All heavenly religions are unanimous on the inevitability of Death as the ultimate end of all mortals.
Except some religious faiths like Buddhism,Sikhism and Hinduism whose adherents are made to believe in reincarnation rather than end of existence, other religious faithful know that no one can live forever.
In the three religions mentioned above and some others alike, death is seen as a transition to another life, with the cycle of rebirth continuing until a state of liberation is achieved.
Of these three religions , Hinduism has the largest population of 1.2million followers but mostly based in India.
In Islam, Death is not seen as sudden. It is to be expected at any time , irrespective of class ,age, status or gender.
When Royal fathers die, it is an indication that they are called kings only for their little period of existence on earth. In our clime, if a king did not pass on, another king cannot ascend the throne.
Powerful kings like many of the greatest Alaafin, Ooni, Olu of kingdoms, “Oni this or that” etc have passed on to the great beyond, while other people have taken over the functionalities of those ancestral thrones.
Only last week , the death was announced of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Owolabi Olakunlehin who ‘joined his ancestors’ at 90 years of age. He took away NOTHING. His drummers could not even tarry for a while to mourn and honour their former principal before shifting base to the place where the crown is expected to be worn next.
Only Yesterday, 91 years old Awujale of Ijebu-land , Oba Sikiru Adetona passed on, after a 65- years reign as a first class king. He left even without his much celebrated and highly revered crown. Someone else would wear this crown soon !
On Saturday, 28th June, 2025, One of Nigeria’s wealthiest businessmen, Aminu Dantata died at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates at 94 .
His over 20 children , over 100 grandchildren, wives , exotic cars , houses spread across Kano and other places as well as his multi-billion dollars business conglomerates could not stop death from taking his life.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, whose uncle Dantata was, could not buy death over.
Those wealth are now useless to him. He died and was buried in Saudi Arabia like the common man.
When former president Umar Musa Yar’Adua died on 5th May, 2010 at the age of 58, people were left wondering how death maneuvered itself into Aso Rock to kill the Commander in chief of the Nigerian Armed forces
Anyone who works or had worked closely to the Federal capital territory would understand the herculean tasks involved in seeing a Nigerian Minister , talk less of going into the villa.
Yet, Death killed Nigeria’s “most secured citizen” without allowing him to say the honorary byes and wave his hands.
Nigeria’s immediate past president who had been rumoured to have died twice since 2015 died in a London hospital , leaving behind his herds of Cattles
The gap-toothed retired Army General breathed his last at 82, after a protracted illness.
Many have analysed that his death will bring about a lot of re-alignment in Nigeria’s political landscape, which means death took him without looking at his political stature and fellowship
If death could take away Kings with their royalty, wealthy individuals with their affluence and opulence, leaders and commanders with their ascendancy, who else will death not take away ?
Nothing shall go round everyone in this world except Death
And Nothing is sure for everyone except Death.
Since royalty , wealth and power cannot make death evitable, then the only source of succour after death are Godliness, Impact and good character
The time to turn a new leaf is now. Tomorrow morning might be too late.
Lest you forget that the Past tense and past participle of verbs shall be used to describe everyone sooner or later. I.e “was”, “were” “had”
وَإِنَّمَا المَرءُ حَديثٌ بَعدَهُ
فَكُنْ حَدِيثاً حَسَناً لِمَنْ وَعَى
Al-Imam AbdulGhaffar Adeleye is the Lead Missioner of NASFAT, Alagbole Akute branch and Chief Imam of Ayedere Kingdom-Egbaland.
