By Peter Omopo
Former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Saraki, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Salihu, describing the late cleric as a towering spiritual leader devoted to faith, scholarship and service to humanity.
Sheikh Salihu reportedly passed away in the early hours of Monday at the age of 75.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by his Press Officer on Local Matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, Saraki said he received the news with profound sadness and a deep sense of personal loss.
He described the late Chief Imam as an institution whose influence went beyond the Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State, noting that his more than four decades of leadership on the pulpit made him a moral compass and spiritual authority for generations of Muslims.
According to Saraki, Sheikh Salihu’s scholarship, humility and moral uprightness reinforced Ilorin’s historic reputation as a centre of Islamic learning, jurisprudence and moderation.
“Ilorin, Kwara State and the entire Nigerian Muslim Ummah have lost a rare gem, an accomplished scholar and a symbol of faith, moderation and service,” Saraki said.
He noted that the late cleric served diligently as the spiritual head of Ilorin and as Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Ulama, Alfas and Imams, where he consistently preached peace, discipline, unity and communal harmony through his sermons and teachings.
Reflecting on his personal relationship with the late Imam, Saraki described it as one of father and son.
“His prayers, counsel and moral guidance at critical moments in my public service remain unforgettable. My family benefited immensely from his wisdom and sincere supplications, just as my late father, Oloye (Dr) Abubakar Olusola Saraki, held him in the highest esteem,” he said.
Saraki urged the Ilorin Emirate and the Muslim Ummah to take comfort in the enduring legacy left behind by the cleric, noting that his life of devotion, scholarship and service would continue to inspire future generations.
He also prayed that Almighty Allah would forgive the shortcomings of the departed scholar, accept his decades of service as acts of worship, grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus and comfort his family, the Ilorin Emirate and the entire Muslim Ummah.
Sheikh Salihu, the 12th Chief Imam of Ilorin, was widely respected for his deep knowledge of Islamic theology, humility and dedication to the unity of the Muslim Ummah.
Beyond his role as Chief Imam, he also served as Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Ulama, Alfas and Imams, where he played a key role in fostering unity among Islamic scholars and promoting interfaith harmony in the state.
His death was announced on Monday after he passed away at a hospital in Abuja, where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
