Date: 2020-07-30

May Allaah forgive late Prof. Ashir Abdul Salaam and grant him Al Jannah. He was the first lecturer I came in contact with when I gained admission into the Better by Far University, University of Ilorin, to study History and International Studies.

The late Professor was then the Sub-Dean, Faculty of Arts. He guided me on which course to 'borrow' and how easy I can assemble my A&Bs in my eventual choice. To return the kind gesture, I made it mandatory upon myself to always say teslim to and appreciate him for his guidance and counselling every time we met.

Professor Ashir is humble! There was a day I dodged him because I was in hurry to get to something done at one of the banks on campus. Unknown to me, the late lecturer already saw me from distance and he said : "?yin alfa wa, kí las? fún yín. ?ni kí wá ni?"

Oh, I was shocked! Really shocked! So, Bàbá yí rí mí? We met halfway and exchanged pleasantries. He asked about my affairs and we departed with smiles. That's the late Professor for you. He's a friend to all. May his imperfections be forgiven.

I heard about his sickness -the one that Allaah predestined as a cause of his death- weeks after he was admitted to the hospital. I visited him in company with Mallam Mubarak Oladosu. As poor as his state of health was, he was able to recognise me years after my graduation. Waooo!

On that day, I prayed for him and fed him with words of hopes that he Allaah would bring him back to normal and we departed with smiles as usual. The news about his death came weeks after we met at the hospital and the shock it generated was felt in the entire university community and beyond. Oh, Professor Ashir is dead!

May Allaah accept his return and overlook his excesses. We beg Allaah, our Creator and Owner, to perfect our end and count us among the dwellers of Al-Jannah when the our time comes.

Kamil Sodiq Dan-Fulani