairman of the planning committee said by Monday 10th of July, 2023, Prof. Lakin Akintola would be 70 years old, which is the statutory age of retirement as a lecturer in Nigeria.
“And he would have spent 39 years in service by that time. And for us, we strongly believe he has paid his dues as a lecturer,” he added.
“As a lecturer and mentor, who has managed and produced many mentees academically, he has hundreds of students who have passed through him as undergraduates and he has supervised their long essays. He has hundreds of students who have also passed through him as masters students through the writing of their dissertations.
“Also he has dozens of students enrolled by LASU who are put under his care as a supervisor for their Ph.D. theses.
“Alhamdulilah today, he has produced 9 Ph.D. graduates who have excelled in their various fields. I will give you an example. Out of these 9 Ph.D. graduates, three of them are professors today; two are in LASU and one is in EKSU. Also among them (the PhD graduates) there is one that is presently serving as Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary in Lagos State and she is a woman.
“By retiring on that day, he has the cause to thank Allah for allowing him serve humanity academically and otherwise and as he is retiring, we pray that Almighty Allah continues to be with him.”
The autobiography
The autobiography of Professor Lakin Akintola would be unveiled at the event.
Titled ‘My Jihad: The Autobiography of an Islamic Eschatologist cum Human Rights Activist’, the 429-page book documents fascinating stories about the retiring Professor Lakin Akintola, including his childhood, education and career.
“The book contains his life story and the lessons to be learnt from chapters one to five. A lot of fascinating stories about Prof. Akintola that are not even known by people, right from where he was born in Ile-Ife in Osun State to where he studied at Ma’adu Elekuro in Ibadan before he became a student at the University of Ibadan where he won a prize for being the best student of Arabic Studies.
Thereafter, his sojourn at Al-Azhar University in Cairo and when he returned to Nigeria. The intrigues of what he encountered after he was enlisted as a teacher under the Teaching Service Commission of Oyo State before he became a lecturer in LASU,” according to Muhammad.
“A lot of hidden information about Prof Akintola would be found in the book and I am imploring the general public to get ready for the launch of the book and have a copy to read. They should also let the children, especially Muslim children read valuable information, lessons to be learnt from the life of Prof. Akintola.
“We pray that Almighty Allah spares his life and grant him long life and prosperity with good health and wealth to continue the good work he is doing for Islam and humanity and Muslims in general.”
