President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the death of renowned Islamic scholar and leader of the Tijaniyyah Muslim Brotherhood, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, describing his passing as a monumental loss to Nigeria and the Muslim world.
The revered cleric, who died on Thursday at the age of 101, was widely regarded as one of the most influential Islamic scholars in West Africa, known for his lifelong commitment to teaching, preaching and promoting peaceful coexistence.
In a condolence message, President Tinubu said the late Sheikh was not only a spiritual leader but also a moral compass whose influence transcended religious boundaries.
“Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi was a teacher, a father and a voice of moderation and reason. As a preacher and a notable exegete of the Holy Qur’an, he advocated peace and piety, and his passing has created a huge void,” the President said.
Tinubu noted that the loss was not only painful to the Sheikh’s family and followers but also to the entire nation, recalling the personal encouragement and moral support he had received from the cleric during the build-up to the 2023 general election.
He urged followers of the late Islamic leader to immortalise his legacy by holding firmly to his teachings of peaceful coexistence, deep spirituality and kindness to humanity.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai were among several national figures who paid glowing tributes to the late cleric.
Kwankwaso, in his message, described Sheikh Bauchi as a spiritual father, statesman and unifier whose life was devoted to Islamic scholarship and service to humanity.
“Through his institutions and Tafsir sessions that drew millions, he nurtured generations with sound Islamic teachings, moral excellence and love for the Qur’an and Sunnah.
“His legacy as a peacemaker and unifier will remain etched in the history of our nation,” Kwankwaso said, while praying for Allah’s mercy and eternal rest in Al-Jannatul Firdaus.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki also described Sheikh Bauchi as a colossus of Islamic scholarship and a spiritual father to millions of Nigerians.
He noted that the late scholar dedicated his entire life to the service of Islam and the propagation of the Holy Qur’an through his Almajiri schools and Tafsir sessions which shaped generations of young Muslims across the country.
“I extend my deepest condolences to his family, the Sultan of Sokoto, the government and people of Bauchi State, the Tijjaniyya adherents and the entire Muslim Ummah,” Saraki said.
In a heartfelt tribute, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the passing of Sheikh Bauchi as a monumental loss not only to Nigeria but to the African continent and humanity at large.
“Nigeria has lost a father. Africa has lost a teacher. Humanity has lost a beacon of wisdom,” Atiku declared.
He described the Islamic leader as a symbol of peace, unity and spiritual heritage whose teachings would continue to guide generations.
Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi was celebrated for decades of Qur’anic exegesis, leadership in the Tijaniyyah Order and the establishment of Islamic learning centres across Nigeria and beyond.
Muslims across the country have continued to offer prayers for the repose of his soul, expressing gratitude to Allah for granting him a long life devoted to faith and service.