Thirty years after his demise, a highly placed business tycoon, philanthropist, and community-concerned leader, the late Alhaji Zakariya Olumo, was again remembered by children, relatives, friends, and community members with a special Fidau.
The Islamic-based event, held at the popular Olumo Family House at Idiape, Akodudu, Ilorin, last Thursday was blessed by prominent Imams, revered Islamic scholars, family members, and people from all walks of life.
Delivering a thought-provoking sermon at the prayer session, Khalifa Muminu Oniwasi Adua, who extolled the virtues of the late Alhaji Zakariya Olumo, called on Muslims to uphold the principles of Islam and make the Holy Quran and the Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) their guide in life.
The Islamic cleric emphasised the importance of observing the five daily Islamic prayers regularly and on time, fostering harmonious relationships among family members and the community, being one’s brother’s keeper and helping the needy, and embodying the spirit of empathy and generosity towards neighbours.
He said that anyone who lives with the fear of Allah and follows the teachings of Islam will gain mercy, blessings, and bountiful rewards from the Almighty, adding that such adherents will be favoured with paradise by Allah.
The scholar, who prayed for Allah to continue to grant the late Zakariya Olumo Aljanat Firdaus, confirmed that the deceased lived an impressive life worthy of emulation.
According to Khalifa Adua, the late Olumo spent his God-given fortune in the way of Allah by donating his resources to the upliftment of mosques and the community, and by helping family members and relatives, recalling that his generosity was second to none.
While calling on Muslims to emulate his virtues, he specifically admonished his children and relatives to sustain and continue to nurture the legacy left behind by their beloved late father.
In the same vein, the Fidau coordinating cleric and Imam of Idiape, Alhaji Bashir Solihu, advised Muslim faithful to shun attitudes that could prevent them from finding the mercy of Allah. He reminded people that death is inevitable and a certainty for all mortals.
He admonished people to always prepare for death by adhering to good deeds and guiding their actions and activities by the tenets of Islam and the Hadith, as exhibited by the late Olumo during his lifetime.
Alhaji Solihu reminisced, recalling that the late Zakariya Olumo used his wealth to propagate Islam and improve the welfare of people close to him.
“Alhaji Zakariya Olumo was a generous person. I remember that he was one of the first to donate modern sets of public address systems to the Ilorin Central Mosque in the 1980s.
“He was a staunch lover of his family members, relatives, and friends. He made a significant impact in making life meaningful for people around him. He was never tired of spending his wealth to make other people happy,” the imam informed the attendees.
The imam supplicated to Allah to forgive his misdeeds and reward his good deeds with Aljanat Firdaus, the highest-ranking paradise, and to guide his surviving children towards embracing Islam wholeheartedly.
Meanwhile, in an interview with journalists shortly after the prayer session, Alhaja Afusat Olalonpe Oyebode, the second daughter of the deceased, said their father was a distinguished human being who spent his life comforting people, ensuring the wellbeing of his community, and propagating Islam.
Further reacting to the question, “Who was the late Alhaji Zakariya Olumo?” Afusat said her father was a disciplined, upright, empathetic, and industrious person who committed himself wholeheartedly to the service of humanity.
She said his love for education and moral adherence was uncommon, as he was able to give all his children a sound education and, by extension, helped children of others who benefitted from his sponsorship and impactful support.
“Apart from his educational gestures, Daddy loved his people and shared his fortune with his family, relatives, and friends. I remember that when Eid al-Adha was approaching, he would purchase a large number of rams and distribute them to people so they could be happy and enjoy the celebration like himself. His compassion and love for others were unparalleled,” Oyebode explained.
“My father was also a man of honour, dignity, and integrity who taught us to always be honest and never lie, even in moments of adversity or threat. He often admonished us to be truthful in all circumstances, regardless of who and what is involved,” Afusat Olalonpe Oyebode narrated.
According to her, the inspiring legacy he left for his children included education, moral upliftment, honesty, dignity, transparency, integrity, and fear of Allah.
Afusat, a retired director of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said her siblings are not paying lip service to the legacy left behind by their late breadwinner and father, as they have been committed to entrenching his virtues through upholding and nurturing his belief in serving God and humanity.
She noted that all her brothers and sisters are not only embracing the legacy with passion but are already passing their father’s worthy lifestyle to their own children, saying, “Olumo’s children have since been emulating the good virtues of their grandfather.”
On a lighter note, she narrated that he was a man of fashion who was conscious of his outfits, ensuring that he wore moderately expensive attire with neatness and decency. She added that he was also fond of riding the latest expensive cars in town, befitting the wealthy businessman that he was.
Corroborating what Afusat Olalonpe Oyebode narrated, the Magaji of the Olumo family, Alhaji Umaru Olumo, in a separate interview with newsmen, said his late uncle, Zakariya Olumo, was a very kind man who generously supported all members of his family and the community without expecting anything in return.
The Magaji described the deceased as a humanist, compassionate, friendly, generous, and beloved community man who would forever be remembered by his people.
“We all miss him, but we thank Allah that the family he left behind is doing very well, as his children are faithfully propagating his legacy.
“My sincere prayer is that Allah continues to shower His heavenly blessings on him and forever protect and prosper his children and the entire family succeeding him in life,” Alhaji Umaru expressed.
Meanwhile, he appreciated all categories of attendees who graced the Fidau, thanking Islamic clerics, community leaders, family members, and friends for their love for the late Zakariya Olumo.