The eighth-day (fidau) prayer for the late Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Baba Adini of Egbaland, Alhaji Lateef Adegbite, holds today. Religious leaders share with BISI ALABI WILLIAMS and GBENGA SALAU some of the respected cleric's achievements and how he would be remembered.'He Was Always Ready To Build Bridges Across Religions'(Sheik Muhammed Al-Mansur Williams, Founder, First Islamic English Education Foundation Academy, Lagos)HE was our dear expired scholar in Islam. We don't say people die; rather they expire from this world, because they are still alive, but their tenure on earth expired. They are still living, till the day of judgment.I can say, for sure, that Dr. Lateef Adegbite was a respectful gentleman. No matter your age or status, he respected you. He was very humble and simple. He was very moderate in his dealings and was accommodating. That was why you saw him among youths. I am very sure that history will remember him in terms of his achievements.Though he had a humble beginning, he thought it wise, alongside others, to set up the Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria (MSSN). He was the first president of the body, which is now spread all over the world. His achievements would be written in gold.He was a world leader because MSSN has gone beyond Nigeria. Anywhere you go, in any part of the world, there will be one or two MSSN members. I say that as someone who has traveled and visited many countries around the globe.Whenever he was in any part of the world, he always made himself available. This country is in a sea of sorrow now because you had in Adegbite somebody that was available to Muslims, Christians and idol worshippers. He was always ready to build bridges across religions. This is a hard time for us in Nigeria with the loss of such a personality.The calibre of people, especially former presidents, who were at his burial, shows that it is not until you are appointed a world leader before people honour you. Once they recognise your person, they give you that honour.He was a diligent and respected gentleman among revered Muslim scholars. He was instrumental to the crushing of terrorist acts in the first decade of this country with the formation of MSSN, which disseminated information to people and aided their understanding of Islam.He would also be remembered for his tactical handling of issues. During the 9/11 saga, we saw the way he handled the case and ministered in this part of the world to Muslims that 9/11 was not a case for Muslims but a case of individuals who had one or two things to settle with the United States of America; that they are not in Islam. They might be Muslims, but they are not in Islam. Rather, Muslims should know Islam and see themselves as Muslims and understand that individuals were settling personal scores.During the recent Arab Spring, he did his very best to curtail a spill over by observing that though we are Muslims but not Arabs, and they had their own fundamental issues which they were settling among themselves, we are Muslims of Nigeria and we have our own issues also. So, we should not copy what is happening in the Arab world.The last memory of him was at an outing where I was made chairman of the occasion and he was a guest. I said that I could not chair the event with Dr. Adegbite in attendance. I had to confide in the organisers. They said that he was there as father of the occasion. And I said then bring him on to the high table. But he joked about it saying once Sheik is on seat' Sheik is one of the radical young ones' That was him.On the global level, he was a man that tried his best at confronting challenges facing Islam, Muslims and his community.Finally, my family and I, and the entire academy mourn with his family, Nigeria and the Muslim continent. I pray that Allah's mercies would place him in paradise and include him among martyrs.To honour him, we would have a special prayer on Friday.'An Icon In The Annals Of Islamic History'(Dr. Moshood Fashola, Amir of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat of Nigeria)THE late Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Dr. Abdul-Lateef Oladimeji Adegbite, was a bridge builder and astute administrator per excellence. All would miss him dearly because he was an icon in the annals of Islamic history in Nigeria. He was a fine Muslim who championed the cause of Islam and reached out to various people across various religious and ethnic divides in the spirit of nationhood.Adegbite was a bridge builder between Northern and Southern Muslims. His contributions to the development and growth of Islam would be remembered for a long time to come.We must all learn to be our brothers' and sisters' keepers, in the spirit of one Nigeria.'A Man Of Great Candour, High Intellect, Sound Maturity'(Rev. Dr. Kehinde Babarinde, Conference President, Lagos Central Baptist Conference)I KNEW and appreciated Dr. Adegbite, personally, as an in-law to Mr. Olu Adekunle, former, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment. He liberally attended and related well with people of all degrees and religious inclinations. He was at Igede-Ekiti, at a time, and I enjoyed personal interaction with him that left me with memory of a man of great candour, high intellect and sound maturity.From a religious perspective, Dr. Lateef Adegbite had remained the bridge between the North and the South. His religious open-mindedness distinguished him as one who was exposed, informed and committed to peace.Permit me to say the least, his position on Boko Haram brought comfort to bereaved families of victims of the sect. He would be greatly missed.
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