Sheikh Dahiru’s death leaves void in Nigeria’s quest for unity – ACF

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has described the death of revered Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, as a monumental loss that creates a deep void in Nigeria’s ongoing quest for unity, peace, and harmonious coexistence. The influential Tijjaniyya spiritual leader died on 27 November 2025. In a condolence message signed by its National Publicity […]

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has described the death of revered Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, as a monumental loss that creates a deep void in Nigeria’s ongoing quest for unity, peace, and harmonious coexistence.

The influential Tijjaniyya spiritual leader died on 27 November 2025.

In a condolence message signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, the ACF said the late Sheikh was one of the most respected figures in the Islamic world, celebrated for his unwavering advocacy for religious tolerance and national cohesion.

It noted that Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi spent decades using his scholarship and spiritual authority to build bridges across ethnic, religious and political divides.

The Forum highlighted his exceptional role as a guiding light within the Tijjaniyya movement, not only in Nigeria but across West Africa and beyond.

His teachings, it said, consistently promoted moderation and discouraged extremism, fanaticism, and all tendencies capable of undermining Nigeria’s diverse fabric.

ACF recalled that Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi was active in several major religious bodies, including Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), where he championed dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect between faiths.

According to the Forum, the Sheikh’s passing “could not have come at a more challenging time,” given the country’s need for moral voices committed to unity, tolerance, and peace-building.

His life, it said, embodied the values required to strengthen Nigeria’s social fabric.