By Justice I. A. Haroon, OFR
It is with immense joy and gratitude to Almighty Allah that I join the family, friends, and admirers across the nation in celebrating a man of rare distinction, my highly respected Engineer Sulaiman Yahaya Alapasanpa the Danmasani of llorin as he attains the remarkable age of seventy. Maa sha Allahu!
Our connection and intimacy though not based on the School or Classroom relationship but has it’s roots in a shared spiritual heritage. We are both products of the noble legacy of Maolana Sheikh Muhammad Kamaludeen Habeebullah Al-Adabiyy (may Allah be pleased with him) a luminary Renowned Scholar of Global fame, whose vision and scholarship shaped generations.
In those formative years of the late 1960s, while he was a student at the Ansarul lslam Primary School Okekere, l was at the same time at Mahad Al Deeny Al Azihary (Al-Adabiyy) our paths did not cross directly.
Yet, we were both nurtured by the same fountain of knowledge، faith, discipline and learning .
It is that moral and spiritual lineage that later binds us together in friendship.
In later years, our lives converged more directly through the late Honourable Justice Mustapha Akanbi, CFR, another giant of integrity whose words always carried the weight of truth. Justice Akanbi spoke to me about Engineer Alapasanpa with profound respect, describing him as *“a man of honour, decorum, and outstanding integrity.”* Those were not idle compliments. As I came to know Engineer Alapansanpa more closely over the years, I discovered that even those lofty words were, if anything, modest in capturing the depth and beauty of his character and accomplished personality.
Engineer Yahaya Alapasanpa is, in every sense, a man of substance. His life embodies the rare virtues of honesty, humility and patriotism. He is an exemplary Muslim, steadfast in faith, yet open-hearted and compassionate in his dealings with others.
As a family man, he is loving and devoted; as a friend, he is loyal, truthful; and as a citizen, he is patriotic and remarkably selfless in his contributions to the Ilorin Emirate and the nation at large.
Professionally, Engineer Alapasanpa has distinguished himself as one of the nation’s foremost Engineers and industrialists.
Long before he was appointed by our father, HRH the Emir of llorin as the Chairman of the llorin Emirate Durbar Committee to coordinate the affairs of the historic Annual Durbar celebrations in Ilorin Emirate, an assignment he discharges with total commitment and absolute dedication which been earned llorin Emirate unprecedented Landmark achievements not only in the Emirate but across Nigeria and beyond.
Before this , he had already left indelible marks in Nigeria’s electricity and energy sector, where his technical acumen, managerial brilliance, impactful relationship and immense contributions to the National development stood unbeatable.
His career has been one of consistent excellence, guided not by the pursuit of wealth or fame, but by a sense of duty to uplift others and contribute meaningfully to national growth and integration .
Beyond his professional accomplishments lies the heart of a philanthropist and community builder. His generosity is quiet, deliberate, and far-reaching. He gives not for recognition, but from conviction — the conviction that true success is measured by the good that one does for others. His footprints of kindness can be found in education, youth empowerment, and community development initiatives across Ilorin and beyond.
At 70, Engineer Yahaya Alapasanpa remains an inspiration, a man whose life testifies that faith, integrity, and hard work remain the surest paths to enduring greatness. He is, to me personally, a brother whose friendship I cherish deeply and whose nobility continues to remind me of the beauty of a life well-lived in service of God and humanity.
As we celebrate this milestone, I pray that Almighty Allah, in His infinite mercy, continues to bless him with good health, peace of mind, and long life filled with greater achievements and may his legacy remains to be a beacon for generations yet unborn.
Congratulations, my dear friend and brother, Engineer Yahaya Sulaiman Alapasanpa, the Danmasani llory. A man of honour, vision, and unshakable faith. May your light continue to shine by Allah’s abundant grace. Wishing you more years of grace and glory. Ilal Amam insha Allahu Aameen.
Justice I. A. Haroon, OFR, former Grand Khadi of the Kwara State Shariah Court writes from Ilorin.
