Ex-IEDPU President Atanda passes on at 84

The fidau for the repose of the soul of a former president of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Alhaji Abdullahi Atanda holds Monday in Ilorin, Kwara state.

A statement by spokesman of Popo Igbonna Progressive Unon (PIPU), Mr Ahmed Ibrahim Abdullah, said the prayer session comes up at the deceased’s Ile Kure residence, Alimi Road, Popo Igbonna Ilorin, Kwara state.

Atanda passed on Thursday at his residence at the age of 84 after a brief illness.

He was until his demise the Baba Adinni of Popo Igbonna mosque.

While praying Allah to forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljana Frdaos, Abdullah said sympathisers resident outside Ilorin “May not bother to travel down, rather they are advised to  pray for the deceased where ever they might be.”

Alhaji Abdullah Atanda was born on the March 28, 1936 at Cow Lane, Accra the capital of the then Gold Coast (now Ghana.)

He started his Arabic school at Alhaji Dikko(Attebise) school in Cow Lane.

In 1944, he was enrolled at Arabic school in Ansaru Islam (Okekere) to continue his foundational knowledge.

In the year 1945, he also attended Alhaji Ahmad Basha English and Arabic school where he learnt the western and Arabic education which made memorization quite easy for him.

In the year 1946, he joined African College Primary School where he had a double promotion from Class 2 to standard 1(one)  and further enrolled at  Oke-Apomu Primary School, Ilorin where he studied between 1948 and 1949.

In 1949, he returned to Ghana and continued his education in African College Standard where he joined the standard (2) class and the Accra Royal School where he completed his primary education.

After his primary education, he proceeded to Additrom Secondary School, Accra for his secondary education.

Upon his return to Nigeria, he was at the Institute of Administration, Zaria, Kaduna state for a  diploma in cooperative inspectorate course, following which he became the Cooperative Inspector in both Katsina and Bauchi states.

And for the love of his people, he left Bauchi in 1967 for Kwara , his home state where he was in charge of  the Lafiagi/Patigi Union where he worked as an officer supplying rice to the Nigeria troops  in Biafra.

He was later posted to Omu-Aran to be in charge of Igbomina/Ekiti division where he introduced yam flour industry.

His further thirst for  knowledge saw him to Kaduna Polytechnic where he bagged yet another diploma in cooperative studies between 1972 to 1974.

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