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The tree had fallen: In memory of my uncle Malam Idris Yusuf (1954 -2021)

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3 years ago

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Late Malam Idris Yusuf
Late Malam Idris Yusuf (1954-2021)

 

By
Muhammad Jameel Yusha’u
@JameelYushau

Lying on his hospital bed in the last moments of his life on Thursday evening, 21st January 2021 at Isyaku Rabiu Hospital in Kano, he asked, referring to my father, “where is Malam Yusha’u? please, ask him to come quickly.” By then my father was already on his way to the hospital.

He then started reciting the Shahada, the Muslim testimony of faith, Ashhadu an Laa ilaha Illah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah (I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad [peace be upon him] is His messenger). He kept reciting the Kalimah for the next 30 minutes until his soul returned to its rightful owner.

As my father stepped into the hospital along with my mother and brother Abdurrahman, Baba Idi, as we call him, was no more. “But Allah never delays a soul when its appointed time comes. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do” (Quran 63:11).

With the recitation the Kalimah, the life and times of my uncle, mentor, friend, teacher and a major pillar of our extended family had closed at the age of 67. He died surrounded by his wife Malama Sadiya, his eldest daughter Amina, and two of his children, Abubakar and his last child Imam (named after our grandfather Liman Yusuf). Malam Idris bn Yusuf bn Abdurra’uf bn Yusuf, bn Musa was my uncle and the immediate brother to my father. The two of them are like twins, if you know one of them, then you know the other. They are inseparable companions.

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I am not writing this tribute simply because I lost an uncle. Indeed, that was enough reason to write one. But I am writing this tribute to celebrate an unsung hero, a man who dedicated his entire life to teaching and community service. I am writing this tribute to highlight that there are celebrities who contribute to our success, who inspire communities, invest their times in uplifting others, provide comfort in times of distress and make their shoulders available for others to climb the ladder of progress when we needed it the most.

Educationist ,Malam Idris Yusuf Passes On at 67

These heroes and celebrities are in every family, in every community and in every neighborhood. Yet, by human nature, we overlook these unique human beings and focus our attention on the celebrities and heroes manufactured by the media, whether they deserve it or not. I am also writing this tribute because of the dignified way in which he lived his life.

In the early 1990s, around 1993 precisely, when I started developing strong interest to study abroad, I came in contact with Dr. Tasiu Namadi who was then pursuing his doctorate degree at the Islamic University, Islamabad. My interest at the time was, after finishing secondary school to study Islamic law at either Islamic University of Madina or the International African University of Khartoum.

I was trying to find as much information as I could, so I engaged Dr. Tasiu on how to embark on this journey. Dr. Tasiu gave me couples of advice. He said, first of all, do not ever rely on any single individual to help you in achieving your dream. Just work hard and find your way, by submitting applications, searching for scholarships and God-willing you will achieve your dream of studying abroad. Then he gave me the second advice which I found true with my uncle, Malam Idris.

“Jameel, when you leave Nigeria, and move to another country, that is when you will know the people who love you genuinely,” Dr. Namadi told me. I left Nigeria in 2004. Certainly many people kept in touch, enquiring about my studies, family and general progress in life. Apart from my father, there are three people who always call to find out about my family, my wellbeing and my progress in life. They will ask about my studies and work. These three people were the late Shaykh Aminuddeen Abubakar, Alhaji Muhammadu Nata’ala Adamu (father of Professor Yusuf Adamu) and of course my uncle Malam Idris. The first two have already passed away, and on 21st January 2021, the third one joined them in the great beyond (May Allah forgive them and grant them eternal rest).

It was always a pleasure talking to them, because once they are assured that everything is fine with me and my family, then we talk about life in general. They ask me about the environment, make enquires about what they heard in the news on what is happening in the UK and now Saudi Arabia. I had my last conversation with Malam Idris on 20th January 2021, a day before he passed away. My brother, Dr. Muntaqa told me that Baba Idi is unwell. So I called him. His voice was weak. I could feel there is an extra effort in the way he was speaking. You could feel that he was being brave. As usual he enquired about my wife and each of my children with whom he has an incredibly cordial relationship.

Mentioning his name was enough to bring smile and joy to my family. When he visited us here in Saudi Arabia about four years ago, he spent time with them, he played with the children, went to a shopping mall with them and made sure they enjoyed every minute of his visit. It took me about one hour to break the news of his death to my family, and you could see the fever of shock in them in learning that Baba Idi was no more.

