The Grand Chief Imam of Yewaland and President of the League of Imams and Alfas in Ogun State, Sheikh Sikirulai Babalola, has died at the age of 98. Ogun State Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele confirmed the death in a Facebook post on Monday. She described Sheikh Babalola as a revered spiritual leader who spent decades providing guidance across Yewaland and Ogun State.
Salako-Oyedele said the cleric lived a life defined by faith, scholarship, peace, and community service. He was widely respected for his wisdom, humility, and fatherly counsel, she added. His leadership contributed significantly to the growth of Islam and peaceful coexistence in the state, according to her statement.
The deputy governor called his passing the end of a remarkable era. She said his teachings and impact would endure for generations. Salako-Oyedele extended condolences to the cleric's family, Muslim leaders, and the wider Muslim community in Ogun State.
She prayed that Allah would accept his good deeds, overlook his shortcomings, and grant him Aljanah Firdaus. The Grand Chief Imams of Egba, Ijebu, and Remo were specifically mentioned in the message of condolence.
Noimot Salako-Oyedele mourns a cleric whose influence spanned generations, yet offers no detail on state plans to support the transition of religious leadership. A 98-year-old spiritual figure has died, leaving a void in Yewaland's Islamic community. The absence of any public succession framework raises questions about how institutional religious roles are managed in Ogun State. Salako-Oyedele's tribute, while respectful, does not address what comes next for the League of Imams and Alfas.
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