Former Governor of Osun State and immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has opened up on his spiritual journey, revealing how he retraced his steps from Marxist ideology back to Islam.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that he made the revelation during the 30th Anniversary Lecture of the NASRUL-LAHI-L-FATIH Society (NASFAT).
Aregbesola, a distinguished member of the Board of Trustees of NASFAT, said although he was born into a devout Muslim family with over five centuries of Islamic heritage, youthful exposure to communist and Marxist literature led him to temporarily abandon the faith of his forebears.
“I was drawn to Marxist ideology through the materials I encountered in my youth. But by the infinite mercy of Allah, three significant individuals helped revive the light of faith in my heart., he said.
Aregbesola narrated a pivotal moment during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) days in the North, revealing how a devout Muslim played a silent but powerful role in drawing him back to Islam.
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According to him, “As far as my Islam is concerned, two people came into my life. One of my colleagues we went to serve in Adamawa. He was never a maxist but he took it to me. I wouldn’t know. He would always be talking to me. He wrote to me that he would be visiting me in Kaduna and he came. But he told me that when he was coming to Kaduna, he has lost his bag, he got to me around 5:30pm and I told him to let us rush back to the motor park, and see if it was at the park you left your bag but he said i will observe bath, observe salat and eat before going to the park but I said he has lost his bag.
“He did everything he said he will do. After satisfying himself, he said we should go to park and we got there by after 7pm and the park has closed but activities were still going on in the park. I was there to prove to him that he was stupid. Interesting, the first man we met at the park and I engaged him and he asked does he asked anything to show that he is the owner of the bag. I was stunned and I turned to my friend. He said his NYSC ID Card is in the bag. And the man said come and pick your bag. I couldn’t talk again. I was bewildered. I was so sure that what I experience was real.
“The final saw tha finally made me a Muslim, I met a lady that I fancy so well. The lady will always stand in front of the house whenever I was passing and I seriously fancy the lady. One day, I summoned the courage to engage her, invariably, the lady turned out to be my wife, but that is not the story. The real story is that it was that lady that ultimately made me to become a Muslim.”
Aregbesola ended his remarks by expressing gratitude for the people who contributed to his return to Islam, adding that their impact on his life remains unforgettable.
“My journey back to Islam is a testimony of divine mercy. I strayed, but Allah guided me back through simple, sincere people who lived the faith,” he stated.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
