Alhaji Ayo Adeyemi, founder and spiritual leader of Islamic Mission Organisation in this interview with ADEOLA BALOGUN shares his life experiences
At 80, why do you still prefer driving yourself to getting a driver?
Two reasons: I love driving. Number two, I see no reason to engage a driver when I can drive myself. So I don’t think I need a driver. I don’t need such comfort. I’m comfortable driving myself. It keeps me agile and actively engaging both mentally and physically.
Some people would have been tired of driving themselves at your age.
I thank God for good health. But you know driving on the streets of Lagos is a mental exercise as you don’t know when an okada rider or someone else could hit you. You are always mentally alert. I love the challenge. It is a good exercise for the brain.
What was your dream while growing up?
The question about my growing up is not a good question for me because that was the most terrible aspect of my life. I didn’t enjoy growing up, so I couldn’t have had any dream. It was terrible. I was treated like a slave because my father died while I was 13 and being the only male child of the family, I was like a king. But immediately my father died, it was as if darkness engulfed my whole world. My siblings and I were relocated to the village by my uncle and there I was dumped in a farm. No more schooling, I was flogged for any little thing. Seriously, there were times I attempted to take my life. It was struggle here and there. That’s why I did not have any dream. But occasionally, I would think of becoming a teacher – which was the best I could ever think of at that time. That period was the darkest period of my life.
So how did you come out of that darkness?
I would say it was by destiny because there was a force driving me and it was like a propeller. I used to take decisions that many people would be wary of taking. I would just plunge into them. Many times they could have ended my life but I would just come out of them. I was just fed up with the whole thing after spending six years in Ilase, then I decided to quit. Because there was no money to transport myself to Lagos, I started selling firewood and saved some money, but the day I wanted to leave the village, I was caught. My uncle saw me and flogged me. That was aborted. Then I made a second attempt, I was caught again. But I refused to give up. This time around, I did not have any money on me, so I walked for about 12 hours from Ilase to Oke-odan and did not ply the normal road. I went through bushes until I joined my elder sister in Lagos in 1953. That was how I got back to Lagos and life continued.
How did you get back to school?
Even though my father was an illiterate working for Lagos Town Council, he designed it that I attended a good school at Amuto called Collegiate High School. I was in Standard Three by the time he died in 1947. But when I returned to Lagos, I insisted that I must go back to school and my sister, after much reluctance, called me one day and said we had to work it out together. She used to sell eko (cold pap). Then she would wake me up around 1am and I would go and prepare it. After doing that, I would hawk it around and after saving some money, she got a school for me, Edward Bliden Memorial High School, Sangros, Lagos. I went for the test and passed and I resumed in 1954. Many friends of mine that we were together before in Standard Three in 1947 had left secondary school, but I was encouraged by some friends. So in 1956, I finished primary school. But before then, my sister had withdrawn, she couldn’t continue. After primary school, I became a newspaper vendor. I used to go to Kakawa Street to collect Daily Times, Daily Express, West African Pilot and Nigerian Tribune. They were the popular newspapers then. Whatever money I made, I saved. Then I got someone who established a typing institute and I started supplying him with Daily Times, and then I started making five shillings a month which was the same fee for the institute. The money I was making was not enough because I had to feed and clothe myself. A friend invited me to Obun-Eko and I started selling medicine. I continued with that and combined it with schooling. But after that, I could not continue with schooling, I couldn’t go to secondary school. Some friends and I started going for correspondence courses and with that, I did GCE. While doing that, I started learning architectural design and building construction under Hillman & Laitman, the company that built the National Hall at the National Assembly at Tafawa Balewa Square. We built the complex and Lion Building in those days. After that, I started my own business and construction company. That was how I got into the building construction industry.
What was the force driving you?
When we were growing up, there was this particular zeal everywhere that you just had to be educated. You had to be made. At that time, youth development centres and clubs were available everywhere and you could get inspiration from young people. There were so many good opportunities around, so you could not defend being idle. In those days, ladies were not easy to come by. They would look at you from head to toe and ask who you were. You had to be a student of Anglican Grammar School or Igbobi College before they could take a second look at you. All these moved us to be great. There were lots of motivational factors to propel you.
What next after that?
After my GCE, I completed my architectural training. At that time, there was only one school offering architecture, Nigeria College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria. I didn’t have the opportunity to attend that school but the colonial government ensured that there were local schools that some of us who wished to study architecture could attend. At the end of the course, we would write an examination and be awarded certificates if we passed. It was Lagos Town Council that awarded that certificate after you must have been able to design a bungalow and storey building. After that, I started my private business and started making money. I was also lucky to get employment with a German construction company, Hillman & Laitman. I was employed as a technician in training. There I rose up to become a foreman and I was managing sites on my own. When I left the company, I established a company with a friend in 1959 called International Construction Company, Architects and Builders. My friend was managing it while I was working. Then the money started coming.
