…GAC member, Chief Rabiu Oluwa, attends special prayers, eulogies the deceased…
… Be law abiding, emulate Yar’Musa’s illustrious lifestyle… Sarki Alimosho Overall charges Arewa youths….
By Ibrahim A. Jagaba
Sunday, 9th of February 2025, will remain symbolic in the history books of Arewa Community in Lagos, southwest and Nigeria at large.
It was the day, an illustrious son and leader of the Community, His Highnesses, Alhaji Shehu Rabiu Yar’Musa, the Garkuwa of Lagos and Sarkin Bai of 17 southern states of Nigeria, took his last breath and bade this sinful world bye.
His death, sent thunderous shivers down the spines of the entirety of his community members as well as Nigerians from other regions of the country who knew and associated with the deceased for over four decades.
In line with a common practice amongst northern Muslims, his immediate and extended families and Muslim faithfuls across tribes and creeds, held a special prayer for the repose of the soul of late Yar’Musa on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, in one of the Mosques he built, located on Taiwo Street, a street also popularly known as Hausa Lane (Hausa Layi)in Ajegunle community of Ajeronmi-Ifelodun local council, Lagos State.
Dignitaries from across The Arewa Community and many others from component sections of the country, attended the prayers in huge numbers.
Chieftain of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is the apex leader in Ajeronmi-Ifelodun LGA and member of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Chief Rabiu Adio Oluwa, while, delivering his address at the venue, reminisced how late Alhaji Shehu Rabiu Yar’Musa, promoted and sustained inter-communal harmony and the growth and development of Ajeronmi-Ifelodun constituency; Chief Oluwa, seized the moment to announce the appointment of the eldest son of the deceased, Ibrahim Shehu Yar’Musa, as the replacement for his late dad in the administration of Arewa Community affairs regarding inter-relations with the government in the constituency, he described late Yar’Musa, as a role model per-excellence, urging Arewa Community members in Lagos and beyond to emulate the sterling footprints of late Garkuwa.
Other dignitaries in attendance at the special prayer, include the honorable member representing Ajeronmi-Ifelodun constituency (II) at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honorable Sobur Akanbi Oluwa, secretary of the Lagos State Arewa Community (LASACOM), Alhaji Musa Saleh, who was recently appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a member of the governing council of Federal College of Education, Gidan Madi, Sokoto State, he represented, the Leader and convener of Lagos State Arewa Community and immediate past Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development in Lagos State, Architect Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi, Sule Yaro Yaro, who represented the Lagos State APC Arewa Community Chairman, Alhaji Sa’adu Yusuf Dandare Gulma; northern royalties based in Lagos and other southwestern state also attended; they include, Chief Ciroma of Sasa Kingdom, Ibadan, joined by Amb. Danmuttaqa, the Sarkin Samarin Yamma (Supreme Youth King) of Arewa youth royalties in 17 southern states of Nigeria, led the Sasa Kingdom team to the prayers, during which Ibrahim Shehu Yar’Musa, the eldest son of the deceased was announced as his late father’s successor on the royal title of Sarkin Bai of the Sasa emirate; Sarkin Hausawa of Okokomaiko, Sarkin Hausawa Overall of Alimosho, Sarkin Hausawa of Kuje Amuwo-Odofin,
jointly represented the Lagos State Body of Seriki Hausawas, a number of Onu Igalas, leaders of the Igbo Community, Politicians including Hon Jimoh, the secretary to Ajeronmi-Ifelodun LGA, who represented the executive chairman, Hon Fatai Ayoola, chairmanship aspirants in the forthcoming 2025 local council polls in Lagos, Tradesmen, Youths Associations, amongst others.
Late Shehu Rabiu Yar’Musa, was a successful haulage operator that created hundredths of employment opportunities for Nigerians; he was also renowned for humanitarian sacrifices; records as reliably gathered by this medium showed that, late Yar’Musa, built mosques and Islamic education citadels for the benefit of his constituents; it is on record too that, he was a dedicated supporter of the education of orphans and the less privileged in his immediate community.
Giving one of the concluding remarks on behalf of the Lagos State Body of Seriki Hausawas, Sarki Overall of Alimosho HRH Alhaji Ahmed Haruna Kuraja, applauded the landmark legacies left behind by late Yar’Musa, calling on members of the Arewa Community especially youths to embrace responsible ways of living as epitomised by late Garkuwa, adding that, the deceased lifestyle was a great lesson for all and sundry.
