admin Writing on the power of destiny, an American young adult novelist, Mildred Taylor said, “We have no choice of what colour we are born or who our parents are or whether they are rich or poor, what we have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we are here.”
This quote obviously described the journey of the life of Sheikh Ahmed Aminulahi Arikoserere, a man born into a relatively humble background with no trace of silver spoon but found the right roadmap for his destiny path, followed it doggedly, and God shot him to limelight at his own timing, which never fails, and neither does he ever fail.
Born at Ijio Meso, a hilly, beautiful town under Iwajowa local government, Oyo state, to the family of Sheikh Aminulahi Adigun Olowookere and Alhaja Sideekat Ayoka Aminulahi.
Right from his childhood days, the young Ahmed Aminulahi is fond of praying ceaselessly and always eager to seek knowledge about the things of God. His educational career showed that after his secondary education, he studied at different Islamic schools, such as Nurul Islamiyah Arabic and Islamic Studies, Okeho, and other Arabic schools. He is now a graduate of Arabic and Islamic studies at
Bin Bass Shariah College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, an affiliate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
He is a strong lover of education, and this motivated him to set up ARIKOSERERE International Group of Schools to cater for the needs of children.
Sheikh Ahmed Aminulahi Arikoserere’s Islamic scholar activities goes beyond preaching about the tenets of Islam, he often admonishes followers of Prophet Muhammad to abstain from all forms of evil and walk with the fear of Allah.
He is a man who also walked the talk, laying good examples about what he is preaching by his involvement in philanthropic activities. Those around him far and near whose lives have been touched testify that Sheikh Ahmed Arikoserere is a man who exhibits the spirit of kindness, compassion, and selflessness.
Through the Arikoserere Foundation, of which he serves as the life president, Sheikh Ahmed had touched lives through the distribution of foodstuffs and equipment for empowerment for youths, widows, orphaned children, and acute needy members of his Igando Egan Community under Alimosho local government area of Lagos State and his hometown of Ijio, where the foundation organises a yearly programme to touch lives in their hundreds more than fifteen years ago.
No one ever comes across Sheikh Ahmed Arikoserere and will not have cause to smile at the end of the day. In his own words, “Because God has helped me, I am driven by empathy, compassion, generosity, selflessness, and social responsibility within and outside my community of residence. It is not just about donating money or material things, it is about making a positive impact about people that God has ordained to pass through our pathways and create lasting change for them.”
According to him,the name “Arikoserere” is a way of making a statement that people should see the good examples we are laying in our community of residence, our state of residence, our hometown, and our state of origin and follow the good examples and replicate it to other people.”
A man who is humorous, prayer warrior, and strong believer in the power of education and a life of giving, his Islamic scholar activities had taken him round nations in Africa, USA, Canada, UK, and several countries in Europe.
Report by Tunde Olaore
