…“We’re not bastards; Onikijipa family fights back
…“I don’t have a hand in his illness,” Mufti swears with Holy Quran
By Ishola Balogun
The war between Habeeb Adam Al-Ilori, Mudir of the Markaz Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Agege, Lagos State, and Sheikh Sulaimon Farooq Onikijipa, the Mufti of Ilorin, has escalated into a public feud, with both clerics making accusations and counter-accusations against each other.
With the ensuing deep-seated rivalries and power struggles at play, the conflict has caused divisions within the Markaz group and the wider Islamic community in the South-West, Nigeria. Both clerics are from the same school of thought with a Markazee background under the tutelage of renowned and revered late Sheikh Adam Al-Ilori.
Allegations and Denials
The conflict came to the fore when Habeeb accused Onikijipa of using black magic against him. Habeeb claimed that Onikijipa had dropped the black magic into his pocket to harm him, causing his illness, which has lasted for more than two years now.
Habeeb also said the father of the Mufti of Ilorin, Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa, was not a member of Onikijipa family.
Habeeb, in a viral video, accused a Ramadan Tafsir programme held on Sunday.
Onikijipa vehemently denied the allegations, accusing Habeeb of trying to tarnish his reputation with false accusations.
The transcript of the video goes thus:
“I am starting a discussion on this to vindicate Imam Fulani, who was framed for my sickness. Although I have been advised not to speak on the matter, I insisted. The sickness happened to me in 2022. Two months before it happened, I went to Ilorin for a wedding ceremony at Imam Fulani’s house. I wanted to go pay homage to the Kwara governor alongside Imam when he came. We were at Mudir Makama’s place when he met us, and one of his boys used a handkerchief to rub my neck. He collected the handkerchief from him before the clerics finally collected it from him.
“The second month, I travelled to Belgore’s house for a wedding. I was invited to speak, and honestly, nothing happened to me before I got there. When I got to the event with some other clerics who followed me from Lagos, he had already gotten there before me. He was sitting on the right-hand side of the chair that was allotted to me and was pretending to be welcoming me when I appeared. As we sat, he had already put something in my pocket. Although I didn’t know what it was and we never agreed that he should, because I was putting on ‘Agbada’, I didn’t notice on time.
“When it was time to begin the lecture that I was invited for, I greeted the people present there, and I lost it on the spot. My speech became distorted. Thereafter, some clerics came to my aid. So I ordered that the marriage continue while I observed. Baba Oladimeji Igbaja noticed me and was praying for my well-being. So one of Belgore’s children conveyed me to a private hospital, and I was eventually taken to the Ilorin General Hospital. I couldn’t talk, nor did I lose my consciousness,” he narrated.
Onikijipa reacts
Reacting with emotion, Onikijipa denied the allegation, swearing with the Holy Quran. “I had nothing to do with Habeeb’s illness. I swear with the Quran, if I know anything about Mudir Markaz’s illness, let the curses in this holy book be mine.”
With tears in his eyes, Onikijipa repeated his oath four times, pleading with God to vindicate him. “God, I’m in your house. If I, Sulaimon Faruq, the son of Aminat, know anything about Mudir Markaz’s illness, let the curses in this holy book be mine. I repeat it four times to show my innocence. But if I don’t, and they are framing me up across the world, let the curses be upon them.” Onikijipa said.
Onikijipa’s family blows hot
Spirited words flowed from the Magaji of the Onikijipa compound, Abdulrahman Onikijipa, as he issued a statement on behalf of his family. Titled “No Bastard Among the Onikijipa: A Rejoinder to Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory”, the statement demanded clarity and truth in the face of what they deemed a baseless attack on their family lineage.
At the centre of the controversy lies the assertion made by Sheikh Habeeb, claiming that Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa—the revered Mufty of Ilorin and an esteemed figure in the community—was not a rightful descendant of the Onikijipa lineage. This accusation, the family argued, is nothing short of a deliberate fabrication, aimed at sowing discord within a family that prides itself on its unity. “We are one strong, indivisible family,” Abdulrahman declared, emphasising that such divisions are unwelcome and unfounded.
The Onikijipa family recalled that this isn’t Sheikh Adam’s first attempt to rewrite their history. In a dramatic twist, they claimed he contradicts even his own father’s narratives to bolster his assertions of superiority and knowledge. “He tries to paint a picture that only Alfa Alabi Onikijipa is the original Onikijipa, but the truth is stark,” they stated. Alfa Alabi and Alfa Faruq Onikijipa are brothers, bonded by blood and history.
The family said, “Instead of focusing on spiritual guidance, he turned his attention to us, weaving tales designed to create disunity,” Abdulrahman lamented. “This attack isn’t just false; it’s a betrayal of the very values he professes to uphold.”
“We are compelled to release this statement in view of the recent shenanigans being displayed by Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory. We would not have responded to the story he put up in his head for reasons best known to him, but for the important need to set the record straight so that in the future people will not doubt our history as one strong Onikijipa family.
“This is not the first time this individual has tried to rewrite history, even in explicit contradictions to his father’s narrations, in his usual bid to claim the ‘all-knowing”. He is the only one who can help us understand the reasons for doing that. As far as we are concerned, he is just being mischievous.
“On Friday, 22nd of Ramadan, Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory informed his listeners that he wanted to attack the Onikijipa family. During his daily tafsir, he went astray to attack our family in his usual manner, an attempt to create disunity among us. But for his information, we are one strong, indivisible family.
“There are some points that need to be addressed. Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory claimed that our illustrious son, Sheikh Suleiman Faruq Onikijipa, the grand Mufti of Ilorin, is angry with Sheikh Adam Al-Ilory, Habibullah’s father, because the sheikh did not mention Sheikh Suleiman Faruq’s father in his book. This is not only laughable but a lie from the pit of hell. Habibullah should inform us of the point at which Sheikh Suleiman said this and in what context. We believe this is just another lie to discredit the Mufty’s good image. That is Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory’s trademark: he attacks everyone. He recently did the same to the people of Agbogunmati.
“As if that was not enough, Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory narrated that Sheikh Suleima’s father is not a member of Onikijipa. This is another nonsense! His theory is that any house or household in Ilorin that is situated outside the main compound is not part of the family. Such a household, according to his theory, must have been given or gifted to the land. They are not originally part of the family. One begins to wonder if Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory remembers where his own family house is situated in Ilorin. It is there for everyone to see.
“Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory, in his desire to create disunity among us, claimed that Alfa Alabi Onikijipa is the original Onikijipa. If we had not heard this ourselves, we would not have believed it to be coming from a man who is expected to know better. But it is not surprising; that is his way. He attacks without a reason. He comes up with all sorts of theories just to prove anything! There are instances out there. But this is our story; Alfa Alabi Onikijipa and Alfa Faruq Onikijipa are brothers and one family. There is no separation among us. It is even more worrisome that such a respected scholar is using the “show me your father’s grave” theory as proof of originality. Pathetic!” the statement read.
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