By joshua Gegu Beki to Make History as Engr. Bashiru Abubakar Gegu Inaugurates Personally-Funded Ultramodern Mosque on Friday, August 7
By Abu Micheal
The ancient town of Gegu Beki, a community long celebrated as a cradle of Islamic scholarship, peaceful coexistence, and agrarian excellence in Kogi LGA, will witness a historic moment on Friday, August 7, 2026* as Engr. Bashiru Abubakar Gegu, Kogi State Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Natural Resources, inaugurates the newly completed Gegu Beki Ultramodern Mosque, a personally-funded project that underscores a lifetime of selfless service.
Located along the River Benue, Gegu Beki is widely known for three enduring qualities: its deep-rooted tradition of Qur’anic and Islamic learning, its reputation as a peaceful farming and trading settlement, and the hospitality of its people. For generations, the town has produced respected Imams, Mallams, and custodians of Islamic knowledge who have served communities across Kogi State. It is also recognized for its fertile lands that support farming, fishing, and commerce, making it one of the cultural and spiritual anchors of Kogi LGA.
The inauguration of the ultramodern mosque therefore aligns perfectly with the identity of Gegu Beki as a town where faith, learning, and community life thrive together.
The project stands as a fulfillment of the Islamic injunction that encourages believers to build houses of Allah. The Holy Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) remind that whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise. That this edifice is a personal undertaking by Engr. Bashiru has made it even more significant to the people. Community leaders note that such benevolence has remained his characteristic over the years, with each day hardly passing without an act of impact and legacy that touches lives in Gegu Beki, across Kogi LGA, and beyond.
With this mosque, Engr. Bashiru has added another enduring mark of service, one that elders say has written his name indelibly on the hearts of the people.
The Gegu Beki Ultramodern Mosque was designed to serve both spiritual and educational purposes, providing a serene environment for worship, comfort, and the teaching and study of the Holy Qur’an. The facility houses a spacious and well-ventilated main prayer hall for daily and Jumu’ah prayers, a comfortable and private section for women, modern ablution areas that uphold cleanliness, a dedicated hall for Qur’anic memorization, Tafsir and Islamic education, a sound system for sermons and lectures, a library and administrative office to support scholarship, and a landscaped courtyard that creates a peaceful atmosphere for reflection and community engagement. For a town known for scholarship and devotion, the mosque is expected to further strengthen Gegu Beki’s role as a hub for moral instruction, youth mentorship and unity.
The Management and Organizing Committee have extended a formal invitation to the Muslim Ummah and the general public to be part of this blessed occasion. The Commissioning and Official Opening of the New Jumu’ah Mosque will be graced by His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, Executive Governor of Kogi State as Special Guest, while Hon. Alhaji Bashir Gegu, Honourable Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Natural Resources, Kogi State will serve as Chief Host.
Immediately after Jumu’ah Prayer at the Ohinoyi Palace, a special public lecture will be delivered by a distinguished panel of scholars including Sheikh Dr. Abdullahi Bala Lau, National Chairman, JIBWIS Nigeria; Sheikh Muhammad Haruna Kabir Gombe, National Secretary, JIBWIS Nigeria; Sheikh Engr. Mustapha Imam Sitti, National Director Agaji JIBWIS Nigeria; Alaramma Ahmed Ibrahim Suleiman Kano; and Alaramma Nasiru Gunduei, I. The organizers are warmly inviting all JIBWIS members, the entire Muslim Ummah, and the general public to attend and witness this milestone in Islamic Da’wah and community development, praying that Allah (SWT) rewards every effort, blesses attendance, and grants everyone safe travels to and from the event.
Over the years, Engr. Bashiru has been consistently acknowledged in public records, media publications and community accounts for his commitment to supporting and promoting the Islamic faith. Through personal benevolence and through the platform of public service, he has sponsored religious gatherings, supported Islamic scholars, and intervened in ways that have strengthened Muslim communities across Gegu Beki and Kogi LGA. That consistency, people say, is why this personally-funded mosque does not come as a surprise, but as another chapter in a life defined by giving.
Beyond his service to faith, Engr. Bashiru has also been credited in government briefings and published reports for repositioning the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Natural Resources. Under his watch, Kogi State has been positioned as a reference point in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, with the state now recognized as hosting in commercial quantities virtually all of the solid minerals found in the country. His leadership has made Kogi a pathfinder in the sector and has drawn national attention to the state’s vast natural resources.
The anticipation around the Friday inauguration has made it the talk of the town, with many describing it as the work of a man who, despite scarce resources, continues to find ways to do something new and impactful for the people each day.
Speaking ahead of the event, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, Chief Imam of Gegu Beki, said, “This mosque is a great gift to Gegu Beki and to Islam. Engr. Bashiru has shown love for Allah and love for his people. We pray that Almighty Allah accepts this work from him, forgives his shortcomings, and rewards him with goodness both in this life and in the hereafter.”
Hajiya Amina Suleiman, a respected community leader, also expressed appreciation: “What he has done will benefit our children and our children’s children. He has not forgotten the poor, he has not forgotten the mosque, and he has not forgotten humanity. May Allah continue to strengthen him, protect him, and increase him in wisdom and resources to do more.”
Alhaji Idris Onimisi, a youth leader in Kogi LG, added, “Engr. Bashiru has impacted Gegu Beki and Kogi LGA in ways we have never witnessed before. He is a man of action, not just words. We pray that Allah grants him long life, good health, and more grace to continue touching lives across Kogi State.”
With the inauguration of the Gegu Beki Ultramodern Mosque on Friday, August 7, 2026, Engr. Bashiru Abubakar Gegu has given a community known for faith, scholarship, farming and unity a sanctuary for worship, a center for Qur’anic learning, and a legacy that will stand for generations in the history and annals of Kogi LGA.