President Bola Tinubu has immortalised the late Islamic scholar Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi by renaming the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, in Bauchi State after him.

The institution will now be known as the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi University of Health Sciences, the President announced during a condolence visit to the Bauchi State Government and the family of the revered cleric.

Tinubu said the honour was a fitting recognition of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi’s lifelong contributions to religious scholarship, moral leadership and national unity, describing him as a scholar whose influence transcended religion and geography.

“The late Sheikh brought impactful knowledge to the people, a great scholar and a Nigerian conscience who devoted his life to preaching honesty, integrity and exemplary character,” the President said.

He noted that the visit was not only to sympathise with the family but also to acknowledge the profound national loss caused by the cleric’s death, stressing that Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi belonged to Nigeria as a whole, not just Bauchi State.

The President urged Nigerians to uphold the values of righteousness, tolerance and unity that defined the cleric’s teachings, adding that future generations must continue to draw lessons from his life and works.

Bauchi State Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed expressed deep appreciation to the President for the condolence visit and the decision to immortalise the late scholar.

He recalled that Tinubu had earlier sent Vice President Kashim Shettima and a high-powered delegation to attend the funeral prayers, describing the gestures as a mark of national respect.

“Mr President, the people of Bauchi are with you. It is a reciprocal relationship built over years, including your longstanding bond with the late Sheikh,” the governor said, describing Tinubu’s presence as a powerful demonstration of solidarity.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Bashir Dahiru Usman Bauchi thanked the President for recognising the cleric’s legacy, describing Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi as a global Islamic scholar whose educational and philanthropic initiatives benefited both Muslims and non-Muslims within and outside Nigeria.

He assured that the family would continue the cleric’s work under the leadership of the Khalifa, while also commending Governor Mohammed for his consistent support.

The condolence visit drew a large gathering of dignitaries, including Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, members of the National Assembly from Bauchi State, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, and Health and Social Development Minister Muhammad Ali Pate.

Also present were Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, former Speaker Yakubu Dogara, and former Bauchi governors Isa Yuguda and Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, among other members of the presidential entourage.

The renaming of the university stands as a lasting tribute to Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi’s enduring impact on education, faith and social cohesion in Nigeria.