How come you’re devoted to religion?
I would ascribe that providence. I was born into a Christian family but I got converted to the religion of Islam in 1948. Remember my father died in 1947 and then we were taken to Ilase, Ogun State. When I came back to Lagos in 1953, I continued with Islam even though I did not know anything about it then. I just fell in love with it and continued. In 1957, a friend introduced me to an Islamic organisation called Zumuratul Islamiyyah Society which was a better organised society than what obtained in Ilase. Something was just propelling me until in 1963 when I met an alfa who was always on the road and each time I was passing through, I would stop and listen to him. Together we formed an organisation called Islamic Preaching Society where I was the General Secretary and he was the missioner. We approached the President of the Ansar-U-Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Baruwa Eti, to be our president but he turned it down due to the policy of his organisation. However, he recommended Pa Ashimi who became our president. My ability to organise got sharpened and I had the opportunity to interact with a lot of great figures in major Islamic organisations at that time. In 1963, an Islamic cleric, Malam Ahmed Mintu, a former rector of a university in Pakistan came to Nigeria, and it was with him that I first saw a copy of the Holy Quran in English. From there, I buried myself deep into studying and made myself available to the man since he did not know much about Lagos. When that one left, they brought another man, Alhaji Quazeem Rasheed, who tutored me very well. When he left, he recommended I take charge of missions which I did for a while. It was the same Islamic Preaching Society that metamorphosed to Islamic Mission Organisation which I still head till date.
You still speak English fluently even without completing your education. How did you do it?
I cannot stop reading. I read even up till today. A leader must be a good reader particularly the kind of people I have been privileged to lead are people you can’t lead through the nose. You have to be intelligent and educated, and know what is happening around you and globally. That is the essence of religion, anyway. It is not about just prayers, it is about leadership in every facet. There are so many professionals that I am privileged to lead. So I have to carry everyone ahead. I have been interviewed by many university students coming for researches. As a religious leader, you have to lead by reading.
We learnt you started the distribution of Islamic tracts in the country.
There might be many people before me who started it in Nigeria but I started mine in 1964. It was the Islamic cleric from Pakistan who taught me how to print prayer books without employing a printer. When he left, I continued under the name Holy Quran Speaks, a magazine. And there were reasons for me to intensify my efforts: first, I became the second assistant and later first assistant Secretary-General of All Nigerian Muslims Council in the early 60s shortly after independence. Before independence, the first Prime Minister, Sir Tafawa Balewa, who headed the first transition, said he would not worship in the church. Meanwhile, the Christian Council of Nigeria was planning a church service but Balewa said he would not worship in the church. Hitherto, all past governors-general, including Chief Judges of High Courts worshipped at the Cathedral Church in Marina. Then Muslims were not united and so Tafawa Balewa was confused as to where he would worship. Then the nucleus of Muslim Broadcasters of Nigeria led by Pa M K Ekemode who was the chief Imam of Ansar Ud Deen brought together all broadcasters and invited all organisations including mine to be involved in the independence programme. So on the eve of the independence, we prepared a place for him to worship. But after that event, we founded the All Nigeria Muslim Council because it was the absence of an umbrella organisation that brought about the problem in the first place. Then Alhaji M B Agusto became the first president; Alhaji A K Laguda became the general secretary; T A O Sasore who later became a chief in Lagos, (father of the former attorney-general of Lagos State), became the first assistant general secretary while I was the second. Through that, I got to know so many prominent Muslims in Lagos in those days. That was how my interest continued to get fired everyday through my various activities. The first person that commended my effort publicly was the late Pa Baruwa Etti. Remember that after Pa Etti left, the office of the president of AUD was taken over by Pa Smith, the father of the former inspector general of police, Musiliu Smith. Fortunately for me again, when I moved to Surulere, I lived very closely with Pa Smith. His house was number 3 in Eniyan Sorogbe, I was at number 5. These elderly men were so much impressed by my zeal and interest, particularly when I was acting for Sasore.
Did you also become an Imam?
Whatever position you are, always try to be at the head. That has always been my philosophy in life. The Imam is the head and I was ambitious to get there. I worked towards it, and by the grace of God, I became the head of my own group. I learnt Islam through English Language, not through Arabic.
Is that why some of your views might be described as critical?
You could be critical even if you studied through Arabic. It is a product of the mind – who you are. I see myself as an Islamic student, not a scholar. I was a writer, editor and vendor of my books. We eventually had a newspaper which was launched by Chief MKO Abiola in 1982 at Lagos State Polytechnic.
So your path crossed MKO Abiola’s?
