The Grand Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Salih, has died at the age of 75. The Ilorin Emirate Palace announced his passing on Monday, 19 January 2026, marking a significant loss to Nigeria’s Muslim community. His death marks the end of an era in Ilorin’s religious history, where he served as Grand Imam for more than four decades.
Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Salih assumed office in 1983 after the death of Imam Musa Ahmad and went on to become one of the longest-serving Grand Imams of Ilorin.
Throughout his tenure, he played a central role in Islamic propagation, leading prayers, delivering sermons, interpreting the Qur’an, and promoting peace and reconciliation within the community.
Born in 1950, the late Imam received extensive Islamic education, beginning with Qur’anic studies in Ilorin and later studying under renowned scholars, including Sheikh Abu Bakr Sakama and Sheikh Musa Nuh Ilori. He also studied at the Azhar-affiliated Islamic Institute in Ilorin.
As the twelfth Grand Imam of the Ilorin Emirate, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Salih upheld the rich religious traditions of the emirate. He was appointed during the reign of the late Emir, Alhaji Dhul-Qarnayn Muhammadu Gambari, and hailed from a distinguished scholarly lineage, being the son of Imam Salih Omo Oneida Abdul Qadir, the seventh Imam of Ilorin.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Islam and society, the late Imam received numerous awards, including Nigeria’s national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). He was also honoured internationally, notably in the United Arab Emirates, and awarded an honorary doctorate for his efforts in preserving Ilorin’s Islamic heritage.
Tributes have continued to pour in, describing him as a humble, generous, and charismatic leader who devoted his life to scholarship, service, and the welfare of the less privileged. His home was known as a haven for scholars, students, and the needy.
Muslim leaders, scholars, and institutions across Nigeria have extended condolences to the Emir of Ilorin, the Council of Ulama, the Imam’s family, and the entire Muslim community, praying that Allah grants him eternal rest in Al-Jannah and comforts those he left behind.