Oyoland Grand Chief Imam Celebrates Amubieya’s Decades of Islamic Scholarship

• Celebrates decades of scholarship, Hadith teaching, Da‘wah in Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire

The Grand Chief Imam of Oyoland, Fodhilatu Shaykh Bilaal Husayn Akinola Akeugberu, has celebrated and honoured a renowned Islamic scholar, Shaykh Muhammadul Awwal Sulayman Amubieya, for his decades of commitment to Islamic scholarship, teaching, Hadith studies and propagation of the faith.

Amubieya, the Mudeer of Daarul Hadeeth, Ibadan, Oyo State, was honoured by the Office of the Grand Chief Imam on Friday, September 4, 2026, in recognition of his enduring contribution to Islamic education and the spiritual development of Muslims.

The ceremony was particularly significant because the Grand Chief Imam’s office stressed that it was a celebration of a living scholar, not a posthumous tribute.

The office stated emphatically that Shaykh Amubieya is alive and remains actively involved in the service of Islam, the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

According to the statement, the recognition was intended to appreciate the scholar’s contribution while he is still alive and able to witness the acknowledgement of his years of sacrifice and service to the Muslim Ummah.

A life devoted to knowledge

For years, Shaykh Amubieya has been associated with Islamic teaching and Da‘wah in Ibadan and other parts of South-West Nigeria.

As Mudeer of Daarul Hadeeth, he has been particularly identified with the teaching and study of Hadith and other branches of Islamic knowledge.

His lectures have covered a broad range of subjects, including Tawḥīd, Qur’an and Hadith, Islamic creed and methodology, family responsibilities, the duties of students of knowledge, morality, social issues and general Islamic guidance.

He has also featured in Jumu’ah sermons, Islamic conferences and question-and-answer sessions, using such platforms to educate Muslims and encourage adherence to the Qur’an and Sunnah.

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The Grand Chief Imam’s office described his years of teaching as part of the wider effort to preserve Islamic knowledge and pass it from one generation to another.

From Ibadan to Côte d’Ivoire

The scholar’s Da‘wah activities, according to the statement, have not been restricted to Nigeria.

His recorded lectures and participation in Islamic programmes have taken him to parts of Côte d’Ivoire, including Youpougon, Dimbokro, Yamoussoukro, Tiébissou, Divo and areas around Abidjan and Lakota.

His ability to communicate Islamic teachings in Yoruba has also made his preaching accessible to Yoruba-speaking Muslims both within Nigeria and in parts of neighbouring West African countries.

The Grand Chief Imam’s office said this aspect of Amubieya’s work demonstrated the importance of indigenous-language preaching in spreading Islamic knowledge and strengthening religious understanding.

Building the next generation of scholars

Beyond preaching to the general Muslim population, Shaykh Amubieya has also placed considerable emphasis on the training and responsibilities of students of Islamic knowledge.

At a programme themed “Reviving the Ummah,” he was among the principal lecturers and spoke on the roles and responsibilities of students of knowledge in society.

The Grand Chief Imam’s office said this reflected an important dimension of his scholarship—his belief that knowledge should translate into character, responsibility and service.

It said the true value of Islamic education was not merely in acquiring information but in producing Muslims who understood their obligations, demonstrated good character and positively impacted their communities.

A voice for Qur’an and Sunnah

Amubieya has also been associated with the Ahlus-Sunnah/Salafiyyah-oriented scholarly environment in South-West Nigeria.

His public teachings have consistently placed emphasis on Tawḥīd, Islamic creed, adherence to the Sunnah and the acquisition and proper application of Islamic knowledge.

His continued appearance at Ramadan programmes, lectures and other Islamic gatherings, the office said, showed that his scholarly journey remained active.

His archive of recorded lectures and teaching materials further provides a record of years of Islamic teaching and Da‘wah.

‘We celebrate him while he is alive’

The Grand Chief Imam of Oyoland, Shaykh Akeugberu, said the recognition was a demonstration of appreciation for the contributions of Islamic scholars before their passing.

He noted that scholars occupy a crucial position in Muslim society because they preserve religious knowledge, educate the younger generation and provide guidance to Muslims.

Through their teaching, preaching, counsel and scholarship, the Grand Chief Imam said, scholars help preserve the Islamic heritage and ensure its transmission to future generations.

The office therefore described the honour as a privilege and an opportunity to publicly appreciate Shaykh Amubieya for his years of service.

Prayers for more years of service

The Grand Chief Imam prayed for Allah’s continued protection, good health and strength for Shaykh Amubieya.

He also prayed for increased beneficial knowledge and wisdom, steadfastness upon the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah, blessings upon his family and students, and acceptance of his efforts in the service of Islam.

The prayer further sought long life upon righteousness and continued strength for the scholar to serve Islam and humanity.

The Office of the Grand Chief Imam of Oyoland described Shaykh Muhammadul Awwal Sulayman Amubieya as a living scholar whose contribution to Islamic education, Hadith studies, Yoruba-language Da‘wah and the training of students of knowledge had extended beyond Ibadan to other parts of Nigeria and West Africa.

The office concluded by congratulating the scholar and praying that Allah would grant him many more years of fruitful scholarship and service to the Muslim Ummah.

“Long life, good health and continued strength in the service of Islam to Shaykh Muhammadul Awwal Sulayman Amubieya,” the office prayed.

