The combined Maulud of Sheikh Ahmadu Tijjani and his Khalifa Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass drew multitudes of Tijjaniyyah adherents from far and near, both within and beyond Nigeria to Bauchi State. They included Maghreb scholars, Sheriffs and Sheikhs as well as thousands of students.
Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir was the host, and he was assisted by the governors of other North East states, including those of Governors from Yobe, who sent in representatives. Emirs and other traditional title holders were also not left out.
The Leader of Tijjaniyyah adherents, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, whose foundation organized the grand event, said it was meant to honour revered servants of God – grandson of the prophet Sheikh Ahmadu Tijjani and his Khalifa (successor) Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass – who dedicated their lives towards the services of Islam.
The sheikh said also the event put on display the light and strength of Islam, even as he regretted that the Covid-19 pandemic had affected the event in a major way. He said the maulud of Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass would have held in the month of Rajab but had to be postponed. “Now we are combining the two in Bauchi,” the Islamic scholar said.
The scholar added that the programme was equally designed to improve relationship among Tijjaniyyah adherents across the globe and immortalize the late Islamic scholars, and urged the people of Nigeria and neighboring states to be hospitable and be their brothers’ keepers.
“The essence of the celebration is to further cement the existing mutual relationship of the adherents of Sheikh Ahmadu Tijjani all over the world, to immortalize and commemorate the legacy and teachings of the two Sheikhs and to pray for peaceful co-existence of the entire nation and pray to Allah to end the Covid-19 pandemic,” Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi said.
Also speaking at the historic gathering, Grand Khalifa of Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass Sheikh Mahiy Nyass stressed the importance of unity among Muslims all over the world. Represented by his brother Sheikh Baba Laminu Nyass, Sheikh Mahi urged Muslims to always be close to Allah and ensure regular prayers and constant glorification of His names.
He prayed to Almighty Allah to solve all challenges bedeviling Nigeria and other parts of the Muslim World.
In his remarks, Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir congratulated Tijjaniyyah adherents for the combined maulud and urged scholars to continue to pray for peace and stability of the country.
Represented by the Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Mohammed Sabiu Baba, Governor Bala assured the adherents that his government will continue to promote education as one of the top most priorities of his administration. He also promised the support of his administration always to religious bodies as part of effort to inculcate discipline and fight moral decadence in the society.
Chairman of the Steering Committee Alhaji Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru Usman, thanked all prominent Islamic clerics from Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, United States of America, Mali Egypt, Senegal, Sudan, Ghana, Cameroon, Niger, and Europe and African countries who attended the occasion.
He urged all participants to continue to observe the Covid-19 prevention protocols and also pray for the end of the pandemic across the globe.
Okorocha honoured for support for Almajiri education
Meanwhile, former Governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha, now Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has been honoured by the Tijjaniyah adherents for his support to the Almajiri Education and establishing schools for the less privileged in different states of the country.
Speaking after he received the two awards presented to him by the Bauchi SSG on behalf of the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Okorocha advocated that the Arabic system of education should be combined with the conventional school system as the best way to tackle the almajiri problem in the country.
Okorocha told the mammoth crowd at the occasion that combining the two educational systems particularly in the North will make everyone to see the dignity of Almajiris as human beings.
The Senator said “I am in Bauchi on the invitation of Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi for this year’s Maulud. I was given an award as Sarkin Yakin Talakawa by the Tijjaniyyah and also the Garkwuwan almajirai (Ambassador of Almajiris) and I think it has to do with my passionate appeal that the lives of the almajiris should be made better in this country.
“I am calling on all and sundry, the rich and the government to see what they can do to help the situation and to see how we can fight poverty together, and not blaming the children (almajiris) and making them guilty of offences they didn’t commit because they did not bring themselves to this world.”
On the 2023 presidency, Okorocha said since other regions have produced presidents in Nigeria, “What I propose is that a Nigerian President who will guarantee the unity of this nation irrespective of religion or tribe, a Nigerian President that will alleviate poverty, a Nigerian President who will make education available and affordable for everybody.
“This is what we should be talking about more importantly. But the issue of Nigerian President of Igbo extraction for me, is more like a competition, the north had produced a President, the Southwest has produced a President and the south-south has produced a President, let us see when the South East produce a President, what Nigeria will look like.
“I think from that kind of Chelsea, Man U match kind of a thing, when they belong to the same country and they play matches, that’s exactly the way I see it.”
While noting that it is Allah who gives power to whom He wishes at the time He wishes, the former governor added “if you have a President and yet, people are still hungry, people are suffering, of what use is that? Presidency is not just in the title, it’s in doing the job.”
