Farewell To The Man Who Put AIYEPE On World Map

•The Story Of Alhaji SHAFI SHITTU Revealed!

A few days ago, the 8th Day Fidau Prayers of Alhaji (Prince) Shafi Mobolaji Shittu was held in Aiyepe-Ijebu. And the event was well attended by a lot of Aiyepe-Ijebu indigenes, both at home and abroad. He is one man who the town will not forget in a hurry. The reason is obvious.

He is the man who put that sleepy town on the world map because of the Lace industry he set up in the 70s.

Let’s tell you more. Let’s tell you the story of this great industrialist who died a few days back. Alhaji (Prince) Shafi Mobolaji Shittu was born on February 5th, 1932, in Aiyepe, Ogun State into the Royal Family of Alhaji Seidu Kehinde and Alhaja Humani Shittu of blessed memory. He had his primary education at Holy Trinity School, Aiyepe. Later he studied stenography at a private school in Lagos. He completed the program in flying colours and qualified as a Stenographer in 1951 at the age of 19. Alhaji S.M, Shittu was an enterprising and industrious teenager. He had his eyes on business from a very young age. He ventured into the textile retail business very shortly after graduating as a Stenographer. He was a consummate businessman at a young age and saw value in partnering with others to expand his horizon. His textiles retail business grew into a partnership with Alhaji Sulaimon Ademola Shittu. This business metamorphosed into wholesale tailor-made clothing, handkerchiefs, men’s underwear and footwear under the banner of Idera-Olu Textiles Industry.

In 1955, just four years after finishing stenography school, Alhaji Shittu and Idera-Olu Textiles Industry expanded their horizon to include the selling of embroidery lace materials which were sourced mainly from Italy. The company experienced tremendous growth and became a fashion pacesetter within the social scene in Nigeria. In 1961, Idera-Olu Textiles Industry started sourcing high-quality Damask and classic Guinea Brocade materials from Germany. Within a very short time, under the leadership of Alhaji Shafi Mobolaji Shittu, the company became the biggest dealer of Guinea Brocade in Nigeria.

Alhaji S. M. Shittu was quite innovative and aggressive in his efforts to expand the business and undertook numerous business trips in the sixties to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Britain and France. This paved the way for various business contacts that positively affected the expansion of Idera-Olu Textiles. In no time, the company became a household name among international textile manufacturers and consumers in Nigeria. In 1970, under the leadership of Alhaji S. M. Shittu, Idera-Olu Textiles entered into a partnership agreement to manufacture Lace in Nigeria with Messrs. Franz Maser, a major embroidery manufacturer in Austria. This was a major move as Alhaji S. M. Shittu graduated from importing and trading in textiles to the manufacturing of textiles in Nigeria. Another major decision by Alhaji S. M. Shittu was his decision to locate the new manufacturing business in his hometown of Aiyepe. This was a calculated decision to bring growth, development and employment to Aiyepe. To this decision by Alhaji S. M. Shittu, Aiyepe became a household name in Nigeria and internationally.

The construction of the Lace Factory started in 1970 and was commissioned on December 9th, 1972, by the then Governor of Western State, Brigadier Oluwole Rotimi. With the expansion of the business, Idera-Olu Textiles changed name to Austro-Nigerian Embroidery Factories Limited with Alhaji S. M. Shittu as the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director. Under his able leadership, the company carved a unique brand name of high-quality lace material widely known as “Aiyepe Lace”.

Aiyepe Lace took Aiyepe town to prominence locally and internationally. Aiyepe Lace contributed to the rapid development of our beloved Aiyepe. It provided regular employment for many. In recognition of his role in the textile manufacturing industry in Nigeria, Alhaji S. M. Shittu received many local and international awards. In 1992, under the leadership of Alhaji S. M. Shittu, the partnership of Sule and Shafi established another company known as Sulsaf Industries Nigeria Limited which specialized in the production of printed fabrics popularly known as Jacquard. The jacquard fabrics produced by Sulsaf also became a trendsetter in Nigeria.

Alhaji S. M. Shittu contributed immensely to the socio-economic and religious development of his hometown of Aiyepe, Ogun State and Nigeria in general. He was Vice-Chairman of the Aiyepe Muslim Community for several years. He was later turbaned as the Baba Adini of Aiyepe by the Aiyepe Muslim community in June 1991. Among his indelible notable legacies was his conception and financing of the building of the ultra-modern Aiyepe Central Mosque in collaboration with other notable sons and daughters of Aiyepe. Alhaji S.M. Shittu was an accomplished industrialist, a philanthropist, a devoted Muslim, a great family man, a father to the Aiyepe community and a father to his in-laws. He is described by his children and many as their inspiration, legend, distinguished gentleman, God-fearing man with a golden heart, solid rock of support, their hero, encourager, a rare gem, pillar of support, disciplinarian, and everything a person could ask for in a father, role model, humble, resourceful and irreplaceable. At his 90th birthday celebration on February 5, 2022, his “Celebrant’s Speech” was short and simple. The theme was unity: he called for unity and oneness of Aiyepe Muslim Ummah and Aiyepe Community in general. That was his farewell message to us all. Unity was also the theme of his parting words to his children and family.

Alhaji (Prince) Shafi Mobolaji Shittu is indeed irreplaceable. Farewell to our most distinguished and beloved icon. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and accept his soul toAljanah Firdaus.

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