What Prominent Islamic Clerics,Others Said About Late Imam Salihu Sa’ad Dembo
By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo,Anipr
On 23rd July 2025 was the day of Fidau for the late Imam of Dembo’s Compound Mosque(Masalasi Sheikh Alfa N’ta).The event was attended by many scholars, imams, family and friends.
The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Imam Salihu led the fidau and eulogised the late Imam’s virtue and righteousness.He said he was a calm person like a sea but hugely blessed.He revealed that if anyone mistakenly stepped on Imam Salihu Dembo,he would look away as if nothing has happened.
In the same vein, Sheikh Sulaiman Abubakar Dan Borno,who is also the Grand Mukadam of Ilorin Emirate was the guest Lecturer at the event also spoke about the Imam Salihu Sa’ad Dembo’s gentility and focus. He described him as one who was patient with whatever challenges he faced. He said on several occasions he would visit him and bear his mind on issues bothering him and he would admonish him appropriately.
He testified that Imam Salihu was a unifier among the league of imams in his community and the family.He lamented that who would replace him and sustain all the good he had done?Sheikh Dan Borno admonished everyone to be upright as nobody would escape accountability.
Khalifah Imam Kolo during a condolence visit, described Imam Salihu as a good person. He said there are people whose names contradict their behaviour, but that of Imam Salihu was not like that . His name was Salihu meaning “a good person”. He said everything about him was good. From Gentility, generosity, humility to kindness. He prayed that Allah grant him aljannah firdaus.
The position of an Imam is beyond leading congregation during prayers in the mosque. It goes along with the settling of family dispute,ensure peaceful co-existence among the people in the community and spreading love among the inhabitants through the words of Allah Hence,
Imam Salihu was a unifier and promoter of peace within the family.He hardly gets angry on issues and was generous.
Mallam Muhammad Onaolapo Dembo opines: “He was a unifier within the family and the entire community for the period of almost nine years as an Imam.May Allah grant him aljannah firdaus”
Furthermore, Uztaz Abubakar Onisagidi also asserted “He had been a patient person right from his childhood, because we were friends since then. We played a lot as children but he never joked with his Islamic education. He never fought anyone since I knew him. He was too unique and had fear of God.His house was his assembly, because he loved praying and fasting.
CSP Abubakar Iyanda Olanrewaju also submitted:”He always pray for me that people like me in the community won’t fall. He loved people unconditionally .He had prayed for me so many occasions without collecting a dime from me.He was such a nice personality. Talking about him would be inexhaustible.May Allah grant him aljannah firdaus.”
Imam Salihu Dembo was a scion of the Islamic unity and civilization in his community. A friend of people . An excellent family man with taqwa. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him aljannah firdaus.
