The Secret Of My 32yr Marriage With Sheikh Farouk Onikijipa - Wife, Hajia Ramatalahi

Sheik Sulaimon Farouk Onikijipa needs almost no introduction in today's Nigeria. He is one of the popular and influential Islamic clerics around. The soft-spoken cleric, who hails from Ilorin, Kwara state is the founder of Zawiyyat l Amany Ar-robani At-tijjaniyat soceity and Islamic school. Despite being a cleric of note, one amazing story about the life of Sheik Onikijipa is that he is married to just one wife, something not very common with people of his status. He is married to Hajia Ramatalahi Kehinde and their union is blessed with six beautiful children; Sons and 3 Daughters; Tijani, Ibrahim, Sadalah, Maryam, Iradat, and Sauda. The two lovebirds, as well as the beautiful family they have produced, are an item among their peers. And just a couple of days back, the exemplary couple marked their 32nd wedding anniversary. Around that time, Hajia Ramatallahi shared with us some intimate stories of her love life with the humble, great orator and intellectual preacher.

Interestingly, a lot of things had joined the two together even much earlier than they conceived the idea of becoming husband and wife. "Sheik Farouk and I met at the Morkaz, (popular Quranic school) in Lagos", Alhaja Ramatalahi told CityScoop. "His elder brother was one of our teachers back then, and he was close to my mum too. His father and my father (who are both late now) were friends. They met through the late Fadilat Sheik Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory (the originator and owner of Arabic instructional home, Markaz Agege Lagos)."

The young Farouk and Ramatalahi during their hey days.

"His late father and Sheik Adam are like relatives, so we have known ourselves for long and we were like family friends. His brother's wife was my late mum's best friend. So, this made him got very close to the family. That period, I was shuttling between Ijebu Ode and Ibadan. So, when I got to Lagos, he already had a very cordial relationship with my family."

"I came to Lagos in 1986 and I enrolled at Morkaz for islamic studies pending the time I would secure my admission into the then Ogun State University now Olabisi Onabanjo University. That year, Shehu was already rounding up his studies at Morkaz. I had already finished my secondary school and also through with my catering course by then, as well."

The Onikijipas

Sheik Onikijipa and Hajia Ramatalahi had a courtship that lasted three years before they eventually tied the knot." When I started at Morkaz, after my regular classes, I used go to his elder brother's house for more tutorials. So, from there, we became friends and we were always going out together. From there he proposed to me one day and ask if we could marry each other. Even before he proposed, we were extremely close . We started up our relationship in 1986 and got married in 1989", she told CityScoop.

Farouk and Ramatalahi Onikijipa's wedding in 1989.

On what has kept the flame of love burning so hot between them such that her hubby never even considered the idea of taking another wife, this is what she said: "Well there is no special secret behind my 32 years in marriage to Shehu, but anytime, I will give thanks to Almighty Allah who I would say is the secret. And prayers too.

And also, sometimes when things are hard for me I used to seek advice from our mothers. That was when they were alive. And now that they are no more, I seek God's guidance and that of the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) when there are challenges and at times, even where there are no challenges. It is still God who has been with me, putting me through till this moment.