My association with him started when I employed Allan Aroyewun as the editor of my magazine who happened to be MKO Abiola’s cousin. Before he came to me with the idea, he had met two people: MKO Abiola and Chief Molade Okoya Thomas. They probably turned him down. But when we started the newspaper, they were among the first people that we interviewed. Through that, I knew them. And when the newspaper ran into some problems, Abiola came to our aid and I became very close to him. Then he also gave us some articles to print. Chief Olu Aboderin also assisted us. On many occasions, I invited them to my functions and they would come.
What do you think about people associating something like Boko Haram with Islam?
It is very embarrassing. When people kill indiscriminately and destroy properties, is it because of religion or in spite of religion? What is happening is in spite of religion, not because of religion. No religion encourages bloodshed and wickedness. No one encourages violence. There must be a reason. We need to check ourselves and see where we have gone wrong. I tell you, leadership is parenthood. When you lead, lead very well, take care of the people and fear God because we will account to Almighty God. There is an end to everything that has a beginning. And sincerely, Muslims lack leadership. You might say the Sultan is the leader in Nigeria. Who is the leader in Africa? Who is the leader in the world that all of us can look up to for guidance? How many Muslim groups do we have in Nigeria? I read today that it took over N30m and 12 years to translate The Bible into a particular language. The objective is to make it available in all local languages so that people can have it. This should be the objective of religious organisations. As you lay your bed, so you lie on it. When the Pope rises, he speaks about peace. Listen to a Muslim preacher, even his fellow Muslims, he would tell them they were going to hell fire because they did not pray well. Right here on earth they have started burning us and that is not what religion teaches. It is over to the leaders. As far as I am concerned, I will continue to write about why people have every reason to live. The late Nelson Mandela said that haters of people were taught to hate. Nobody was born to hate. If people are then taught to hate, let us teach them to love. Boko Haram are human beings. Let us teach them to love and enjoy life. If we spend half the money we spend on exterminating them to provide succour for them, we would open their eyes. They will not succumb to indiscriminate indoctrination. When people are ignorant, you teach them. Before they became like that, they were suffering and neglected and some people would come to tell them all their suffering would end when they die. They would tell them when they die, they would go to Aljanna and show them created films of the place; they would show them enjoyment. They would then say, “Why live? Let us die.” But their preachers would tell them, “If you want to die, kill people who are making life unbearable for you.” That is the indoctrination. While some people are giving these people food, our politicians are promising infrastructure which they do not even fulfil. That is amala politics. What is Boko Haram? Hungry and suffering people.
Why did you choose to sing and wax records?
It is all about propagation. When we were young, the most popular religion of the day was Islam in Lagos because there were lots of merriment and entertainment. It was sweet. There were lots of things to eat by both Muslims and non-Muslims. People enjoyed those things. And most churches then only opened on Sundays. And apart from hymns and prayers, there was no dancing. The people that introduced dancing and marching around were the Salvation Army, then later the Aladura. It was strictly formal. The mosque was virtually open till night every day. What was missing in Islam was introduced by the Pentecostal churches. Majority of the people who went to church then were not there because they loved church, but because of problems and once the problems got solved, they stayed back. So I introduced choir, bought drums and other things because I wanted people to stay back even after their problems had been solved. That was how I started going to the studio to keep people’s interest, especially the younger generation. Once they come for the music, I also speak to them, and through that, they stay. It is working even though I am being criticised. But until someone shows me where the Holy Quran prohibits what I am doing, it is not wrong and I will continue.
Are you not going to slow down at 80?
Did you read “A Woman of Substance?” The main character in the book was asked a similar question and she replied, “I will keep on the booth until the last minute.” That is also my reply. No slow down.
Is it true that one must marry up to four wives as a Muslim?
This is one of the issues I have been called many times to answer. I have been able to also sit down some of my youth followers on this issue. There is a difference between prescription and permission. Islam does not prescribe polygamy but permits it to solve certain problems. It came to be when so many women lost their spouses at the battle of Uhud in Medina, there were so many widows and orphans to take care of. Then the Quran made provision that those who were fortunate to live should take care of the widows and the orphans, but if you know you cannot take proper care of the orphans, then marry women that you consider suitable to you. One does not need to become an Islamic scholar to decode the meaning of that verse. Once you marry a widow, then the children become yours. The verse continues that if you cannot give equitable treatment, stick to only one. It is permission in situations when there are crises like war where families lose their breadwinners. That was the objective. But you know, people abuse law and find a way to suit themselves. Those marrying two, three wives, can they maintain them? To maintain a wife is a problem, not to talk of two.
So how many wives do you have?
I do not believe in polygamy. I have only one wife. Making a woman happy should be your priority. You are incomplete if you don’t have a wife and that’s why God even created Eve. As for me, I have one wife. There was a time, though, when I had two wives because I had some disagreements with my first wife and she left home. The children were still very young, so I contracted another marriage, only for the first wife to decide to come back. Not too long, she quit again, and so I am a husband of one wife.
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