Iwo Son Becomes Yorubaland’s First Muslim Professor of Arabic Without Secondary School

Iwo Son Becomes Yorubaland’s First Muslim Professor of Arabic Without Secondary School

Prof. Razaq Abubakre’s remarkable journey from self-study to academic excellence

The remarkable story of Professor Razaq Deremi Abubakre, an indigene of Iwo, Osun State, has continued to inspire generations, particularly for his extraordinary journey from a humble educational background to the pinnacle of Arabic scholarship in Nigeria.

Born on January 20, 1948, in Iwo, Abubakre rose to become the first Muslim Professor of Arabic in Yorubaland, a feat that established his place among the foremost scholars of Arabic and Islamic studies in the country.

What makes his achievement even more remarkable is the unusual path through which he attained academic excellence.

Available biographical accounts indicate that Abubakre did not attend a conventional secondary school. Instead, he pursued much of his early education through Arabic and Islamic learning, self-study and personal discipline.

His determination eventually paid off when he obtained distinctions that enabled him to proceed to the University of Ibadan, where he studied Arabic and graduated with First Class honours.

In an interview published by The PUNCH, Abubakre recalled how he returned to formal schooling after leaving in 1961 and was placed in Year Three in 1966. He said he subsequently performed exceptionally well, before later taking the University of Ibadan entrance examination for a Certificate in Arabic and Islamic Studies in 1969.

His academic journey later took him to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, where he pursued doctoral studies in Arabic Literature under a Commonwealth Scholarship and completed his PhD in 1980.

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In 1989, Abubakre was appointed a Professor of Arabic at the University of Ilorin, at the age of 41, cementing his place in the history of Arabic scholarship in Yorubaland.

But beyond his own academic accomplishments, perhaps the most enduring part of Abubakre’s legacy is the number of scholars and intellectuals he taught and mentored.

Among those associated with him as students are Professor Ishaq Oloyede, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and current Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB); Professor Muhammad Shafi’u Abdullahi, former Registrar of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS); and Professor Amidu Olalekan Sanni, former Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University.

Others include Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, as well as Professors K.K. Oloso and Muhibbu-Din Opeloye, who served at different times as commissioners in Oyo and Osun states respectively.

Academic records and scholarly publications also attest to Abubakre’s influence on the development of Arabic and Islamic scholarship in Nigeria. A University of Ibadan research publication, for instance, lists him alongside Professor Ishaq Oloyede and other prominent scholars as products of the Arabic-Islamic educational tradition.

Abubakre’s career has extended beyond the classroom. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, and held several academic and administrative responsibilities, while also contributing extensively to scholarship through books, journal articles and international academic engagements.

His story therefore goes beyond the title of professor.

It is a story of determination, self-education, intellectual discipline and mentorship.

For Iwo, it is also a story of a son of the ancient town who rose from an unconventional educational beginning to become a major figure in Arabic scholarship and a mentor to generations of academics.

Professor Abubakre’s journey demonstrates that the circumstances of one’s beginning do not necessarily determine the height of one’s achievement.

From Iwo to the University of Ibadan, from there to SOAS in London and eventually to professorial leadership in Nigeria, his life remains an enduring testimony to the power of knowledge, perseverance and purposeful mentorship.

At a time when educational opportunities are increasingly available to millions of young Nigerians, the story of the Iwo-born scholar offers another important lesson: great intellectual achievements can emerge from the most unlikely beginnings when determination is matched with discipline and opportunity.

Iwo Son Becomes Yorubaland’s First Muslim Professor of Arabic Without Secondary School