By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Motivated by the continued feeling of exemplary life lived by reformer, teacher, founder and first Amirul Mu’mineen of Sokoto Caliphate in the early 19th century, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodiyo, the leadership, now under one of his prominent descendants, sitting Sultan of Sokoto and Amirul Mu’mineen of Nigeria, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has institutionalised a Week in his honour held annually.
The 2022 edition of the event tagged, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodiyo Week, is ongoing, having started with some preliminary activities heralding it on 8th October.
The Sultanate Council, Sokoto, in collaboration with the National Council of Muslim Youths Organisation (NACOMYO), organised the week-long event including public lectures, quiz competition, among others, in memory of the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodiyo.
So far, the lectures have been delivered by Islamic scholars from different parts of the country, while the symposium and grand finale of the annual event this year will hold on Tuesday November 1 and Wednesday November 2, respectively, at the International Conference Centre, Kasarawa, Sokoto State. The grand finale will also witness an equally important session of award prize to merited beneficiaries by the Sultan.
For the lectures delivered since the week began, scholars who spoke included a former Vice Chancellor (VC) of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Professor Mohammad Taofeek Ibrahim; Professor S. O. Rabi’u of the Faculty of Law, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; and Dr Salisu Bakori of the Centre for Islamic Propagation, Katsina State.
Delivering a lecture on “The Impact of Jihad of Sheikh Danfodiyo on the Spread and Practice of Islam in South Western Nigeria” on Sunday, Professor Rabi’u said that the Sokoto Caliphate had tremendous impact in the spread of Islam to and in Yoruba Land.
He said, “In fact, Sokoto jihadists worked seriously to the extent that most of the Yoruba leaders and obas embraced Islam, which eventually attracted many of their followers.
“There is no any Yoruba state that practices Islam without trace to the Sokoto jihadists.”
In his paper presentation titled: “Da’awah to Non-Muslim: the Sokoto Jihad Leaders’ Legacy”, a former National Amir of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Shehu Abubakar, urged Muslims to be honest and truthful in all their dealings and practices.
He also urged them to continue to extend kind gestures to non-Muslims.