I have so many memories of him, but some that stand out include when he was pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in education at the Federal College of Education Kano in the 1990s. Baba Idi was an extremely busy person. He was a student, a teacher with the State Primary Education Board in the morning, and in the evening, he teaches at Da’awah Islamic School. By Allah’s providence, my father has almost every book needed in the area of education, both Western and Islamic in his personal library. He turned me into his librarian. Whenever he comes home, he would ask me to find the relevant books for his studies.

It was through this effort that I came to know some of the books written by Professor Aliyu Babatunde Fafunwa, Professor Shehu Galadanci and several works in philosophy, psychology and sociology of education. Thank you, Baba.

Another memorable moment was when I got admission to study Mass Communications at Bayero University, Kano. My interest at the time was to study law. I did everything possible to get admission at the faculty of law. Despite having the requirements, my effort proved abortive. I was hesitant to register in the mass communication department and start my lectures at the time. When Baba Idi came to our house one day, he was told that I haven’t yet registered and the deadline for registration was approaching. He asked me why? I told him I was still attempting to secure admission at the faculty of law. In his humorous nature, albeit with a serious mien on that occasion, he looked at me and said in Hausa “wanne amfani lauyoyin suka tsinana ne da ka dage sai ka karanta law. .” Literally translated as: “Why did you insist on studying law. Look at the lawyers moving around .” (Apologies to my learned colleagues).

Following that exchange, my father asked me to immediately go and register in Mass Communication department. “If the effort at the faculty of law yields results, you can move to the faculty of law,” my father said. And I complied. The rest is now history.

According to our mother, she couldn’t remember a week in the last 30 years that he didn’t visit our house.
Baba Idi is an advocate for social justice and has an allergy for corrupt practices. He is engaged with many NGOs and community initiatives. His main priority is transparency in managing the resources of these NGOs.

Baba Idi studied from an early age in the traditional Quranic and Ilmi system with our grandfather. He then went to Ilorin in the 1960s to further his Islamic education and returned around the period of the Nigerian civil war. He then went on to pursue modern education which enabled him to acquire a National Certificate in Education from Kano State College of Education, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Ahmad Bello University Zaria (F.C.E Kano Campus). He rose from a class teacher to a supervisor/Inspector of Education in different local governments within Kano State.

It is approaching three months since he left us. Yet, his loss is still fresh. A gigantic tree had fallen in our family. But its roots are alive and flourishing. We love him, we cherish and adore him. But his Creator loves him the most. Our prayer is that he is resting peacefully in his new abode. May Allah grant him Jannatul Firdaus Amin.

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How Maryam Abacha Varsity Produced 5 Provosts of Nursing Colleges, 1,000 Lab Scientists, 100 Lawyers, Others in 12 Years

Published

2 weeks ago

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September 7, 2024

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Twelve years after its establishment, the Maryam Abacha American University of Niger (MAAUN), in Maradi, Niger Republic, has produced five Provosts of Nursing Colleges in Borno, Yobe, and Bauchi States.

Dr. Hadiza Sabo a graduate of Nursing from the University is the current Provost of Shehu Sule College of Nursing and Midwifery, in Damaturu, Yobe state.

Varsity Appoints Gombe Emir As Chancellor

Equally, Dr. Hadiza Yahya is serving as Provost, College of Nursing Sciences in Maiduguri, Borno state, while Dr. Rakiya Saleh is the Provost College of Nursing Sciences in Bauchi, Bauchi state. The trio of Rakiya and the two aforementioned Hadizas all bagged their first and postgraduate degrees from MAAUN.

In addition, Kiloh Nifor who is also the Provost, College of Nursing Sciences in Jalingo, Taraba state, and Dr. Yusuf Bello, the Provost, Kaduna State College of Nursing Sciences, are also alumni of the university.

MAAUN, which was founded in 2013, is owned by Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, a philanthropist and French Linguistics scholar.

Politics Digest also reports that the Faculty of Law of the premier Ivory Tower, established only in 2015, has produced over 400 law graduates, with more than a hundred of them already called to the Nigerian Bar.

In addition, over 1,000 Medical Laboratory Scientists produced by MAAUN are presently working in Nigeria, while no fewer than 700 of them are practicing abroad.

It would be recalled that the institution was the first to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in Niger Republic, where thousands of nursing officers trooped for their university education from different countries.

“The Nursing Degree programme greatly increased the number of nursing graduates in Nigeria. The university started offering Nursing in 2012 and has so far graduated over 2,000 graduates who are rendering their services at different hospitals in Nigeria and abroad,” said the university’s President, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo.

