Let’s learn from Ambali’s death-Ali-Agan
By Abubakar Imam
A former Head of the Department of Religions, University of Ilorin, Prof. Abubakir Imam Ali-Agan, has urged staff members of the University and others to take a cue from the life and times of the nineth Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, OON, for them to also end their sojourn on earth gloriously and peacefully.
Prof. Ali-Agan gave this advice last Monday (June 15, 2026) while speaking with UNILORIN Bulletin on the sidelines of a Special Senate session organised by the University in honour of the late former Vice Chancellor at the University Auditorium.
The cleric-don, who described the late former Vice Chancellor as “an embodiment of virtues”, said that the deceased lived a very good life.
Prof. Ali-Agan said that, apart from being a colleague of the late Prof. Ambali, they were also neighbours, a situation that encouraged them to have deep interactions.
He recalled that the late former Vice Chancellor was a man who always encouraged good neighbourliness not only through his words but also through purposeful actions.
Prof. Ali-Agan, who is also the Proprietor of the An-Nur Islamic Group of Schools, Ilorin, added that throughout the time they lived together at the Shehu Shagari Housing Estate, Oloje, Ilorin, no one, to the best of his knowledge, accused the late Prof. Ambali of any form of wrong doing.
Rather, he said that the late former Vice Chancellor attracted positive developments to the community and was a fascinating role-model and mentor to many members of the community and the society at large.
While asserting that the late Prof. Ambali was quite religious, Prof. Ali-Agan recalled that the deceased also facilitated employment opportunities, career progression and many other forms of support for several members of the community.
Prof. Ali-Agan, who is equally the Chief Imam of An-Nur Central Mosque, Oloje, Ilorin, added that the sudden death of the late former Vice Chancellor should be a reminder to all that death can come at anytime as he encouraged everyone to always prepare for it by worshipping Allah with all seriousness and being kind to others.
He added that no one would be evaluated by Allah by the quality of certificates he earned or the number of houses or cars he paraded but by the magnitude and quality of his worship and interactions with other creatures.
Prof. Ali-Agan sympathised with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN and that of the Kwara State University, Malete, Prof. Shaykh Luqman Alade Jimoh and the generality of staff members of the University and the entire people of the Ilorin Emirate.
He prayed to Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the late former Vice Chancellor and rest his gentle soul in Aljanat Fridaous.
