Nigeria’s Muslim community is mourning the death of one of its most revered clerics, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, a prominent leader of the Tijjaniyya Sufi order, who passed away early Thursday at the age of 102.
The respected scholar, widely celebrated for his decades of teaching and peace advocacy, died in the early hours of the morning, prompting nationwide tributes.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed described the Sheikh’s passing as “a profound national loss”, praising his lifelong commitment to peace, religious scholarship, and interfaith harmony.
In a condolence message issued by his spokesperson, Mukhtar Gidado, the governor extended sympathy to the cleric’s family, students, followers, and the global Tijjaniyya community.
“Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi was a towering figure whose humility, wisdom, and spiritual depth shaped generations,” the governor said.
He highlighted his decades spent promoting Qur’anic learning and moral upliftment.
He noted that the late scholar’s schools produced thousands of Qur’an memorisers who went on to serve as Islamic teachers across Nigeria and beyond.
Mohammed pledged continued support for the institutions and values the Sheikh championed.
Born on June 29, 1927, in East Gombe, Sheikh Dahiru hailed from a family with strong roots in both Gombe and Bauchi.
A holder of a globally recognised Tijjaniyya ijāzah, he was among West Africa’s most influential spiritual leaders.
He served as Deputy Chairman of the Fatwa Committee of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and was known for his extensive travels spreading Islamic knowledge.
In 2009, he was briefly detained in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj following doctrinal disagreements involving Nigerian Muslim groups.
Sheikh Dahiru was also married into the family of renowned Tijani scholar Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse, with the ceremony officiated in Kaolack, Senegal.
Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda also mourned the cleric, describing him as a beacon of moral guidance and a unifying figure.
“Throughout his 98 years, Sheikh Dahiru remained a voice of reason, a symbol of spiritual enlightenment, and a guardian of moral values,” Radda said through his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed.
He added that the Sheikh’s influence transcended ethnic, regional, and political divides, leaving a legacy that will resonate for generations.
