14th January, 2022
President Muhammadu Buhari has met with a faction of the Tijjaniyya Islamic Movement, leaving the Sanusi Lamido faction in the cold.
The faction that met Buhari at the State House in Abuja was led by the Grand Khalifa of the Tijjaniyya Islamic Movement WorldWide.
In the entourage were Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, the leader of the Tijjaniyya Islamic Movement in Nigeria and Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.
The Grand Khalifa, Tidjani Ali Bin Arabi is from Algeria.
The movement prayed on Saturday in Kano asking for divine intercessionn to improve security in Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buhari expressed confidence that the nation will overcome the prevailing situation of insecurity in parts of the country.
Turning to Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Governor of Kano State who brought the Grand Khalifa to Nigeria, President Buhari said:
“We thank you for inviting them to come to pray for peace and stability in our country.
“We are grateful that they agreed to come.”
He joined them in praying that God will give guidance and strength to leaders to be accountable and do right in all things that they do.
Governor Ganduje, in introducing the Khalifa and his delegation, said the government of Kano State invited the Tijjaniyya World Leader to the country to lead the faithful in prayer considering the complexities around security in particular.
The prayer was held on Saturday 8 January.
He said the visit of the Grand Khalifa had also rekindled the old ties between the Tijjaniya and the many cultural and educational institutions in Nigeria.
The Tijjaniyya leader in the country, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi and the Grand Khalifa, Tidjani Ali Bin Arabi extolled the existing cordial relations between Nigeria and Algeria and prayed for guidance and blessings for the country and its leaders.
The former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi Lamido also leads another Tijjaniyya sect in Nigeria.
The spiritual leader, Sheikh Mahy Niasse, also a Grand Khalifa is based in Senegal and reportedly visited Nigeria last week for the Maulud in Lokoja, Kogi state.
Reports had said Niasse boycotted a zikr and prayer sessions sponsored by Kano State Government at the Emir’s Palace .
The zikr, a kind of gathering for litany of prayers practiced by Sufi Muslims, was held last week Friday.
Sources said the Kano gathering was organised to clash with the Lokoja event, organised by the former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
Sanusi is the khalifa of the movement in Nigeria, whose official name used in Lokoja was JAM’IYYATU ANSARIDDEEN ATTIJANIYYA.
On 26 November 2019, Buhari met with leaders of the Sanusi faction of the sect at State House Abuja.
The leader of the delegation, Muhammad Inyas, son of one of the greatest Muslim religious leaders in West Africa, Ibrahim Inyas, said their father brought them up to love and appreciate his large following in Kano and Nigerian cities.
“We are part of this country. We have come here to renew ties and the bonds of relationship. This is our reason for the homage,” he said.