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Three decades after Tell Magazine branded his influential father a religious 'Ayatollah,' Sheikh Ahmad Gumi is locked in the same national firestorm—revered as a peacemaker by some, and condemned as an appeaser of terror by critics.
In 1992, the late Islamic scholar Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi was profiled by Tell Magazine as Nigeria’s "Ayatollah"—a title that captured his immense religious authority, intellectual brilliance, and the storm of controversy that surrounded his doctrinal rigidity in Northern Nigeria.
More than 30 years later, that polarizing legacy is vividly reflected in the actions and fierce criticism directed at his son, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi.
⏳ A Prophetic Echo: The Cycle of Controversy
Like his father, who was accused of stirring sectarian tensions and whose fiery sermons were controversially linked to the 1987 Kaduna religious uprising, the younger Gumi has stepped into the nation's most dangerous crisis: banditry and mass kidnapping.
Ahmad Gumi has become a divisive intermediary, trekking into forest hideouts to negotiate with gang leaders and advocating for amnesty, rehabilitation, and dialogue over military confrontation.
Supporters view him as a humanitarian saving lives where the state has failed.
Critics see him as a dangerous appeaser who legitimizes terror.
“Exit of ‘Ayatollah’ GUMI: New Politcal Problems Emerge” — TELL, 1992 pic.twitter.com/n6KwtR0XUz
— archivi.ng (@StartArchiving) November 27, 2025
💥 "Rewarding Terror"? The Backlash Against Dialogue
His most contentious statements—such as suggesting bandits are "victims of neglect" or calling kidnapping a "lesser evil"—have drawn intense backlash. Critics, including security experts and victims’ families, have accused him of providing ideological cover for mass murderers and even called for his prosecution.
This moral outcry mirrors the suspicion his father faced. Abubakar Gumi's deputy once described the older cleric as a "simple man greatly misunderstood," a defense Ahmad Gumi's supporters frequently use today.
The flashback reveals a striking truth: both father and son occupy the volatile space where religion meets national security, consistently navigating the line between peacemaker and provocateur, revered by devotees and fiercely mistrusted by the wider public.
❓ WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Is Sheikh Ahmad Gumi a courageous voice pushing for a pragmatic solution in the bandit crisis, or does his approach of negotiating and advocating for amnesty dangerously legitimize crime? Share your views below!
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