Ilorin stood still on Tuesday as thousands of mourners flooded the forecourt of the Emir of Ilorin’s palace for the final burial rites of the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Saliu, amid tears.
From the early hours of the morning, streams of Muslim faithful, scholars, traditional rulers and political leaders converged at the palace in a solemn procession of grief to pay their last respects to the cleric whose influence cut across generations and institutions.
The janazah prayer, which commenced at exactly 10:00 a.m., was led by the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Sheikh Abdullahi Abdulhameed.
In his admonition, Sheikh Abdulhameed prayed for the Ilorin Emirate, the government and the people, urging them to draw lessons from the late cleric’s life of service, devotion and spirituality.
The palace forecourt was filled to capacity, with security operatives struggling to manage the massive crowd that turned out to honour the revered Islamic scholar.
Due to the huge crowd, organizers conducted the janazah prayer with the corpse of the deceased inside the ambulance that conveyed it to the venue for safety and security reasons.
Another gate was later opened to ease movement as the body was taken out en route to his Arabic school at Egbejila, where he was laid to rest.
Many residents likened the gathering to the atmosphere usually witnessed during Eid prayers or Ilorin Emirate durbar.
Mourners and sympathizers climbed structures within the palace premises just to catch a glimpse of the departed scholar.
GISTSMATE MEDIA gathered that Sheikh Soliu was one of the closest confidants of the Emir of Ilorin.
A palace source disclosed that the Emir was deeply moved by the news of the cleric’s passing.
“The Emir wept and could only take his breakfast past noon on Monday when the news was broken to him. The deceased was very close to the Emir,” the source said.
The funeral attracted a large number of eminent personalities from across political, religious and social divides.
They included representatives of the Kwara State governor led by the Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor to the Governor, Saadu Salaudeen; former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki; Senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha and former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.
Others were former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Professor Ali Ahmad, former Director of Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency, Engineer Bolakale Kawu; and Vice Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Prof Lateef Oladimeji, among others.
Prominent Islamic scholars and traditional rulers from within and outside Kwara State were also in attendance.
They included the Grand Mufti of Ilorin, Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa; the Chief Judge of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen, Justice Idris Haroon (retd), Balogun Alanamu of Ilorin; Dr Usman Abubakar Jos; Chief Imam of Offa, Sheikh Muyideen Salman Hussein Al-Imam; the Ajanasi Agba of Ilorin, Sheikh Mujtabah Yusuf Bature; Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Dr Yunus Taliat Olushina Ayilara II and an Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja, Sheikh Salman Solagberu, alongside numerous other scholars and clerics.
After the funeral prayer at the palace, the body was conveyed in an ambulance to Egbejila area of Ilorin, his residence and the location of his Arabic school, for interment.
At Egbejila, a multitude estimated at over 1,000 people gathered to witness the final rites and bid farewell to the departed religious leader.
At the graveside, Islamic clerics and scholars offered prayers, committing his soul to Allah and praying for forgiveness and Al-Jannah Firdaus.
Outside his residence, grief was palpable as mourners wept openly, mourning the loss of a spiritual father, teacher and moral guide whose influence spanned generations.
Sheikh Saliu is remembered for his humility, deep knowledge of Islam and unwavering commitment to peace, unity and religious guidance within Kwara State and beyond.
His death was confirmed on Monday.
He died at the age of 75, marking the end of a life widely described as one devoted to Islamic scholarship, leadership and service to the Ilorin Emirate and the wider Muslim community.
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