Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on emerging Islamic scholars across Nigeria and Africa to preserve and promote the values of tolerance, dialogue and inclusivity exemplified by the late Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, describing the renowned cleric as “one of the last great titans of Islamic scholarship.”
Shettima made the appeal on Friday in Bauchi after attending the burial ceremony of the revered Islamic leader, saying the nation and the global Muslim community had lost “a colossus and an institution” whose life embodied moderation and peaceful religious engagement.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President noted that Sheikh Bauchi’s legacy represents the true heritage of Islam.
“This nation has lost a colossus — an institution and one of the last great titans of Islamic scholarship.
We call on our emerging scholars to embrace the path of dialogue, moderation, accommodation and inclusivity, because this is the true heritage of Islam — not fanaticism, not extremism,” Shettima said.
Praying for the repose of the late cleric’s soul, the Vice President added:
“May Allah grant his soul eternal rest and reward him with Aljannatul Firdaus. May Allah also grant his family and millions of followers around the world the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”
Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, the century-old leader of the Tijjaniyya Islamic order in Nigeria, passed away on Thursday at the age of 101, triggering an outpouring of tributes from across the country and beyond.
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, described the late scholar as a “towering figure” whose teachings transformed Islamic education and uplifted countless lives.
“He made remarkable contributions to development and established a strong tradition of Qur’anic scholarship. We have lost a father, a guardian, a teacher and a colossus,” Mohammed said.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, also mourned the cleric, saying his death was a great loss to the Muslim Ummah and Nigeria as a whole.
“May Allah grant his soul eternal rest and give the nation the fortitude to bear this painful and irreparable loss,” Yusuf said.
Similarly, Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar, paid tribute to Sheikh Bauchi, describing his life as one devoted to scholarship and service, and praising God for what he termed “a life well spent.”
Widely revered across West Africa, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi was known for promoting unity, spiritual discipline and peaceful coexistence, with generations of Muslims influenced by his teachings and leadership.