Born on Yawmul-‘ithnayn the 12th of Rabii’ul-‘Awwal 1358AH (Monday 1st May 1939CE) in Badagry, brought up by Sabalinat Omope (the 1st Iyaloja of Badagry, lived with his Ogunlola (the only son of the 1st Iyaloja of Badagry.
He attended Ansaarud-diin primary school Badagry (where the uncle was the headmaster in 1945). He moved with the latter to Ansaarud-diin primary school Otta when he was transferred, where he completed his primary education. Madam Shaakirah-his uncle’s wife played a major role in his upbringing. Though was offered admission at Methodist Boy’s High and King’s college Lagos at the same time, his uncle preferred that he chose King’s college. He attended the prestigious University of lbadan where he was the president of the Muslim students society from 1962 to 1964. He was at the same time the president of the Nucleus (a powerful social cultural society in UI then). He later became the Chairman of New Student Orientation Committee which made him interact with the university authority. He became known to the then VC (professor Dike) when he invited the late prime minister of Nigeria (Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa) in his capacity as the MSS president, to open the new MSS and University mosque,an information the school authority got to know only on receiving the security report of the proposed visit. The prime minister eventually came a singular event that made the MSS and University committee feel deeply honored.
He succeeded Brother Kola Mustafa as the MSS national president in 1964 and handed over to late brother AbdurRazzaaq Solaja from Ikorodu in 1966. He was employed by Pfizer (a leading phamarceutical company in Ikeja) when he graduated in 1965. He joined UNILAG college of medicine as a research assistant in 1967 and rose after many years to the post of a senior lecturer. He was at the Miami-Florida University USA for his PHD where he became the deputy Imaam of the university Muslim community (the Imaam was a Sudanese-Hassan El-Beely, who later became a chief justice in Sudan). He became the chief Imaam at the departure of the Imaam in 1977. He returned to his duty post in UNILAG college of medicine in 1978/79. Professor Jibril Aminu (former VC UNIMAID) invited him to to University of Maiduguri in 1983 (as an associate professor). He joined the university of Khartoum Sudan in 1989 as a professor of Biochemistry-Hassan El-Beely facilitated it. His words in 1990: “I found this place very friendly and accommodating and also Islamic,so I thought one of the things to achieve is to get Nigerian Youths to come and study here through ISGON”.
At his burial yesterday at Badagry Muslim cemetery, professor Amidu O. Sanni- the vice Chancellor, fountain University Osogbo was present with us where he referred to the above: “He initiated in 2004 the forum of Muslim professors in Lagos to serve as a think tank to assist Muslims in power and accademics, and his house in Gbagada was a rendeavous of all intellectuals. Through his inspiring leadership and commitment to human capital development, many young Muslims got scholarship in Sudan through the Islamic study group of Nigeria (ISGON) which he led for decades”. Professor Amidu further described him as a foremost scientist, jihadist and lover of young ones whose life was dedicated to Islaam, humanity and unity.
He returned to Nigeria with his family members after 6 eventful years in Sudan (Dr. Mrs. Haliimah AbdulKariim-who he went with-and Hajia Awaatif AbdulKariim-a Sudanese that he married while there and his children). Professor Fatiu Akesode (the then LASU VC) invited him to LASU college of medicine in lkeja, he joined as a visiting professor in 1999 and left in2006. While at LASU,he was the Imaam of the the Muslim community between 2000 and 2006,he led the community to commence the construction of the current teaching hospital big mosque. He voluntarily retired from active service in 2006 and became fully engaged in Da’wati activities- majorly in Lagos and Osun axis.
Icon of Knowledge, Professor Abdul Kareem Hussain Akande is Dead
He was in llobu by an arrangement with his late friend Kola Rufai-who was a son of the soil- just to come and establish an Islamic center where elderly one can learn how to read the Qur’aan and some rudiments of Islamic knowledge. I was personally involved then. There was a time he migrated to llorin and settled there. When he was asked why he took that decision, he said he loved to die in llorin so that he could be buried in the llorin Muslim cemetery. After some years in llorin,he migrated to Osogbo on request by some Da’wah groups. Until a time when his family members insisted that he move back to Lagos,it was migration from one town to the other in pursuit of da’wah.
I know Baba had 4 wives, the mother of his 2 eldest sons (Ibraahiim who works with the Transport for London, England,UK and Jibriil-an IT consultant in the North Eastern part of London,in the United kingdom), Dr. Mrs. Haliimah AbdulKariim(the mother of Barakah, ‘UbaydatuLlaah and Mujaahid,Hajia Awaatif AbdulKariim, the Sudanese who Allaah did to her what He did to ‘Aaishah bintu AbiiBakri (radiyaLlaahu ‘anhuma) and the fourth that was married in a Ramadaan-which l attended but can’t remember her name now (may Allaah bless them all).
Professor Hussain Akande AbdulKariim’s driving force was a strong faith in Allaah-the Almighty. He doesn’t loose hope, he was very knowledgeable,full of wisdom, transparently honest, well decorated with humility, an obedient servant of Allaah, a courageous struggler, an epitome of faithfulness, patient at adversaries, very selfless and generous,lover of young and old,an embodiment of ascetism and a symbol of qaalaLlaahu waqaalarRasuul (Allaah says and the prophet says).
Dr. Fazaaz Muhammad Ballo,Dr. Bilqiis Alatishe-Muhammad, Dr. AbdulHakiim M.O., Dr. Shaakirah Balogun, Bashiir A. Bakare of Eckleapse Communications, Abdul-‘Aziiz Babalola of National Pension Commission and Na’iimah Dabiri of Voice of Nigeria are among the beneficiaries of the Islamic study group of Nigeria (ISGON) scholarship program.
He was in this vain world for 85 years, 2 months and 11days (by the Islamic calendar that he lived by and propagated throughout his life). May Allaah accept his return,grant him a high place in the Jannah and pave the way for us to have a fulfilled life that will guarantee a good end, aamiin.
Ishaaq Muhammad Jaamiu writes from Osogbo. 23rd Jumaadal-‘uula 1443AH (27th December 2021CE).
