In naa lil Laah, wa in naa ilaihi raaji’oon! - Indeed we are from Allah and unto him is our return.
When the death of Sheikh was announced online by Ibrahim Sannie Daara on his Facebook page, the Muslim social media space erupted with commiseratory posts and prayers for the deceased and rightfully so.
There was by far one of the most youth-centered clerics of our time and he served the Ummah in many ways than what many of us saw on the screens (with TV3) and from the pulpits.
The tragedy beyond his passing remains, where can we find a comprehensive history of the road he traversed and the paths he paved for many a young Muslim?
Iqra Today went in search of a profile online and found nothing significant. But luckily, the search led to a profile authored by himself and posted on social media platform, LinkedIn.
Our task is to weave as much of what he said of himself while complimenting with other sources.
The about section of his profile read: “simple, down to earth and a very good communicator. a respecter of time and always keen on not just getting the job done, but well done.”
Screenshot of the landing page of his LinkedIn profile
Media footprints
The media played a big role in who Sheikh Bagnya became over the years. Hosting of The Iqra Show on TV3 was perhaps his most impactful run on terrestrial television.
Little wonder, his status as host was a big deal on his LinkedIn page when he wrote: “Presenter at TV 3 Network, Accra-Ghana.”
About the show itself, he said: “Presenting IQRASHOW (a socio-religious program) on t.v 3 for the past ten years. The show is aimed at educating the Muslim communities in Ghana on best Islamic practices as ingredients for peace, mutual respect and national development.”
An inventory of his Facebook page also showed that since 2020, he had been associated with Asaase Radio (since November 4, 2020) where he hosted the LIGHT UPON LIGHT programme.
On Facebook he described himself as: “tv personality, Gnostic, Minister of God, Women/Children Rights Activist.”
Sannie Daara adds a layer to Sheikh’s media strides when he wrote: “Together, we worked on numerous Islamic media projects, sharing a vision to uplift and serve our community.
“As pioneers in establishing Gaskia TV, Ghana's first Islamic television station, he strived tirelessly to make Islamic knowledge accessible to all. His work extended far beyond the media, for he was truly a beacon of guidance and mercy, always advocating for the needs of the most vulnerable in our society.”
Education
But what made Sheikh tick as a media personality? Education, education, education.
It was this education that propelled Sheikh to the pulpit where he delivered sermons and lectures to a diverse cross-section of the Muslim Ummah over the years of his religious activism, so to say.
His Facebook profile spoke to a strand of his religious education where he disclosed being a former student of: The International Islamic Call College Tripoli Libya.”
In terms of secular education, Sheikh studied at Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) for an MPhil in Governance and Leadership.
“My Thesis work was on ISLAM & WOMEN LEADERSHIP; Exclusion or Deficit? A Case Study Selected Zongos in Accra March 2014,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
Allied to his strides in education, Sheikh’s other prominently known role was his time as the Head of Communications and External Affairs of the Madina Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), now the Lakeside University College Ghana.
Call
Like with Sheikh Bagnya, it is time to document the lives and times of prominent Muslims now that they are alive, so that they share their perspectives on life with young people and the Ummah at large.
At Iqra Today, this is a mission we are committed to in terms of publishing as many profiles as possible using publicly available information of Muslims on The Ghana Muslim section of our website.
It is heartwarming the volume of commiserations that followed the announcement of Sheikh’s death, may Allah grant him the lofty gardens of Jannah.
May Allah grant the family patience and the blessing of same.
Allah bless and make his only daughter a source of sadaqatul jaariyah for him. Ameen.
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
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