Egbewole mourns late Ilorin Chief Imam
…His death, a great loss – CILS Director
By Abubakar Imam
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has described the death of the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Shaykh (Dr) Muhammad Bashir Saliu, OON, as a great loss not only to the University’s host community but also to humanity at large.
The Chief Imam died last Monday(January 19, 2026) after a brief illness at the age of 75 while his remains were buried last Tuesday (January 20, 2026) at his Arabic Institute in Egbejila area of Ilorin after a Janazah prayer held at the Emir”s Palace, Ilorin, led by the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Shaykh Abdullahi AbdulHameed.
Prof. Egbewole, in a statement issued by the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, said that the management, staff and students of the University received the news of the death of the prominent cleric with great shock.
Describing the late Chief Imam as a great friend of the University, the Vice Chancellor noted that the University has benefited immensely from the messages of peace, which hallmarked his weekly Friday sermons.
Prof. Egbewole commiserated with the Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR and the people of Ilorin Emirate on the death of this outstanding and longstanding spiritual leader.
The Vice Chancellor, who is also the Chairman of the Consortium of Kwara Universities (KU8+), also sympathised with the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON, on the death of a remarkable son of the State.
Prof. Egbewole specifically condoled with members of the immediate family, friends, and colleagues of the late Chief Imam across the nation and beyond, urging them to take solace in the fact that the cleric lived a good life worthy of emulation.
The Vice Chancellor, who said that the late cleric would be sorely missed, prayed to Allah to forgive his shortcomings and reward his good deeds with Aljanat Fridaous.
Also, in his own tribute, the Director, Centre for Ilorin Studies(CILS), University of Ilorin, Prof. Issa Olarongbe Sanusi, said that the demise of the Chief Imam is a great loss to the entire Muslim Ummah, and the Ilorin Emirate in particular.
Prof. Sanusi, in a statement, described the late cleric as a unique scholar who was graciously endowed with special qualities.
In addition to his long period of spiritual services to humanity, Prof. Sanusi said that the late Shaykh Saliu exhibited very uncommon and exemplary character, adding that the late Chief Imam was blessed with sound knowledge, native intelligence, humility, perseverance, good temperament, piety, and kindness.
The Director, who teaches at the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, said that the Chief Imam’s amiable and accommodating posture endeared him to many people, including people of other religions.
Prof. Sanusi prayed Allah to forgive the late Chief Imam’s shortcomings and grant him Al-janna Firdaus.
