Tribute to Justice Abdulkadir Orire,CON

 Salām alaykum!

     Nigerian Muslims Lost a Great Islamic Scholar

The Muslim Ummah in Nigeria have lost a great Islamic intellectual, a legal luminary, an incorruptible Qādī, a jurist per excellence in person of the pioneer Grand Qādī of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, the Sarikin Malamai and the Marafan Ilorin, the Honorable Justice Abdulkadir Orire, Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON. 

      The Justice returned to his Lord, Allah, on Tuesday night, 26th January 2021, and buried in his Tafawa Balewa GRA Residence, Ilorin at 11:30 am on Wednesday 27th January / 14th Jumādath Thānī 1442.

This death is saddening and worrisome because we just lost Shaykh Ahmad Lemu another great Muslim jurist and Dā'ī who was also the former Grand Qādī of Niger state. I pray to Allah to be pleased with both of them. 

     Q21:34-35 asserts that no human being will live for ever; everyone will taste death. It also states rightly that some people will die young, while some others shall live long (Q16:70 & 22:5). Justice Orire belonged to the latter group; he spent eighty - seven (87) meaningful years on earth, pursuing knowledge, disseminating same, adjudicating with justice and calling people to the right path, the path of Allah. 

     Justice Orire attended the popular School of Arabic Studies (SAS), Kano, and came back home to teach at the Baboko Primary School, Ilorin. He later went to London and obtained a Diploma and a degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London  in 1963. He came back and taught at the Barewa College, Zaria for 4 years before he was transfered to the Sokoto Arabic Teachers' College, where he served as the Vice Principal and later in 1969 he became the Principal. It was from this school that our learned jurist was appointed in 1971 as a judge, Sharia Court of Appeal covering Kwara and other North Central States. He became the pioneer Grand Qādī, Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal in 1975, covering the present Kwara and  Kogi states. He served meritoriously in this capacity till 31st December 1999, when he retired after attaining the retirement age of 65 years.

    The Grand Qādī, Justice Orire enlightened many Muslims on the aims, objectives and philosophy of the Sharia, and on the need for them to subject themselves to the legal system, which is ordained for them by Allah (Q5:48-50). He delivered many lectures on the Kwara Radio in this respect, thus creating awareness among the Muslims. He was behind the formation of several Muslim organisations for the purpose of disseminating Islamic message and shedding light on Islamic issues. One of such organisations is the Islamic Missionaries Associations of Nigeria (IMAN), which has been organising Islamic lectures throughout Ramadan since 1977. Ilorin Teacher's College was used as its venue before IMAN built its Centre at the New Yidi Road, through the tireless efforts of the Grand Qādī.

    Alhaji Orire was a strong pillar to the University of Ilorin Muslim Community. He was invited to lead the first Salātul Jumu'ah when the Community decided to be observing the Salāt on its campus rather than going to the Ilorin Central Mosque. He graciously accepted. Subsequently, many staff of the Sharia Court of Appeal and himself joined us in praying the mid-afternoon Salāt on the campus. That gave us the moral support required in the face of opposition to our observing the Salāt on our campus instead of going to the only venue in the town, that is, the Central Mosque. Alhamdulillāh , Salātul Jumu'ah is performed in more than one hundred Jumu'ah Mosques in Ilorin today. 

     The Hon. Grand Qādī was also very supportive to the Muslim students in various schools in the state. He rallied round them whenever they had challenges in their schools. No wonder he was appointed the Chairman Board of Trustees of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN).  He also served creditably in other capacities including : Chairman, Council of  'Ulamā' ; Chairman, Board of Trustees of Ilorin Jumu'ah Mosque; Vice President, Nigeria Da'wah  Coordination Council; Secretary -  General, Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), Kaduna. He was also a member of the Nigeria Constitution Review Committee; member  Constitutional Conference, 1988 -1989.

       Justice Abdulkadir Orire travelled far and wide giving lectures on Islam, especially on Sharia legal system.  He delivered the following papers, among many others, in different fora:

1.  Islamic Criminal Justice and the Contemporary Society, (Conference on the application of Sharia, Bayero University,  Kano, 1999).

2.  Sharia: the Misunderstood Legal System, (read at a seminar organised by Nigeria Inter - Religious Council, NIREC, Abuja, 2006 ).

3.  Sharia: A Legal System and Way of Life 

(read at a Seminar organised by the Jamaatu Nasril Islam JNI, Kaduna, 2000)

4.   Islamic  Law Practice and  Procedure in the Area Courts, Customary Courts  and  Sharia courts of Appeal (read at a Seminar organised by the National Judicial Institute, Abuja, 1997).

Justice Abdulkadir Orire was undoubtedly a great scholar, an indefatigable Da'wah worker, an outstanding  Muslim leader and a great advocate of Sharia practice.  He contributed significantly to the progress of Islam in Nigeria. He has left behind a big vacuum difficult to fill.  This death is a testimony of the Prophet's statement, as reported by Abū Dardā', that  the  death of a scholar  is a great calamity, an irreparable loss. (At-Tabarānī, etc).    His death  is a great challenge  to other Qādīs, Islamic scholars, Muslim leaders and the generality of Muslims. We must all learn  from the  life of this illustrious Muslim and be inspired to continue to contribute to the progress of  Islam and the understanding of the religion by all and sundry, while we all determine to uphold Sharia in our life and protect it.

     May the Almighty Allah, the Living God who will never die, not even for a fraction  of a second, to please overlook the shortcomings of Thine servant, Hon. Justice  Abdulkadir Orire, forgive his sins and be pleased with him. Aameen. 

    Jumu'atun mubārakah

Prof Yasir Anjola Quadri 

16th Jumādath Thānī 1442  /  29th January 2021

PS:

It is the practice of my teacher, Professor Yasir Quadri to be giving a thought provoking sermon every Friday, tagged: Jumu'atun Mubārakah. This has been ongoing for over two(2) years. I just deemed it fit to be publishing this weekly article here from today Friday, 29th of January, 2021.

This week, the attention of my teacher was drawn to the death of a great scholar, a  teacher, an Icon, a jurist and a Statesman of high reputation, Late Justice Abdulkadir Orire(Rtd), CON. May Allah forgive his shortcomings. No doubt, the death of this legend luminary will leave a huge vacuum that will be difficult to fill in the spheres of the judiciary.

Albeit my teacher has expounded on some of the sterling qualities of the Icon which to me are inexhaustible, nevertheless, the quality I found enthralling about Baba Orire which my teacher did not dwell upon was his ascetic way of life. Infact, he shunned materialism to the core. Baba was unique with the wearing of simple white garment, most times in agbada and turban to match. These clothing materials are among the cheapest. But alas! How can a legal luminary adopt such an ascetic lifestyle when most of his contemporaries live in absolute opulence consequent upon their bogus retirement benefits which will be complemented with other severance packages that come along for the retired judges. No doubt he can live like his contemporaries or even more owing to his Calibre and affluence, but he opted for a simple one. 

This is worthy of emulation. It is in adherence to the words of Almighty Allah as enshrined in the Glorious Qur'an where the attention of man is drawn to non-attachment to materialism but more focus and priority to be given to the hereafter instead.

No doubt, Baba Orire towed the path of the classical Sūfīyyūn, though one is not aware of his membership of any particular Sūfī order but this act is recommended to all we practising Sūfīyyun of modern days.

May the Janatul Firdaaws be Baba Orire's final abode.