HASSAN OGOGO’s MONEY: THE ISLAMIC ANGLE
“O you who have believed, do not betray Allah and the Messenger or betray your trusts while you know [the consequence].” Q8:27
When veteran actor Ogogo entrusted ₦25 million to Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi, neither death nor circumstance altered the terms of that trust. The money remained an Amanah and the Imam treated it as one.
By Abdulfattah Abdussalam
The recent death of Nigeria’s veteran Nollywood actor, Alhaji Taiwo Babatunde Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo (also referred to in records as Taiwo Babajide Al Hassan), has thrown the media into frenzy. His death made the media abuzz with different angles on his death.
His death, burial and developments afterwards confirmed his popularity in and out of his immediate constituency, the world of theatre and screen.
In the days leading to his death, his co-veterans in the film industry, family members, junior colleagues, friends and associates gathered in different locations, offering prayers for his miraculous recovery from an ailment that was later reported to have been stage-4 cancer. With teary eyes, a co-veteran, Prince Jide Kosoko, told the world that over 500 spiritual leaders across all the religions were praying for his recovery, and they hoped on Allah’s miraculous healing for him. In similar vein, his family and fans across the globe were also up in prayers for his recovery.
Sources revealed that he was admitted into the Lagos State Teaching Hospital in Ikeja before he was moved to a popular private hospital on Lagos Island. In other words, our sources revealed that no expense was spared towards finding a cure to his ailment and returning him to his normal self. A trip to India was in the offing when death snatched him away. Thus, his life ended, as Allah has decreed for him and all mortals.
Every soul will taste death. And We test you ˹O humanity˺ with good and evil as a trial, then to Us you will ˹all˺ be returned. Quran 21 vs 35.
His death subsequently revealed another trait of his personality, not known to many people before his demise, except for his immediate family members and associates. Hitherto, many only understood him as a practising Muslim, but how deep his understanding of the Religion of Allah was, was only revealed after his death.
Along the line, while struggling to have his health challenges corrected, he made a decision to refurbish his family compound in his town, Ilaro, Ogun State. Out of his passion for family well-being, societal growth and giving back to the land of his origin, he was set to raise a large amount of money for the renovation of his family compound and the family mosque.
Ogogo hailed from Akiniku area of Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government in Ogun State, which is a neighbourhood to the area that has the central mosque of the town and the ancestral home of the current Chief Imam of Ilaro, Sheikh Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi. Thus, a platform to relate with the Muslim community of Ilaro and personal relationships with the Imam was established. The proximity of his family compound to Imam Adewunmi’s family home obviously shaped and guided one of his actions that surprised many people and put the Imam’s reaction in the limelight.
Being a Muslim with fear of a Day that would occur and that eventually happened, he confidentially sought the Imam’s counsel on keeping the money for the renovation works for his family home in his custody, pending his recovery, more so as he was to travel out of Nigeria for further treatment.
Imam Adewunmi, in a chat with PEACE Magazine, confirmed that the money was not for mosque building, as was initially reported, but for the renovation of Ogogo’s family compound.
Ultimately, Ogogo reportedly kept twenty-five million naira (N25 million), the money for his family house renovation, with the Imam. Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi was in custody of the money for 32 days. The matter was between Ogogo, Imam Adewunmi and Allah.
Upon the actor’s death, the Chief Imam disclosed the money to the family and subsequently returned the money back to the family through one of the elder brothers of Ogogo. The Imam’s action perplexed many. They were stunned about the public disclosure and the return in full of the amount. It beat many hollow: what an exemplary Imaam!
In today’s world, where many would have kept the money for their personal use. In a world when many religious leaders, in all religions, would have traded their heaven for wealth. Only few would have traded their earthly comfort for paradise, in the circumstance the money was entrusted to the Chief Imam.
At any rate, while his action seems utopian, it was not the only time Imam Adewunmi had displayed uncommon integrity. He has, at different occasions in his public and private relationships, conducted himself in line with pristine Islamic teachings. He did the same thing recently when he was Amir Hajj, who led Ogun State Muslim pilgrims to Makkah, Saudi Arabia; he returned the unspent balance to the Ogun State Government. And the same while he served as the Chairman of Ogun State Pilgrims Welfare Board in the past, 1986 to 1990.
