Professor Rapheal Afonja, immediate past commissioner for public works and transport in Oyo State, has embraced Islam.
This was made known in a video which surfaced online social media on Saturday.
He also confirmed the news to newsmen in a WhatsApp chat on Saturday. The Professor of Physical Sciences is now known as AbdurRahman.
In the video, he was seen pronouncing the Kalima Shahada after the Chief Imam of Ogbomosoland, Sheikh Talihat Yunus Ayilara.
The Imam, in his Khutbah (sermon) of Friday, broke the news to the congregation, adding that Allah has blessed the ummah (the Muslim community) with the conversion of Prof. Raphael to Islam on Thursday.
“This will be my first conversion success story since I became an Imam,” said Sheikh Ayilara, who was appointed the Chief imam of the ancient Yoruba town in November 2021.
The former Commissioner who has now adopted the name AbdurRahman, is a Professor at the Department of Physical Sciences, City University of New York. He was once an Adjunct Professor at the Southern New Hampshire University.
He has won several honours, some of which include: U.S. Army National Defense Service Medal, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; U.S. Army Service Ribbon, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; U.S. Army Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; U.S. Army Sharpshooter Qualification Badge, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Others are Distinguish Honor Graduate, US Army Quartermaster School; Doctoral Fellowship Award, City of Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Aside from his academic career, he has an intimidating diverse professional career having worked for various bodies. Some of these include the United States Air Force, where he served as a Program Manager/Engineer in the 27th Special Operations Civil Engineering Squadron, and Gamut Engineering and Technology Services where he was a Senior Consultant.
