In a remarkable contribution to the preservation of Islamic heritage, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, has supported the printing of Safinatus Saada, a rare and historic Islamic manuscript on the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), written by renowned 19th-century West African Islamic scholar, Sheikh Umar Foti.
In a statement from the Press Secretary to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Shuaibu Abdullahi, the manuscript, originally discovered in the 1980s in an archive in France by Professor Buraima of Ghana, had remained unpublished for decades despite earlier efforts to facilitate its release.
In recognition of Governor Buni’s significant contribution to Islamic Knowledge, the Grand Khalifa of Sheikh Umar Foti in Senegal, Sheikh Madani Umar Foti, extended a formal invitation to Governor Buni to attend an appreciation event in Senegal.
Buni, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Baba Mallam Wali was moved by the historical and spiritual value of the manuscript, pledging to support its printing and went on to personally sponsor the publication.
The governor expressed appreciation with the invitation describing it as a great effort.
At the occasion, the Grand Khalifa expressed profound gratitude to Governor Buni for his dedication to promoting Islamic scholarship and heritage, describing the intervention as a noble act that connects the past with the present and secures a legacy for future generations.
The governor’s gesture has been widely praised across the Islamic scholarly community, particularly in West Africa.
The successful printing of Safinatus Saada is seen not only as an academic milestone but also a spiritual revival of a manuscript deeply rooted in West African Islamic tradition. Scholars believe the book will serve as a vital resource in Islamic education and cultural preservation across the region.
The Yobe delegation to Senegal included the Special Adviser to the Governor on Religious Affairs, Ustaz Baba Gana Kyari; Permanent Member of the Yobe State Hizba Commission, Mallam Lawan Abba Shettima; Mohammad Wali Shettima, Zonal Secretary of the Northeast APC; and Sheikh Makki, a descendant of Sheikh Umar Foti from Yanlema in Jigawa State.
