Sheik Abdullahi Adam Al-Ilori has been described as a man who preached equality and mutual respect as well as common culture in Arabic language which always go together in all of his books and preaching.

This was stated by Professor Dr. Stefan Reichmuth, of Ruhr-University, Bochum while participating on a discussion programme on UNILORIN 89.3 FM on (Monday 27th August, 2012).

He said sheik Adam has had interest in the development and relationship between the north and south in Nigeria as he was the first to tackle it in the Islamic point of view.

He described the conference as unique one stating that from the composition of its participants it reflects him to the fortieth anniversary of Morkaz which shows the contributions of Sheik Adam to education and humanity.

He said he had been privileged to have a personal relationship with Sheik Adam since 1984 when he first came me to Nigeria for his research work on Islamic education.

Professor Dr. Reichmuth said sheik Adam had a very profound personal knowledge of the important families, figures and events in Islam in Yoruba land and due to his practice, although he was not a trained historian or literary scholar in the academic sense his findings and publications remain a primary source for any work on Yoruba Islam or the history of Yoruba Land.

He said sheik Adam was very much concerned about the development of Islam and the Islamic community in Nigeria and had written some very critical books and shared his views and visions of Islam in Nigeria while commending his students' and Nigerians for continuing with his visions stating that much of the happenings now are what sheik Adam had envisaged.

Professor Dr. Reichmuth stated further that there are very many active Muslim educationists in Ilorin and the Yoruba land generally and the boom of Islamic education that has been going on since the 60s has been very encouraging but sheik Adam stands out by his writings, clear ideas and critical spirit which he also passed to his students.

He said sheik Adam kept publishing and developing and re-publishing the books and at the same time keeping to the basics. He said though he was thought by teachers but he moved far beyond them. Professor Dr. Reichmuth said Sheik Adam was one of the first to draw attention to some of the Muslim settlement like Oke-Sunna and Agbaji he was able to confirm them through his research.

In his submission, Professor R. D. Abubakare described sheik Adam as a person who had invested his personal money into education. He said when he was taken to Morkaz at the age of thirteen he was impressed. He said most of what he was taught by sheik Adam while he was in Morkaz were very useful for him when he got the University.

He said sheik Adam trained them Arabic grammar and literature. Professor Abubakare said Sheik Adam is a social critic because he is an informed scholar who knew that education could not be without information he said Sheik Adam in his days would always buy the News Papers which made him well informed and as a result form the bases for giving his sermons without manuscripts as he addresses issues as they come.

He appreciated the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin who is also an alumnus of the Islamic training center in Agege for his efforts and roles in ensuring the total success of the international Conference.

By Abdulgaffar Arikewuyo