The Chairman of Kwara State Quran Recitation Committee, Alhaji Abdulsalam Ayinla Ayilara is dead. He died on Tuesday morning at the age of 88.

His close associate, Professor Lanre Badmas who is the Chief Imam of Al-Hilal Crescent Central Mosque, Ilorin confirmed Ayilara's death to Daily Trust, saying his Janazal (prayer for the dead) would take place at 4:00 pm in the premises of Ilorin Township Stadium while he is expected to be buried at his Sultanat residence, Upper Taiwo Ilorin.

Late Ayilara cut his teeth as a broadcaster before delving into politics both in Nigeria and Ghana where he lived for many years and even became a councillor at Ward 4 of Ashanti region in Eastern Ghana in 1955. He was a councillor for five years.

He was not only a pioneer staffer of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Television (GBCTV) during the reign of Kwame Nkrumah but a pioneer staff of Nigerian Television (NTV) before metamorphosing into Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

The deceased was also the Executive Chairman of Kwara Radio and Kwara Television between 2000 and 2003.

In the political scene at home in Kwara State in the north-central Nigeria, he headed the campaign directorate of Shaaba Lafiagi who was governor from 1992-1993 under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

He also worked closely with the late strongman of Kwara politics, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki. It would be recalled that in an interview he granted with our sister publication, Sunday Trust, he described Saraki as a grassroots person.

"Anybody who got close to Saraki other than the people who saw him from a far you would know that he is concerned with the masses. He was concerned himself to help poor people and he didn't discriminate at all. If he saw you as a reliable person, he would support you. He was a kingmaker and he did that until the last day of his life. So, he was a nice man", he had said about the late Saraki popularly called Oloye.

However, since his retirement from public service and politics, the late Ayilara had concerned himself with propagation of Islam and have been actively involved in Islamic activities in the state.

He provided an apartment in his house for the camping of the state participants preparing for the annual Quran recitation competition.