Halima Umar Saleh
In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the noblest of creation, Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The names of Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, Chairman of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), and its Secretary, Sheikh Kabiru Haruna Gombe, are well known within the Muslim community in Nigeria, West Africa, and indeed across many countries around the world.
When I worked with BBC Hausa, I repeatedly reached out to Sheikh Bala Lau, popularly known as “Shugaba” (Chairman), through one of his family members, seeking an opportunity to interview him for the programme Ku San Malamanku.
Unfortunately, it was not destined to happen because of the demands of his many responsibilities. Nevertheless, during a conversation we had through his wife, the Sheikh himself apologised to me for not being able to make the interview happen and expressed the hope that, if circumstances permitted, we would eventually have the opportunity to conduct it.
Although I left BBC Hausa without the interview taking place, I was deeply touched by his words. They gave me an insight into his approach to relating with people, including those he had never personally met.
Then, unexpectedly, in November 2025, we welcomed important guests to Istanbul, Türkiye, where I work with TRT Afrika. A Da’wah gathering brought Chairman Bala Lau and Secretary Kabiru Gombe to Istanbul. Upon learning of their arrival, we invited them to visit us at TRT.
Just as I had become accustomed to hearing their names mentioned together, the two respected scholars came to visit us together. It was there that I further realised that the strength of their friendship, built through religious service, had transformed them into companions in life, beyond merely being colleagues working together in the service of Allah.
The first lesson I observed from the relationship between Sheikh Bala Lau and Sheikh Kabiru Gombe is a friendship built on mutual respect, despite the differences in their positions, ages, backgrounds, personalities and stations in life.
I witnessed the respect they showed one another not only through their words, but also through their body language and manner of interaction. They also showed the same respect in their interactions with ordinary people like me. From our first meeting, both of them demonstrated that they had not forgotten me, despite the considerable passage of time.
This quality became evident in the way they chose who would begin the media interview, as well as in how they responded to questions during the interview at our TRT studio. It was equally evident during the lecture they delivered at a gathering of Hausa people living in Istanbul.
During the lecture, I was given the opportunity to speak to them about the lessons I had drawn from their relationship in leading JIBWIS, as well as from their service to Islam and society. I even promised to write an article about it.
The second lesson from the relationship between the two scholars is their refusal to use differences in knowledge or position as a basis for superiority, despite the difference in the offices they hold.
To me, this is a clear sign of avoiding arrogance, self-importance and a sense of entitlement, while demonstrating humility and mutual trust in the service of religion.
The two scholars often dress almost alike, eat together and sit together, without the Chairman ever behaving in a way that emphasises that he is the leader. Even when it comes to who should speak first, Sheikh Gombe will, on many occasions, insist that the Chairman should be the one to speak first.
It is common knowledge that there have been numerous reports of disagreements or a lack of cooperation between leaders and those closest to them, from governments to civil society organisations and even religious organisations. But the relationship between the Chairman and Secretary of JIBWIS is one of mutual understanding and an example worthy of emulation.
You do not see signs or traces of jealousy, competition, rivalry, contempt or disagreement between the two leaders. In other words, one could say that both men have succeeded in resisting the temptations of the devil and in avoiding the pursuit of power or personal glory.
As someone who follows their lectures, their Da’wah activities and their leadership of JIBWIS, I have repeatedly observed that whenever Shugaba speaks, he often mentions the Secretary. The Secretary does the same, mentioning the Chairman either to give an example, recall something they accomplished together, or refer to a decision they jointly took as an organisation.
This is why, in virtually every effort or undertaking by JIBWIS, whether within Nigeria or beyond its borders, you rarely hear the name of only one of them; rather, their names are mentioned together. And neither of them appears willing to allow the dignity or reputation of the other to be undermined without defending him.
The third lesson is the practice of speaking well of one another in their absence.
In conversations I had with the two wives of Shugaba Bala Lau, they both told me that their families also value and respect the relationship between the two scholars.
One of them told me:
“Shugaba has repeatedly reminded us to live peacefully with one another. He often says that there has been a great deal of understanding between him and the Secretary for many years, so we should not do anything that could damage this beautiful relationship.”
Her sister also confirmed that, throughout the years, they had never heard or witnessed anything that came between the two scholars other than understanding and goodwill.
She even said:
“Sometimes we call them Hassan and Hussain. There is nothing Shugaba will do without consulting the Secretary.”
This does not mean that Secretary Gombe lacks the authority or capacity to make decisions when the Chairman is away. In fact, this has happened on several occasions, and his decisions have been consistent with what the Chairman himself would have decided.
“We have now become like one family, the two families together, partly because of the many journeys we make together. The two scholars do not travel without their families,” Hajiya Hauwa said.
All of this demonstrates a deep level of understanding and respect for each other’s opinions, as well as good leadership, trust, love and sacrifice.
There are many lessons here for leadership: giving one another space, working together, respecting one another, and developing emotional intelligence in dealing with people.
Indeed, if our leaders were to learn from this exemplary friendship built on mutual respect between Chairman Bala Lau and Secretary Kabiru Gombe, it would undoubtedly contribute to positive change in our society and in the way our communities are led.
Saleh is Senior Editor, TRT Afrika