IEMF honours Aremu, commends ex-COE Provost’s patriotic leadership
By Mustafa Abubakar
The Igbomina/Ekiti Muslim Forum (IEMF) has honoured the immediate past Provost of the College of Education, Oro, Prof. Mukaila Ayanda Aremu, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to education, Islam, and community development, describing him as a patriotic leader whose integrity, visionary leadership, and selfless service have left an enduring legacy.
The reception, held at the IEMF Secretariat in Ilorin, penultimate Sunday (July 12, 2026), brought together Islamic scholars, community leaders, elders, former Presidents of the Forum, missioners, academics, family members, and other distinguished guests in celebration of the successful completion of Prof. Aremu’s five-year tenure as Provost.
In his opening remarks, the President of the Forum, Alhaji Nasir Ibrahim, who was represented by the Vice President, Mr Kunle Akogun, described the occasion as a celebration of excellence, purposeful leadership, and service to humanity.
He said the Forum considered it a duty to honour distinguished sons and daughters of Igbomina and Ekiti land who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to public service and the advancement of society.
According to him, the tenure of Prof. Aremu, who he described as a good ambassador of the Forum, was marked by accountability, transparency, innovation, and fear of Allah, qualities which translated into remarkable achievements at the College of Education, Oro.
The IEMF President urged younger professionals to emulate Prof. Aremu’s dedication, humility, and commitment to excellence, while reaffirming the Forum’s determination to continue recognising members who distinguish themselves in various fields of endeavour.
In their separate remarks, former presidents of the Forum, who attended the event, praised Prof. Aremu’s visionary leadership and remarkable accomplishments during his tenure. They noted that the transformation witnessed at the College of Education, Oro, would remain a lasting legacy.
They also encouraged him to continue offering his expertise for the benefit of the community and the nation.
Responding, Prof. Aremu expressed gratitude to Allah for granting him the grace to complete his tenure successfully.
He also expressed deep appreciation to the Igbomina/Ekiti Muslim Forum for organising the reception in his honour, describing the gesture as a reflection of genuine love, unity, and brotherhood within the Muslim Ummah.
Prof. Aremu particularly appreciated the Forum for its prayers, wise counsel, and unwavering support, saying that they contributed immensely to the successes recorded during his tenure.
Reflecting on his years in office, he described leadership as a trust from Allah and highlighted some of the major achievements recorded during his administration. These included the successful accreditation of academic programmes, improvement of infrastructure, upgrading of laboratories, introduction of campus-wide Wi-Fi, revival of the JAMB CBT Centre, rehabilitation of roads within the College, resuscitation of inaugural lectures after about 15 years, and installation of solar power facilities in strategic buildings and offices.
He stressed that the achievements were possible only through Allah’s mercy and the support of stakeholders, adding that where he might have fallen short, he sought forgiveness from Allah and everyone concerned.
Prof. Aremu prayed for Allah’s abundant blessings upon the Igbomina/Ekiti Muslim Forum, asking Him to continue to strengthen the organisation in unity, knowledge, prosperity, and service to Islam.
He also prayed for greater wisdom and success for the Acting Provost of the College of Education, Oro, urging members of the Forum to continue supporting educational institutions. He noted that the progress of the College remains a collective responsibility of the community.
As part of the programme, the Forum distributed free copies of the Holy Qur’an, donated by muslim philantropists, to representatives of Muslim communities and Islamic schools across Igbomina and Ekiti land, reaffirming its commitment to promoting Qur’anic education and strengthening Islamic scholarship.
Special prayers were also offered for Prof. Aremu, his family, the leadership of the College of Education, Oro, the Igbomina/Ekiti Muslim Forum, and the Muslim Ummah.
Participants prayed for lasting peace, unity, progress, and continued development across Igbomina and Ekiti communities.
Among the Dignitaries at the Reception are Alhaji Nasir Ibrahim,National President who joined online; Mr Kunle Akogun, Vice National President IEMF; Mr Mustafa Abubakar, the National General Secretary, IEMF; Rtd Justice Ibrahim Abdulraheem, Alh Salaudeen, Chief Imam Olanrewaju Mosque, Ilorin, Prof. Nasir AbdulSalam Chief Imam, University of Ilorin Central Mosque, Imam Ally Bello, Chief Imam Kwara State College of Education Central Mosque, Dr I. F. Ayanda, Barrister and Engr Mrs AbdulGaniy Abidoye, Alh Bashir Bakare, Engr Musaÿ Lekan Buremoh, Alh Owokunle, Alh Abdulazeez Olawuyi, Engr Lawal, Hon Zubair, Dr Nuha Aremu, Alh Afolayan , Prof Moriam Aremu. Mr Bello Mohammed, Mr Ridwanullah Aremu, Muhammad Aremu, Mr Haruna, Mr Oloruntoba, among others.
