This journey is one of the most remarkable episodes in the life of Cheikh Ibrahîm Niass, illustrating the spiritual and miraculous dimensions of his path. The account below was narrated by Khalifa Cheikh Ahmad Tidiane Ibrahima Niass, as reported by the Faydatidianiya website.
* The Emir of Kano’s Invitation
At the end of the Hajj in the year 1937 (AH), the Emir of Kano invited Cheikh Ibrahîm Niass to visit him. A few years later, the Cheikh decided to respond to the invitation.
He traveled alone to The Gambia, where he was welcomed by Omar Faye, one of his key representatives. When he informed Omar Faye of his intention to travel to Nigeria by plane, the latter told him that flights in that direction were not scheduled and occurred only occasionally.
Despite this, the Cheikh insisted: “Let’s go to the airport.” Upon arrival, the airport director confirmed the lack of flights to Nigeria. However, Cheikh Ibrahîm asked for a chair and calmly sat down.
Shortly after, a plane appeared out of nowhere, roaring through the sky and requesting to land. The pilot, who was on a flight from Europe to Sierra Leone, had detected an unusual noise coming from his aircraft.
Seeking the nearest airport for a technical check, he was led to land in The Gambia.
After landing, the pilot explained his situation to the airport authorities. The airport director then spoke to him about the presence of Cheikh Ibrahîm Niass and his request to travel to Nigeria. Although initially reluctant, the pilot eventually agreed to transport the Cheikh as far as Freetown, Sierra Leone, before continuing his route.
* A Spiritual Journey Through West Africa
In Freetown, the Cheikh stayed with Ahmad Traoré and prepared for the next stages of his journey, which took him through Monrovia, Abidjan, Cotonou, and finally to Lagos. From there, he traveled overland to Kano.
Upon arriving in Kano, he stayed with a representative of the Senegalese community named Thierno KA. He then tried to secure an audience with the Emir—a difficult task, as unknown visitors rarely met heads of state.
Fortunately, Thierno KA knew Wâlî Souleymane, the Emir’s right-hand man, who had received spiritual initiation from Cheikh Ibrahîm in Medina, at the same time as the Emir himself. They decided to go to the palace, but arrived late, after Wâlî had already entered.
When they expressed their wish to see the Emir, the palace guards mocked them. At that point, Cheikh Ibrahîm took out a sheet of paper, wrote a few words on it, sealed it with his stamp and address, and sent it to Wâlî Sulayman.
Upon reading the letter, Wâlî was stunned and went out himself to verify. Recognizing the Cheikh, he greeted him with joy and rushed to inform the Emir.
When the Emir heard the news, he ran out of the palace without even putting on his turban. As he passed, the guards—accustomed to prostrating themselves before him—were astonished. At the gate, the Emir attempted to prostrate himself, but the Cheikh stopped him. They greeted each other warmly and entered the palace together.
* Confirming the Fayda in Kano
During the visit, the Emir invited many scholars to meet the Cheikh. As he had done throughout his life, Cheikh Ibrahîm deepened their religious knowledge and confirmed their affiliation with the Tijaniyya Order. This journey is considered one of the major miracles of Cheikh Ibrahîm Niass.
Some unverified sources place the date of this journey in 1946. However, neither Cheikh Ibrahîm nor Cheikh Ahmad Tidiane Niass provided an exact date.
* A Testimony from Niger
An interesting account is given by Cheikh Ababacar Oumar, one of the caliphs of Aboubakar Thiota Hachimi from Niger. While Cheikh Ibrahîm was staying with the Sultan, the renowned scholar Mizignéwa had a strange dream.
He heard a voice say:
“How can you remain in bed while the Khalifa of Cheikh Ahmad Tijani is in Kano?”
Initially dismissing it as a dream, he had the same vision a second time. The elderly Mizignéwa, who had among his disciples great scholars like Malam Sâni Kâfanga, Malam Ahmad Tijân ibn Uthmâm, and Aboubakar Atîqu, gathered them and instructed:
“Find me the Khalifa of Cheikh Ahmad Tijani by any means, so I may meet him.”
They searched and eventually learned that the Sultan had received a distinguished guest. When it was confirmed that it was indeed the Khalifa, Cheikh Mizignéwa wept for having missed the opportunity. He urged his disciples to travel to Kaolack—even on foot—to meet him and receive the divine blessings that were his mission to spread.
* The First Nigerian Delegation to Kaolack
In Le Parfum des Niasse, a biography of Cheikh Abdourazzâq Koossa, the author Abû Bakar ibn Mûssâ states that the first delegation to visit Kaolack included:
- Ahmad Tijân ibn Uthmâm
- Cheikh Muhammad Thânî ibn Hassan Kâfanga
- El Hâj Ahmad Nabîgû
They were trained in Kaolack for a year before returning home.
* The Spread of the Fayda in Ghana
It is also reported that El Hâj Bâba Makkaranta from Kumasi (Ghana) saw Nigerian pilgrims walking to Kaolack. Upon hearing the good news, he decided to follow them.
He later became a leading figure of the Faydatidianiya in Kumasi and Ghana. For this reason, Kano is considered the capital of the Faydatidianiya, with Kumasi as its second capital.