The Onikijipa family in Ilorin has urged key figures in the Ilorin Emirate Council to intervene and caution Sheikh Mohammed Adam (El-Ilory), the Mudir of the Markaz Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Agege, Lagos, over his repeated criticisms of the Mufty of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulaimon Faruq Onikijipa.
The call was made in a statement released by the Magaji of the Onikijipa compound, Abdulrahman Onikijipa, and shared with journalists on Monday.
The statement, titled “No Bastard Among the Onikijipa: A Rejoinder to Habibullah Adam Al-Ilory,” addressed the ongoing controversy.
Representing the family, Onikijipa emphasized that all descendants of Onikijipa remain a unified entity, dismissing any claims suggesting otherwise.
The statement refuted Adam’s assertion that Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa’s father was not a legitimate member of the family, describing it as both false and misleading.
According to the Onikijipa family, Adam’s claims appear to be an attempt to distort history and sow discord within their lineage.
They noted that this was not the first instance of such efforts, citing contradictions between Adam’s statements and the accounts recorded by his late father, Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory.
The statement also rejected Adam’s alleged claim that only Alfa Alabi Onikijipa is the true representative of the family, reaffirming that both Alfa Alabi Onikijipa and Alfa Faruq Onikijipa, the father of the Ilorin Mufty, share the same ancestry.
Family’s Response to Adam’s Allegations
Detailing the grievances, the statement read, “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!”
Earlier, The PUNCH had reported that Adam alleged Sheikh Suleiman Faruq Onikijipa harboured resentment toward his late father, Sheikh Adam Al-Ilory, for failing to acknowledge his father’s name in one of his books listing prominent Islamic clerics.
Before making these remarks, Adam had also challenged Onikijipa’s standing in Islamic scholarship, suggesting that he had once been a student at his father’s institution while he himself was already a lecturer there.
The Onikijipa family maintains that such claims are unfounded and aimed at stirring unnecessary controversy.
