Chief Imam of Ilorin, Shaykh Muhammad Bashir Imam, dies at 75; Emir, Saraki mourn

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Shaykh (Dr.) Muhammad Bashir Imam Solih OON, has passed away in the early hours of Monday at the age of 75.

The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR, confirmed the development in a statement issued by his spokesman, Dr. Abdulazeez Arowona, describing the death as a monumental loss to the Ilorin Emirate, the Muslim Ummah and humanity at large.

The Emir said the late cleric, the 12th Chief Imam of Ilorin, was renowned for his intelligence, honesty, loyalty, dedication and tolerance, noting that his passing has left a deep void in the Emirate.

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. It is with total submission to the will of Almighty Allah that we receive the news of the demise of the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Shaykh Muhammad Bashir Imam Solih OON,” the Emir said.

He described the late Chief Imam as a man of wisdom and honour who played a key role in uniting Muslim clerics and promoting interfaith harmony in Kwara State.

According to the statement, the Janazah prayer will be held at the Palace Square of the Emir of Ilorin by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, January 19, 2026.

The Emir prayed Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the departed cleric, accept his good deeds and grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus.

Also reacting, former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the Chief Imam, describing him as a towering spiritual leader whose life was defined by scholarship, devotion to Allah and selfless service to the Ummah.

In a statement signed by his Press Officer on Local Matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, Saraki said the late Shaykh’s more than four decades of leadership on the mimbar established him as a moral compass and spiritual authority whose influence extended beyond Ilorin and Kwara State.

Saraki noted that the late Chief Imam served as the spiritual head of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Ulama, Alfas and Imams, guiding generations with wisdom, humility and clarity.

“From the pulpit, his sonorous voice consistently called the faithful to righteousness, peace, discipline and communal harmony, reinforcing Ilorin’s historic reputation as a centre of Islamic scholarship and moderation,” Saraki said.

He added that beyond his clerical duties, the late Chief Imam was a teacher, mentor and father figure who nurtured unity within the Ilorin Emirate and strengthened relations between the Emirate Council and the Islamic community.

Saraki also recalled his personal relationship with the late cleric, describing him as a source of prayers, counsel and moral support during critical moments of his public service. He noted that the Saraki family benefitted immensely from the guidance and goodwill of the late Chief Imam, who was also highly respected by his late father, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki.

While condoling with the Emir of Ilorin, the family of the deceased, Islamic scholars and the entire Ilorin Emirate, Saraki urged the Muslim Ummah to take solace in the enduring legacy left behind by the late Chief Imam.

He prayed Almighty Allah to forgive the departed scholar, accept his decades of service as acts of worship, grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus and comfort all those mourning his loss.

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