Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday charged emerging Islamic scholars across Nigeria and the African continent to preserve and propagate the enduring message of tolerance, dialogue and inclusivity exemplified by the late Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, describing the revered cleric as “one of the last great titans of Islamic scholarship.”
Speaking after attending the burial ceremony in Bauchi, the Vice President said the nation and the global Muslim community had lost “a colossus, an institution,” whose life’s work defined moderation and peaceful religious engagement.
In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said “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 in a solemn reflection.
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 grant his family and millions of followers the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, the century-old leader of the Tijjaniyya order in Nigeria, passed away on Thursday at the age of 101, drawing tributes from across the nation and beyond.
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, described the late Sheikh as a “towering figure” whose teachings transformed Islamic education and uplifted countless families.
“He made remarkable contributions to development and established a strong tradition of Qur’anic research and scholarship. He mentored so many people. We have lost a father, a guardian, a teacher, and a colossus,” Mohammed said.
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Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, said it was a profoundly sorrowful day not only for the cleric’s family but also for Nigerians and the global Muslim Ummah.
Yusuf extolled the late scholar as an exceptional teacher whose influence extended to millions within and beyond the Tijjaniyya movement.
“May God grant his soul eternal rest and give the nation the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he said.
Governor Mohammed Umar of Niger State also paid tribute, saying the cleric lived a life dedicated to scholarship and service.
He praised God for a life he described as “well spent,” noting that Sheikh Dahiru would be remembered as a distinguished scholar and leader.
Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, whose teachings and Qur’anic scholarship shaped generations of Muslims across West Africa, was widely revered for his emphasis on unity, spiritual discipline and peaceful coexistence.