Oyoland Grand Chief Imam Celebrates Amubieya’s Decades of Islamic Scholarship

How I Sold My Twins for N300,000, Stole 13 Other Children — Suspect

A 50-year-old suspected child trafficker, Adejoke Popoola, has confessed to selling a newborn boy and a set of twins she gave birth to before stealing at least 13 other children for onward sale, in a case that has uncovered an interstate trafficking syndicate operating across Oyo, Ogun and Delta States.

Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, made the startling disclosure on Monday while speaking with journalists at the Oyo State Police Command headquarters in Ibadan, following her arrest on August 4. She claimed she had been involved in the alleged activities since October 2024, after her herb-selling business was gutted by fire, which she said pushed her into the illicit trade as a means of survival.

Popoola stated that she sold a newborn baby boy and a set of male twins, with the twins sold to a clinic in Ogeere for ₦300,000. She said she sometimes received between N80,000 and N120,000 for other children, and up to N900,000 for some victims, depending on the age and gender of the child. “God blessed me with the gift of pregnancy. Anytime a man has sex with me twice, I get pregnant, and it is always difficult to abort,” she said. “I have sold two sets of children, a newborn boy and twins as well, last year. I sold the twins to … clinic; she also resells them to her customers in Lagos. She has a baby industry. When the owner of the pregnancy rejects the pregnancy, that is when I sell.” Popoola, who said she has seven children of her own aged between six and 34, added that she became involved in the alleged operation after meeting a woman she identified as Oluwakemi, who she said operated a “baby industry” and supplied children to buyers in Lagos, revealing the existence of a well-organized trafficking network.

The suspect also admitted to stealing children through various deceptive methods. She explained that she would sometimes disguise herself as a prospective tenant to gain access to homes before taking children when their parents were not around. “I steal babies. I will go to their place and say I want to rent a house. Then, if I do not see anyone, if I see their children, I will just steal their children,” she said. Popoola claimed that a woman she worked with at Ogeere Market taught her how to steal children, providing her with the skills and confidence to carry out the abductions. She further alleged that she sometimes posed as a spiritualist, targeting parents with children living with disabilities, preying on their desperation for healing. “Parents bring their disabled children to me because they cannot talk, sit, or walk. So, I will promise them that I can help them to heal, then I will go and pick another person’s child for them,” she said, revealing a particularly cruel method of operation.

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One of the most chilling incidents she recounted involved the abduction of three-year-old Ifakunle Ifagbenro during an Egungun festival in Oyo Town on June 29. She said she travelled to the festival two days earlier, joined the family during prayers and even contributed money to gain their trust before volunteering to carry the boy during the procession. “When the Egungun left, the boy told his mother that he did not want to stay at home and wanted to join the procession. So, I volunteered to help hold the boy,” she said. “I joined them for the procession and, in the evening, I picked up the boy, laid him on my back and ran away with him.” She claimed she received N900,000 for selling Ifagbenlo, making him one of her most lucrative targets.

Popoola claimed that of the children she allegedly kidnapped, six had died while 17 were rescued by police. The deceased children were identified as Musharaf Lawal Tajudeen, two; Greatness Adeagbo, five; Sainat Amoo, two; Taiwo Usman, two; Daniel Solomon Olayinka, seven; and Miracle Olaniyi, four. She explained that some of the children died due to illness or neglect while in custody, while others reportedly succumbed to the harsh conditions in which they were kept.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, said the investigation began with a petition dated July 29, 2026, submitted by Popoola herself over allegations including conspiracy, cyberbullying, threat to life and defamation. Detectives later linked the case to the disappearance of Ifakunle during the masquerade festival, as video footage from the event showed Popoola carrying the child moments before he vanished. Popoola was arrested on August 4, and her statement provided the first major breakthrough in dismantling the syndicate. She allegedly named Adekanbi Janet, also known as Hosanna, as her accomplice. Janet was arrested in Mowe, Ogun State, where four children and two pregnant young women were rescued from her custody, revealing the scale of the operation.

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The investigation later extended to Agbor, Delta State, where four children allegedly stolen from Oyo State were rescued from persons suspected to have bought them. Two suspects, Christopher Joy, 48, and Rosemary Jesse, 53, were arrested and allegedly confessed to involvement in the trafficking network, confirming the interstate dimension of the criminal enterprise. The investigation also uncovered an alleged ritual dimension, with suspects confessing that children who died in custody were sold to ritualists. This led to the arrest of Muritala Fasasi, an Islamic cleric, and Yakubu Azeez, a herbalist, who were allegedly involved in purchasing the bodies of deceased children for ritual purposes.

The police said it has so far rescued 17 children and arrested seven suspects in connection with the investigation. The rescued children include Ifakunle Ifagbenro, 3; Musibau Olasupo, 5; Sulaimon Osamo, 7; Murina Fidaus, 3; Aminat Yusuf, 3; Taiwo Olamilekan, 3; an infant aged nine days; Rafiat Waheed Babalola, 2; Quwiyat Alade, 5; Rejoice Divine, 3; Alhaji Divine, 5; Eniolorunda, 3; Victoria, 3; Isoma Prince, 3; Roqeeba, 4; Boluwatife Odedeyi, 3; and Ireoluwa Elizabeth Olapade, 7. The CP urged parents and guardians whose children recently went missing to visit the command headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, to identify the rescued children and facilitate their reunification with their families, as some of the children have yet to be claimed.

How I Sold My Twins for N300,000, Stole 13 Other Children — Suspect