- Safiu Kehinde
The Bauchi state government has declared Friday a work-free day to honour the late revered Islamic scholar, Dahiru Usman-Bauchi.
NPO Reported that Usman-Bauchi reportedly passed away at the age of 101 in the early hours of Thursday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.
Prior to his death, the revered scholar was reported have been receiving visitors on Wednesday night before he was later taken to the hospital, where he died.
His burial is scheduled for Friday in Bauchi in line with Islamic rites following confirmation of his death by family members.
Ahead of his burial, the state government in a statement issued on Thursday by Mukhtar Gidado, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to the state Governor, Bala Mohammed, announced the one-day holiday.
Gidado said the gesture would enable public and private sector workers, students and residents of the state, to participate in the funeral prayer and pay their last respect to the late scholar.
He said the funeral prayer is billed to hold on Friday by 3:00 p.m. at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi.