Longest-Serving Ilorin Chief Imam, Sheikh Bashir Saliu, Dies at 75
The Ilorin Emirate has been thrown into mourning following the death of its revered spiritual leader, Sheikh (Dr.) Muhammad Bashir Saliu, OON, the Chief Imam of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Ulama.
PRNigeria reports that the respected Islamic scholar passed away on Monday morning at the age of 75. His demise brings to a close a remarkable 42-year tenure as Chief Imam, making him the longest-serving holder of the position in Ilorin’s recorded history since 1900.
Born in 1950 into the prominent Alfa Omo family of Baboko, Sheikh Soliu was deeply rooted in Islamic scholarship from birth. He was the son of Imam Saliu Omo Onida Abdulkadir, the seventh Chief Imam of Ilorin, and was widely regarded as being groomed for spiritual leadership from an early age.
His formative education began at the Magaji Baboko Qur’anic School and the Shaykh Abubakar Sakama School, before he proceeded to advanced Islamic training under Shaykh Musa Nuhu Elere at Alanamu, where he spent six years in intensive scholarly study. In 1974, he graduated from the renowned Al-Mahad Al-Azhar Institute, specialising in Arabic and Islamic Sciences.
Following the death of Imam Musa Ahmad in 1983, the then Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Zuluqarnain Muhammadu Gambari, appointed Bashir Soliu as the 12th Chief Imam of Ilorin. At just 33 years old, he became the youngest person ever to occupy the revered position. He went on to lead the Emirate’s Islamic affairs with distinction through more than four decades of social, political and generational change.
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Beyond Ilorin, Sheikh Soliu was a national religious figure of immense respect. In 2012, he was honoured with the national award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in recognition of his outstanding service to Islam and society. One of his most notable public appearances occurred during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, when he was accorded the rare privilege of leading both the opening and closing prayers at a National Honours ceremony attended by Nigeria’s political and traditional elite.
As Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Ulama, he played a central role in shaping the religious life of Ilorin, particularly as a leading figure in the annual Ramadan Tafsir held at the Emir’s Palace alongside other senior clerics, including the Imam Imale and the Imam Gambari.
Beyond the pulpit, the late Chief Imam was also a respected educationist, school proprietor and community leader who championed learning, moral discipline and peaceful coexistence. His life and legacy were formally documented in November 2025 with the launch of a 369-page biography, “Shaykh (Dr.) Moh’d Bashir Imam Solih, OON: The Spiritual Orator,” which chronicled his decades of selfless service to the faith.
Widely regarded as a symbol of integrity, wisdom and humility, Sheikh Soliu was known for bridging religious and social divides across Kwara State and beyond. His leadership style, rooted in scholarship and moderation, earned him deep respect across diverse communities.
His passing is widely seen as a monumental loss to the Ilorin Emirate and the global Islamic community, marking the end of an era of enduring spiritual stability in Kwara State.
By PRNigeria