Surely, he has always lived exemplary lifestyles, away from ostentatious living. His family background speaks volumes. Since the founding of Ilaro Yewa Islamic dynasty, two houses rotationally contribute to the Imam position: the noble Adewunmi family and the Musa family. These two families are custodians of Islamic values in Yewa lands till today.
So, one expects nothing less than his Spartan lifestyle. He is from the Adewunmi family. His forefathers brought Islam to Ilaro from Oyo Kingdom. Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi is a chip from his forefathers, whose Islamic pedigrees are measured in simplicity, embodiment of integrity and quantum Islamic knowledge. One of his forefathers was a saint who died in 1929 and was buried in the Adewunmi’s Compound, near the mosque and a stone’s throw from Ogogo’s family compound.
Beyond the Imam’s family background, he is an Islamic scholar of international repute and a moving encyclopaedia of Islamic jurisprudence. So, his action is in strict compliance with what Islam teaches humanity, which many so-called Muslims and Imams do not abide with.
Some non-Muslims and a few ignorant Muslims were confused and raised an issue over the public disclosure. They expected the Imam to discreetly return the money and not do so in public. Emphatically, without any ambiguity, it has to be made in public. That is what Islam says.
How about if he gives it back to a family member and the family member keeps it away from his children? That may be a question for the Imam to answer with his Creator!
In Islam, money kept in trust is known as an Amanah. When the owner of that trust passes away, Islamic law dictates that the trust must immediately be disclosed and returned to their legitimate heirs. Withholding, hiding or consuming this money is considered a major sin and a severe breach of faith.
The foundational rule for an Amanah (trust) is that it belongs to the person who gave it to you, and upon their death, it immediately transitions into the legal property of their heirs.
The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said: “Render back trusts to those who entrusted you with them.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi)
If you hold a dead Muslim’s money, failing to disclose it to their family means you are keeping someone else’s rightful inheritance, which is strictly prohibited. Several key Hadiths and scriptural rulings address the mandatory disclosure and return of trusts for deceased Muslims.
Islam views the failure to disclose or return a trust as an act of hypocrisy. The Prophet (pbuh) warned: “The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie; whenever he promises, he breaks his promise; and whenever he is entrusted, he proves dishonest/betrays his trust.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Therefore, keeping quiet about a dead Muslim’s money, so one can keep it for oneself, is a direct betrayal of that person’s trust. The Quran commands believers not to betray God, His Messenger, or the responsibilities entrusted to them. Surah Al-Anfal (8:27) states: “O you who have believed, do not betray Allah and the Messenger or betray your trusts while you know [the consequence].”
So, the Imam was in order to have made a public disclosure. The money was meant to repair his family compound at Akiniku area of Ilaro, from the investigation carried out by PEACE Magazine.
Similarly, Islamic traditions made it compulsory, if Ogogo was owing people, such people should also come forward and mention it in public. They either forgive the money or the family pay the debt back, same in the public.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) heavily emphasised the gravity of a dead person’s debt.
The Soul is Bound: The Prophet (pbuh) said: “A believer’s soul remains suspended by his debt until it is paid off.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi).
Narrated Salama bin Al-Akwa: Once, while we were sitting in the company of the Prophet, a dead man was brought. The Prophet (pbuh) was requested to lead the funeral prayer for the deceased. He said, “Is he in debt?” The people replied in the negative. He said, “Has he left any wealth?” They said, “No.” So, he led his funeral prayer.
Another dead man was brought and the people said, “O Allah’s Messenger (pbuh)! Lead his funeral prayer.” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Is he in debt?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “Has he left any wealth?” They said, “Three Dinars.” So, he led his funeral prayer.
Then a third dead man was brought and the people said to the Prophet (pbuh), “Please lead his funeral prayer.” He said, “Has he left any wealth?” They said, “No.” He asked, “Is he in debt?” They said, “Yes! He has to pay three Dinars.” He (refused to pray and) said, “Then pray for your companion.”
Abu Qatada said, “O Allah’s Messenger (pbuh)! Lead his funeral prayer, and I will pay his debt.” So, he led the prayer.
May Allah elongate Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi’s life, free us from debts and forgive our sins. It is a lesson in piety and Islamic understanding.
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