Grand Chief Imam Alfa Onida Dies at 75, Ending a 43-Year Religious Era
Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, was plunged into deep mourning on Monday, January 19, 2026, following the death of its revered Grand Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Bashir Imam Solih, OON, popularly known as *Alfa Onida*.
The respected Islamic scholar and spiritual leader reportedly died after a brief illness at the age of 75, drawing the curtain on an influential 43-year reign as the Chief Imam of Ilorin Emirate—an era widely associated with religious stability, moral authority, and communal unity.
Confirming the development, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CON, announced that Janazah (funeral) prayers would be held on Monday at exactly 4:00 pm at the Emir’s Palace Square. He called on sons, daughters, and friends of the Ilorin Emirate to converge at the palace to pay their final respects to the late cleric.
Sheikh Imam Solih’s death marks the end of a significant chapter in Ilorin’s religious history, sparking reflections and quiet debates across the emirate on the vacuum his absence leaves behind in spiritual leadership.
Prayers have continued to pour in from within and outside Kwara State, with many describing his passing as not just a personal loss, but a defining moment for the Ilorin Muslim community.
May Allah forgive his shortcomings, grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus, and comfort the Ilorin Emirate and the entire Ummah. Ameen.
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