By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
It was gathered that the renowned Islamic preacher and leader, died late Wednesday night at the age of 98 following old age related sickness, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.
His funeral prayers will be held in his residence along Gombe road, this morning on Thursday according to a family source.
Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi died at the age of 102.Before his death, he was living in Kofar Gombe, Bauchi State, Nigeria. He started his Islamic education from his biological father, Alhaji Usman where he became a Hafizul Qur-ān (Memoriser of the Glorious Qur-ān) before the age of 20.
Also, one International Islamic Organisation awarded him as one of the Greatest Mufassirun (translators of the Glorious Qur-ān) in the world. He started his Tafsīr in Bauchi State in the year 1950. In the year 1976, the Bauchi Radio Corporation started airing his Tafsīr on radio.
In 1980 he relocated his Tafsīr to Kaduna State and in that same year, Radio Nigeria Kaduna started airing his tafsir series especially during the Ramadan fasting period.
Part of his charitable work was the establishment of about 1,000 housing units for students and followers, as well as numerous Islamic schools and agricultural projects.
As a prolific writer, he authored many books on Islamic literature and jurisprudence while in his role in Islamic affairs, he served as the Deputy Chair of the Fatwa Committee of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in Nigeria.
His main legacy was that he was considered a significant figure in Nigeria’s Islamic intellectual history.
His wisdom and preaching have led many non-Muslims to convert to Islam. He has a large number of followers both within and outside Nigeria. He was believed to have 78 children and over 199 grandchildren.