Yesterday, a special commemorative event was held at the GRA residence in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, in memory of the late Governor Alhaji Mohammed Lawal. The former Governor, who served from 1999 to 2003 under the All People’s Party (APP), passed away 17 years ago.
During the event, which was filled with heartfelt reflections, religious leaders offered prayers to honor the late governor’s lasting legacy and significant contributions to Kwara State.
The prayer service was led by the Chief Imam of Idi-Ape, Alhaji Adisa Imam.
Distinguished guests in attendance included Magaji Are of Ilorin, Alhaji Aremu Zubair, Magaji Ile Isokun, Alhaji Aliu Olanrewaju, Baba Isale of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdulahi Sodiq, Magaji Alalubosa, Alhaji Yahaya Olorunisomo, Magaji Orisankoko, Alhaji Mustapha Orisankoko, former Kwara State ANPP Chairman, Alhaji Abiodun Usman, former Chief of Staff at Government House, Ilorin, Alhaji Olowojare, former Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Isa Malete, and Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Ariwoola.
During his brief sermon, Mallam Lukman Isalekoto praised the late Mohammed Lawal as a truly devout Muslim, unlike others who only claim to be Muslim for the sake of appearances.
He specifically highlighted Lawal’s dedication to spreading Islam through his generous contributions, such as the impressive mosque he built, which served as the location for the prayer session. Mallam Lukman pointed out that Lawal could have used the funds allocated for the mosque to construct ten different filling stations if he had desired.
Additionally, Mallam Lukman recalled Lawal’s time as the Military Governor of Ogun state, where he requested the presence of Islamic clerics to lead “tafsir” sessions at the Government House in Abeokuta during Ramadan.
This was a departure from Lawal’s previous practice of attending “tafsir” sessions at the MARKAZ Agege in Lagos.
Mallam Lukman Isalekoto also encouraged affluent individuals to participate in endeavors that will leave a lasting memory of their impact on society before departing from this world, emphasizing the importance of creating a philanthropic legacy.
In addition to urging the offspring of the previous governor to ensure the completion of the mosque construction project, he also advised Mallam Hakeem Lawal, the eldest son of the former governor, to consider exploring other elective positions after attempting the governorship twice.
