Nigeria: NSCIA announces death of Lemu, condoles with family
Akeem Alao
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has officially announced the death of Sheikh Ahmed Lemu.
This was expressed in a statement signed by signed the Chairman of its Media Committee, Femi Abbas,
“The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), hereby formally announces the demise of a frontline scholar and Laureate, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, OFR,” the statement reads.
It adds, “A dignified intellectual juggernaut and former Grand Qadi of Niger State, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu reportedly breathed his last in the early hours of Thursday, December 24, 2020, at the age of 91 years and was interned, according to Islamic rite, at mid-day, of the same day.
“His demise has further confirmed that death is truly the leveler of mankind and that no human being can ever escape the dragnet of death.”
It further states that in his peregrinations, while alive, Sheikh Lemu traversed many terraces of intellectualism and Islamic evangelism with decency and humility across the Islamic and Western spheres of education, thereby towering loftily above many of his peers who are vaingloriously gallivanting around and basking in the euphoria of one-legged laurel award.
“With the combination of Islamic and Western education in him, Sheikh Lemu has proved to the world that it is better and more effective to view life through educational binocular than to the world of man, just with one eye in a mere assumption that human life is a straight jacket.
“Born in 1929, Justice Lemu was appointed as the pioneer Grand Qadi of Niger State in 1976 when the Shariah Court of Appeal of that State was established,” the statement says.
According to the statement, before his appointment as Grand Qadi, Sheikh Lemu was both a teacher of education and good conduct.
In 2011, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu was appointed the Chairman of the Presidential panel on post-election riots, which confirmed the public confidence reposed in him about honesty and dignity of character.
And, in 2014, he won the prestigious King Faisal International Award, not only for service to Islam but also for educational development as well as in recognition of his initiative in combating religious fanaticism in Nigeria. The Award was officially conferred on him in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in April that year.
“The combination of Sheikh Lemu’s veritable efforts with those of his British wife, the late Hajiya ‘Aisha, culminated in the establishment of the highly commendable Islamic Education Trust, through which many Muslims became thoroughly educated about Islam. Both Justice Lemu and his wife, Hajiyah ‘Aisha, stood out conspicuously as a model couple for all Muslims who need knowledge about marital management.
“With heavy mind, on behalf of Nigerian Muslim Ummah, the President General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Dr. Muhammad Sa‘ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, hereby condoles with the Government of Niger State, His Royal Highness, the Etsu Nupe, the family of Sheikh Ahmed Lemu and the entire Muslim Community of the State, praying Allah to repose the soul of the highly respected deceased in eternal bliss, wishes all his dependants and associates the right fortitude with which to cope with his exit,” the statement concludes.
