Ilorin Emirate in Mourning as Late Chief Imam, Sheikh Solihu Laid to Rest
Massive crowds on Monday converged at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin to pay their final respects to the late Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Bashir Solihu, who passed away at the age of 75.
The solemn gathering drew religious leaders, traditional rulers, political figures and residents of the Ilorin Emirate, reflecting the widespread reverence for the cleric, who served as the 12th Chief Imam of Ilorin for more than four decades.
The Janazah prayer, held within the Emir’s palace, was led in the presence of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, and former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, alongside other dignitaries and senior Islamic scholars.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Emir described the late Chief Imam as a man of exceptional piety, wisdom and integrity, whose death, he said, represented a monumental loss to the Ilorin Emirate, the Muslim Ummah and humanity at large.
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Sheikh Solihu, who was appointed Chief Imam in 1983, was widely recognised for his role in promoting peace, tolerance and interfaith harmony within Kwara State and beyond. Throughout his tenure, he was regarded as a unifying figure who used his position to foster mutual understanding among diverse religious and ethnic communities.
Born in 1950, the late cleric began his Quranic education at Magaji Baboko Quranic School before proceeding to Shaykh Abubakar Sakama School for further Islamic studies. In recognition of his lifelong contribution to religious scholarship and community development, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by Belaze University, United Kingdom, in 2013.
As mourners offered prayers for the repose of his soul, tributes poured in from across the country, praising his enduring legacy of peace, scholarship and service to humanity.
Sheikh Solihu was later laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites, bringing to a close a chapter in the religious and cultural history of the Ilorin Emirate marked by decades of steadfast leadership and moral guidance.
By PRNigeria
