An Abu Dhabi-based Network Security Administrator, AbdulWasiu Ademola Orenaike, got married to Nusaybah, daughter of Mufti, Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO) Sheikh Dhikrullahi Shafi’i, at Igbogbo, Ikorodu on the outskirts of Lagos, last May 24. TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO reports
It was a unique event. The rustic Igbogbo community in Ikorodu on the outskirts of Lagos, played host to dignitaries from different parts of the country.
It was as if they were in a race on who will get to the venue first.
As early as 9am, the Wharf road leading to the venue was jampacked with vehicles.
Men in Congress Guard (CG) green uniform, a security outfit of The Muslim Congress (TMC), stood at strategic locations, from Ogolonto Bus Stop to the venue. Besides ensuring smooth traffic, they also directed the guests.
The expansive Regal Hall was tastefully decorated with colourful satin materials.
Big canopies were mounted outside for those who could not find space inside the hall.
It was all for Nusaybah, daughter of Mufti, Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO) Sheikh Dhikrullahi Shafi’i, and her beau, AbdulWasiu Ademola Orenaike, an Abu Dhabi-based Network Security Administrator.
The Aqdun Nikah had been talk of the town since the announcement of the date a few months ago.
The wedding gave a true picture of Islam.
The Boko (Western Education) intellectuals as usual interacted freely with renowned Islamic scholars. Boko, according to all at the gathering, is HALAL (allowed) and not HARAM (forbidden).
Handsome AbdulWasiu appeared in flowing agbada, a pair of eye glasses, a befitting cap and a matching pair of shoes.
His better half, Nusaybah Adedasola, a University of Lagos (UNILAG) graduate, wore a flowing Arabian outfit – Jelbaab with hijab and a pair of shoes.
Shortly after the opening prayer and recitation of the Quran, the guest speaker, Dr Tajudeen Yusuf, took the gathering through the rudiments of marriage in Islam.
Yusuf, UNILAG’s Acting Head of Actuarial Science Department, called on parents, particularly, fathers to take the education of their children seriously, especially the girl-child, who must be supported.
According to him, it is an erroneous belief that Muslims don’t value female children education.
“As far as knowledge acquisition is concerned, Islam does not discriminate between the male and female. They are both entitled and obligated to take education very seriously. Not only sending your daughters to school, you must also be concerned about their marriages. Who do they marry? It is part of your duty to ensure that they are married to a believer; they are married to a God-fearing person and husband of good character. Prophet Muhammad said, when a man who you do not doubt his religious sincerity and character, comes seeking the hand of your daughter in marriage, support it, else, there will be mischief and confusion in the society. So, that is the message for Muslim parents to take girl-child education as primary goal,” he said.
He enjoined the couple to always remember why they came into the relationship “because there will be turbulence, there will be disagreements, there will be quarrelling. In fact, if we all understand the essence of coming together today, that it is for Allah. If the marriage is for Allah, it will last but if not for Allah, it won’t last because you allow other considerations to overwhelm you and there will be disharmony in the household. Neither the husband nor the wife is perfect.”
He warned them never to think about separation each time there is a misunderstanding.
“You will see things you don’t like in your wife the same way she will see it in you, too. So, what do we do? A Yoruba adage says: ‘the tongue and the teeth do fight’ but they have to live together otherwise, you will be talking of separation. And when you talk of separation, you are adding more to the social malady,” he said.
The Nikah was handled by Ustadh Bilal Shittu. Ustadh Shittu declared the lovebirds man and wife having fulfilled the rites of Nikah including the Mahr.
AbdulWasiu paid One thousand Riyal (Arabian currency), as gift to Nusaybah.
Afterwards, there were goodwill messages and prayers for the couple.
Among the personalities that spoke at the session were Mudir, Markaz Salam, Sheikh Ramadan Moshood Jubril; professor of Inter Religious Dialogue Prof Murtadoh Bidmos; Sheikh Thaoban Adam; Chief Imam of Lekki Sheikh Ridwanullahi Jamiu; Sheikh AbdulMajeed AbdulFatah.
Sheikh Moshood congratulated the couple for having a humble father like Sheikh Shafi’i.
The humble nature of the bride’s father, he said, was responsible for the crowd at the Nikah. He prayed for the couple to enjoy marital bliss.
The Ogun Waterside-born AbdulWasiu, who works with an ICT company, Smart World in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, said the journey to the Saturday May 23 Nikah started about six months ago.
“There wasn’t any kind of physical meeting but there was conversation through phone calls, there was conversation through the social media; whatsApp and Viber, etc,” he said.
He described Nusaybah as an intelligent and God-fearing person.
Nusaybah described her husband as a cool headed man, humble and disciplined.
Guests were treated to sumptuous meals and choice drinks.
