Professor Lateef Adetona of the Lagos State University is dead.
Until his death, he was the Head, Department of Religions and Peace Studies at LASU and the Lagos State Chairman of the National Association Teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies (NATAIS).
Adetona died in the early hours of Friday 13th April, 2018.
The widely published academic had his first degree in Islamic Studies in 1989 at LASU and a Master of Arts in the same course at the University of Ilorin in 1995. He returned to LASU for his PhD, which he completed in 2007.
EduCeleb.com gathered that the late professor suddenly developed some health challenge while in Ilorin for a programme and reported at an hospital where he later passed on.
The Vice Chancellor of LASU, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun had, on behalf of the University Management, commiserated with the family, friends and colleagues of Professor Adetona and members of the Faculty of Arts on his “untimely death”.
Fagbohun in his condolence message noted that Adetona was “a straightforward individual known for his candour and frankness, stating that death has robbed him and the entire university of his professionalism and large-heartedness at a time when such qualities are sorely needed in moving the University forward”.
He prayed God grants the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased and especially members of the LASU Muslim Community, the Faculty Arts and the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
He also prayed that God grant the dead aljanah fridaos.
The Executive Director of Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), Disu Kamor said the Adetona was a “well respected Muslim leader of sterling qualities and enviable achievements”. He added that the death had left a vacuum difficult to fill.
“We take solace in the fact that Professor Adetona lived a life of true submission, service and sacrifice. We also take solace in the great words of God in the Quran: Ina lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajihun [We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return].
A member of NATAIS, Mr Tejumola Hadi described Adetona’s death as a loss to the Muslim community. He acknowledged the professor as a “scholar par excellence”.
A former student of his, Mr Salami Murtala described the late contemporary Islamic Studies specialist as a “heavily gifted, and all round scholar”.
Professor Lateef Adetona was buried in Ilorin on Friday evening according to lslamic rites and a special prayer was also observed for his repose at the LASU Central Mosque.
