A foremost cleric and jurist, Ahmed Lemu, has died.
His death was announced by his daughter, Maryam Lemu, via her Facebook page.
“Inna lillahi wa inna liayhi raji’un. It is with sadness and reverence to Allah that we announce the passing away of our father, Dr. Justice Sheikh Ahmed Lemu OFR, in the early hours of this morning in Minna.
“Burial arrangements to be announced later,” she said.
“Wassalam, Nuruddeen Lemu, on behalf of the family.
“It has been a privilege to be the daughter to these two amazing individuals. Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah,” she added.
Commenting about the jurist, Sheikh Mustafa Olawuyi, the President of Osun State Muslim Community, said, “Baba, my role model. My Da’wah tutor of many years. He and his wife Hajya Aisha Bridget Lemu did a lot in my life.
“They opened my heart and soul to pristine Islam and practical Islamic Da’wah. I’m short of words to express my heartfelt thanks to them. May Allah grant the Duo direct admission to Jannatulfridows. Nurudeen, Maryam and other members of the great Lemu family, and the generality of the Muslim Ummah my sincere condolences to you all.”
Alhaji Kunle Sanni, the President of Oyo State Muslim Community, stated that Sheikh Ahmed Lemu founder of Islamic Education Trust answered Allah’s call.
He said it is worthy of mentioning that he founded The Dawah Coordination Council Of Nigeria and became its first President while Sheikh Abduqadir Orire first Grand qadi of kwara state was the vice president for the North and my humble self was vice president for the South.
“If we are to have a Chronicle of ten people who have impacted extensively on Islamic proselytisation in Nigeria the name of double Sheikh Ahmed Lemu would be part.
“He hailed from Lemu village but he established IET when he was the Principal of Sokoto Arabic college over 50 years ago with his British convert wife late Hajia Aisha Lemu. Both husband and wife became instant celebrities when they pioneered the writing and publishing of Islamic books which are textbooks in primary and secondary schools,” Sanni said.
He added, “Today without any fear of being contradicted and unequivocally IET is the largest Islamic centre in Nigeria.
“It has an Islamic centre which includes a big Masjid both in Minna and Abuja and many small Mosques scattered all over the Eastern states where IET has Islamic propagation Centres, publishing company, a bookshop,a nursery, primary and secondary schools both in Minna and Abuja and An Islamic training Institute.”
“Many Prominent Niger. state indigenes including two Nigerian presidents passed under Sheikh Lemu’s tutelage as Students.
“These are Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdusaalam Abubakar
A lot of us had our first taste of thorough Dawah training under Sheikh Ahmed Lemu in our MSSN days. Former Governors like Ibrahim Shekarau, Ahmed Muazu and deputy Governors like Alh Musa Ayeni of Ondo state to mention but a few.
“VIP’s like the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu, FCT Minister Muhammad Musa Bello, Ishaq Oloyede of JAMB, Yuuf Ali celebrated senior Advocate of Nigeria all of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria ( MSSN) extraction. Sheikh Lemu is very humorous,” he concluded.
Mr Lemu, a retired grand khadi, is arguably best remembered for leading the committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 to review the violence that characterized that years presidential election.
