By Adamu Muhammad Dodo
How morally appropriate would it be having a celebration in mourning, without considering it as celebrating the mourning? There have been comments of commendations and congratulatory messages as much as the registered condolences with many joining in mourning than convening the conference of gossips feeding from the pot of the deceased family, corrupting the mourning; a very ugly development that is ought to be considered condemnable.
I was by the UN-POLAC honoured with the distinguished personality of the week; the 10th in the series and the first from the northern part of the country.
The development met me in the spirit of mourning, never thought would eventually be over multiple deaths of those either closed to me or whom I held so dear.
The death of the Lab Scientist Rufai Adamu
was simply described as shocking, it had indeed touched the hearts of the staff with Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, MAUTH Yola, the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria, having served as the Secretary of the MAUTH chapter, the Muslims Students’ Society of Nigeria, MSSN Adamawa state and the Fulani-Hausa community of Numan Federation where he hailed from and where in April this year a lost was recorded of an accountant by profession, with the sugar company in Savannah and Islamic scholar by propagation calling, Malam Ibrahim Abdurrashid.
The sad incident followed the demise of Malam Yakubu Isa, another scholar known for Islamic preaching and highly respected by Ummah in Savannah and Numan at large. He was late Rufai’s childhood friend and had not been disassociated and their brotherhood like friendship never to be betrayed till death. Yakubu also died in June last year. Incidentally a year between.
Late Rufai also lost his younger brother Kabiru who was among the policemen on duty IPOB-heinously beheaded in Imo state sometime in March last year
Rufai’s demise is the second to hit the leadership of IMAN, MAUTH Yola as a Secretary, the first was the Vice Amir and Naibul Imam, Malam Muhammad Mustapha Inuwa who transited to great beyond about six years ago.
We equally mourned the demise of Alhaji Sardou Nana,
the father to the founder and chairman of the Fulbe Development and Cultural Organisation, FUDECO, Prof. Sarli. Nana died on Friday.
FUDECO is an international NGO working in the area of development, humanitarian aid and a participatory action research network focusing on pastoralism. It won the 2021 the Periscope Global Publishers productivity award and is being nominated for the 2022 Award.
While we’re still mourning the demise of my aunt, popularly known as Goggo Jodawa
who died on Friday and a well respected customs officer, Bala Yakubu, my sister-in-law’s husband,
who was also buried on Friday, we’re fed with the sad news of the demise of Honourable Idi Aliyu Aminu, a.k.a Idi Amin, ex-chairman, Maiha local government, Adamawa state and distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Business Diplomacy and Financial Management for which I’m a governing council member.
James Andrew observed that I was honored by the United Nations-POLAC as the personality of the week but has not been published in the Periscope Global and/or I have not responded in appreciation of the well wishers’ congratulations, even though I was the lead publisher and editorial board chairman, he said it was a source of concern.
Well, it’s another week and I still maintain the honour for being a UN-POLAC personality. Comment and appreciation of commendations shall come in due course, after the mourning and like a hopeful would say, “In God’s Name”.
May Allah Subhanahuu Wata’ala forgive the departed souls, grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus and bless the families they left behind.