IWF

Author(s):
Dr. Mikail Adebisi Folorunsho, mikail.folorunsho.uniosun.edu.ng drmikfol@gmail.com,
Kamal-deen Olawale Sulaiman , drsulaimanko@yahoo.com, +2348068298472, +2348143757771

Abstract: The Arabic verses of Yoruba ‘Ulama’ (Arabic scholars) are composed for divergent purposes. A perusal of the thematic range of these verses shows lyricism and didacticism as the two major themes cultivated by the Yoruba Arabic versemakers. Shaykh Abdul-Latif Owolabi is one of the Arabic poets of Yoruba extraction. Of his contributions is Qasidah fi t-tawhid, an ode on theology. This study attempted answering questions like: Who is Abdul-Latif Owolabi?; What served as catalyst for the composition of the Qasidah?; Of what significance are theological issues in the Qasidah?. The study employed both historical and contextual methods in answering the questions. It discovered the Qasidah as a worthy contribution to contemporary discussions on theological issues. Apart from being a significant contribution to the Arabic/Islamic literary productions of Yoruba Ulama’ , the Qasidah shows the creativity of Shaykh Abdul-Latif Owolabi and it serves as a useful material for the literary historians and critics in documenting the Arabic literary activities in Yorubaland.