These (early) scholars are the ones who, with their flowing pens, adorned the pages of papers with (intellectual) information in Arabic language… it is unbefitting that we forget or deny their virtues and exploits over the (passing of) times and ages.

Quoted from the introductory section of Diyāʾ bn Muḥammad, discussing the importance of preserving the intellectual legacy of early West African Muslim scholars. The Luminescence of the Son of Muhammad: A Short Biography of Sheikh Murtaḍa Abubakar Gatta-Agbọtọmọkekere Oke-Koto, Muslim News Nigeria, 5 February 2025.