Prof. Wale Sulaiman sympathises with Emir of Ilorin, Gov. Abdulrazaq, others on Demise of Chief Imam of Ilorin

By: Mercy Folounsho

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun (FUHSI), Prof. Wale Sulaiman, CON, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the renowned Islamic scholar and Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammed Bashir Solihu, OON.

In a condolence statement, Prof. Sulaiman extended his heartfelt sympathies to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON; the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, CFR; the Kwara State Council of Ulama; the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU); and the immediate family of the late Chief Imam.

He described the demise of Sheikh Solihu, who also served as the Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Ulama, as a monumental loss to the Muslim Ummah in Kwara State, Nigeria, and beyond.

According to Prof. Sulaiman, the late Chief Imam was an institution of Islamic scholarship whose depth of knowledge, scholarly interpretation of the Qur’an and Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and exceptional style of Qur’anic recitation earned him global respect and recognition.

Prof. Sulaiman noted that the late Sheikh personified humility, spiritual depth, and intellectual excellence, adding that his unique tonation and mastery of Qur’anic recitation distinguished him as one of the foremost Islamic scholars of his generation.

He further described the late Chief Imam as a spiritual father, mentor, and unifying figure who consistently preached peace, tolerance, and communal harmony. “Baba Imam, as he was fondly called, was a pillar of hope and unity for the Muslim Ummah and a strong believer in the transformational development of Kwara State through institutional inclusiveness,” he said.

Prof. Sulaiman joined prominent sons and daughters of Kwara State and the Ilorin Emirate in mourning the revered cleric, praying that Almighty Allah (SWT) forgives his shortcomings and grants him Al-Jannatul Firdaus.