SHEIKH SALIU, ILORIN’S CHIEF IMAM, PASSES AWAY AT 75

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By: Fasasi Hammad

The death of Ilorin’s Chief Imam, Sheikh Saliu, was confirmed on Monday by his Chief Secretary, Dr. Abdulazeez Arowona.

Dr. Arowona stated that the revered Islamic scholar passed away after decades of dedicated service to Islam and the Ilorin Emirate.

Born in 1950 in Ilorin, Kwara State, Sheikh Saliu devoted his life to Islamic scholarship and religious leadership. He was appointed the 12th Chief Imam of the Ilorin Emirate in 1983 and held the position for over 40 years.

The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, expressed profound sadness over the demise of the Chief Imam.

In a condolence message issued by his Press Secretary, Dr. Abdulazeez Arowona, Sulu-Gambari described Sheikh Saliu’s death as a monumental loss to the Ilorin Emirate, the Muslim Ummah, and humanity at large.

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. It is with total submission to the will of Almighty Allah that we receive the news of the passing of the 12th Chief Imam of Ilorin, Shaykh Muhammad Bashir Imam Solih Onida OON.

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“He was a cleric distinguished by his intelligence, honesty, loyalty, dedication, and tolerance. His demise brings immense sorrow to the Ilorin Emirate. We reflect on his lifetime as a man of honour and piety.

“Late Imam Solih was a man of wisdom, known for unifying Muslim clerics and promoting inter-religious harmony in the state.

The Janazah (funeral prayer) is scheduled to hold at the Palace Square of the Emir of Ilorin at 4 pm on Monday, January 19, 2026.

Sulu-Gambari prayed that Almighty Allah grants Sheikh Solih forgiveness, accepts his good deeds, and admits him into Al-Jannatul Firdaus.