Sheikh Adam Accuses Onikijipa of Sorcery, Claims Illness Was Orchestrated—Onikijipa Swears on Quran to Prove Innocence
The Muslim community remains divided following an explosive allegation by Sheikh Muhammed Adam (El-Ilory), leader of the Markaz Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Agege, Lagos. During the institution’s 2025 Ramadan Tafseer Programme, Adam accused popular cleric Sheikh Sulaimon Farooq, widely known as Onikijipa, of orchestrating his illness through supernatural means.
Tafseer, derived from the Arabic word “fasara,” refers to the exegesis or interpretation of the Quran, providing insights for a deeper understanding of Islamic teachings. Speaking at the event, Adam, who had consistently avoided personal disputes in his sermons, stated that this year’s Ramadan lecture would shed light on his long-standing conflict with Onikijipa.
According to Adam, their feud traces back to his father, the late Sheikh Adam, who allegedly omitted Onikijipa’s father’s name from a list of esteemed Islamic scholars in one of his books. He further claimed that Onikijipa, despite his current status, had studied under him at Markaz when he was already a lecturer.
“I had completed an advanced class, traveled to Kano for further studies, and returned to Markaz to teach at my father’s insistence before Sulaimon Farooq even began his elementary class. Who am I fighting with? How can he claim my father offended him? The issue is that my father listed all notable clerics in one of his books but did not include his father. Who is even his father? His lineage does not trace back to the original Onikijipa heritage in Ilorin,” Adam stated.
Although he did not mention Onikijipa’s name directly during the Tafseer lecture, Adam assured his congregation that he would fully explain the origins of their dispute. Throughout his address, he referred to Onikijipa as “the person” and “he.”
Adam alleged that his illness, which began in 2022, was caused by diabolical acts during his visits to Ilorin. He recounted an incident at a wedding ceremony where someone wiped his neck with a handkerchief, only for the item to be discreetly retrieved by Onikijipa. He further described another encounter at Belgore’s house, where he lost his ability to speak immediately after greeting the audience, claiming an unknown object had been placed in his pocket.
“I greeted the gathering, and suddenly, I lost my speech. Some clerics rushed to assist me. I observed the ceremony quietly while Baba Oladimeji Igbaja kept praying for my recovery. Eventually, I was taken to a private hospital and later transferred to Ilorin General Hospital. I could not talk, but I remained conscious,” he narrated.
Adam dismissed rumors that he had suffered a stroke, further alleging that Onikijipa later approached his personal assistant, Abu Apatira, requesting the retrieval of the mysterious object from his pocket. The object, Adam claimed, turned out to be two small gourds.
His followers suggested that Onikijipa should take them back, as he had insisted they were for protection and required an animal sacrifice for their use. “He left with them but later returned with additional items, intending to place them on my head. My son refused to allow it. He then told the cleric attending to me that I was paralyzed, which they contested,” Adam added.
Adam named three scholars—Dr. Olaoti, Alfa Haroon Rosheed, and Alhaji Yusuf Hamrah—as witnesses to Onikijipa’s claim that he had become paralyzed.
In response, Onikijipa, speaking in Ilorin, denied the allegations and swore on the Quran, calling divine curses upon himself if he was guilty.
“This is the Quran, and we are in the holy month of Ramadan. I have never sworn on the holy book before, but today, I will. If I, Sulaimon Farooq, son of Aminat, know anything about Mudir Markaz’s illness, may the curses in this Quran be upon me. But if I am innocent and being framed, may those responsible bear the consequences,” Onikijipa declared.
While he vehemently refuted the allegations of sorcery, Onikijipa did not address Adam’s assertions regarding clerical superiority and lineage disputes.
Both clerics command significant followings across the Southwest and Northern Nigeria, making the controversy a subject of intense debate within Islamic circles.
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, leader of the Markaz Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Agege, Lagos. During the institution’s 2025 Ramadan Tafseer Programme, Adam accused popular cleric Sheikh Sulaimon Farooq, widely known as Onikijipa, of orchestrating his illness through supernatural means.){kind=link}