EMIR OF ILORIN APPOINTS SHEIKH MUHAMMAD DASUKI AS NEW CHIEF IMAM

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has appointed Sheikh Muhammad Dasuki as the new Chief Imam of Ilorin Emirate following the death of the former holder of the position.

The appointment was confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Emir’s Personal Assistant, Abdulraheem Muritala.

According to the statement, Sheikh Dasuki emerged successful after a rigorous selection process involving several prominent Islamic scholars who contested for the revered spiritual office.

He succeeds Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Salihu, who passed away on January 19, 2026, at the age of 75. The late cleric served as the 12th Chief Imam of Ilorin from 1983 until his death and was widely respected as one of the most influential Islamic leaders in Kwara State.

Announcing the appointment, the Emir expressed confidence in the ability of Sheikh Dasuki to provide spiritual leadership and guidance to Muslims across the Ilorin Emirate.

The statement noted that Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Dasuki Imam Fulani emerged victorious among several distinguished scholars who vied for the position after what it described as a rigorous selection process.

“Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Dasuki is a grandson of the 8th Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Ibrahim Dasuki Imam Fulani Agaka, and the son of the 10th Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Maliki bn Dasuki Agaka,” the statement added.

It further highlighted his contributions to Islamic education and propagation, noting that before his appointment, he founded Darul Bisharah Arabic and Islamic Studies in Airport Egbejila, Ilorin, and served as Imam at the Afsat Oloriegbe Memorial Mosque, Oko Olowo, where he led daily and Jumu’ah prayers.

Sheikh Dasuki is also a presenter of the Al-Bisharah Islamic Foundation Ramadan programme on Radio Kwara and a lecturer at Darul Kitab College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Gaa Akanbi, Ilorin.

In terms of academic background, he studied Islamic and Arabic education across several institutions, including Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Islamic Shari’ah in 2014. He also holds a diploma from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Islamic Studies at Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin.

The Emir prayed for a peaceful and successful tenure for the new Chief Imam, wishing him wisdom, good health, and divine guidance in his new role.