Barrister Umar Isa Sulaiman, a law lecturer at MAAUN, while informing Politics Digest that their Faculty commenced academic activities in 2013, said: “Our graduates are working in different government agencies and parastatals. Some are Sharia Court Judges, Magistrates, and some are working in the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“Also, a high number of our graduates are in private practice. We do meet and appear before different courts. I can categorically tell you that they are doing wonderfully well as advocates.”

Furthermore, the Prof. Adamu Gwarzo-owned university has been positively impacting the lives of several Nigerians.

A MAAUN graduate of Nursing, Hamisu Iliyasu, who hailed from Sokoto State, told this newspaper how his alma mater produced many Directors and Heads of Nursing Colleges in Nigeria.

“You know universities in the North don’t offer Nursing; you either go to the South or you end up retiring at Level 14 as a civil servant. But our prestigious Maryam Abacha American University came to the rescue of so many of us, and we are grateful,” he said.

According to Dr. Kabiru Mahmud, a staff member of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Department of MAAUN, “Our great and pace-setting university has helped increase the number of Medical Laboratory Scientists, not only in Northern Nigeria but in the country at large. We have students from across the country.

“Some came from Lagos, Benin, and Ibadan. I can categorically tell you that Maryam Abacha American University of Niger has the highest number of young Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria.

“Before now, one could hardly find someone with a degree in this field, but only a Diploma. But MAAUN came and provided the opportunity to many undergraduates. Go to Federal Medical Centres across the country, and you will find it difficult counting the number of their staff who are our products.”

Checks by this newspaper further revealed that some MAAUN alumni are presently working at the National Hospital in Abuja and the Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH, in Kano state.

The university according to findings has the highest number of Nurses working in Canada, USA and other foreign countries from West Africa.

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Features

Hotoro Residents Threaten to Vote Out Leaders in 2027 Over Dilapidated Road

Published

2 weeks ago

on

September 3, 2024

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The untarred and dilapidated road

Residents of Hotoro in Kano State are voicing their growing frustration with local and state leaders over the deplorable condition of a key road in their community. In interviews with Nigerian Tracker, the residents expressed deep dissatisfaction and issued a warning that they may withhold their votes in the 2027 elections if their concerns continue to be ignored.

Shehu Usman, a long-time resident of Hotoro, articulated the sentiments of many in the area. “Our area is a vote bank, not just in Nassarawa Local Government but across the whole of Kano State,” Usman said. “Yet, the road is no longer passable in both the rainy and dry seasons, and those we elected—from the Governor to the Chairman and even the legislators—seem not to care about the deplorable state of this road.

The road in question, which remains untarred, stretches from the Ring Road around Nur Petroleum Junction, passes through Hotoro Primary and Secondary Schools, and ends at the Hotoro Police Division. The poor state of the road has been a long-standing issue, but despite repeated complaints, nothing has been done to address it.

Iliya Musa, another concerned resident, lamented that politicians only seem to care about the community during election season. “During election season, politicians flock to our area, making promises and shaking hands. But once they are in office, they turn a deaf ear to our problems,” Musa said. “This road could easily be constructed, but our leaders have ignored us, and now, it feels like the area is turning into a slum.”

As 2027 approaches, the residents of Hotoro are making it clear that their votes will not be taken for granted. If their elected leaders fail to address the worsening conditions in the community, they may face a harsh electoral backlash from a constituency that has had enough of broken promises.

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Features

A Brief About Journalist and Whistleblower, Bello Galadanchi

Published

1 month ago

on

August 18, 2024

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Bello Galadanchi a.k.a Dan Bello was born in State College, Pennsylvania on December 12, 1987 to Habeeb and Halisa Galadanchi. After birth, he spent hi childhood and early adolescence with his family in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, where he attended school with his siblings.

Throughout his time in Africa Bello worked a variety of jobs, including street food vending, construction, and helping run his father’s medical practice. One of his first jobs was the fabrication and sale of handmade footwear such as rope sandals and a special type of sabot heel native to Nigeria called aa “kumazie.”

Upon matriculation in 2006, his parents offered him education back in the United States, where Bello attended The Pennsylvania State University as a Bioengineering and Classical History double major and Film Studies and African Studies minors.

Considered a gifted young man, he graduated from university in 2009 with two degrees and two minor certificates and immediately entered the film industry, producing such short films as Charles in Arms, Unknowing Separation, Water for Baby, and Taken by Storm.

His first film projects were prompted by various contests and promotional programs and soon became well-known to his former university circles. In late 2011, Bello received a grant from the Nigerian Film Festival and Nollywood, to produce various political films for the Nigerian government.

It was this opportunity that lend itself to Bello’s fame in that the new funding allowed him to make films in Pennsylvania and become more noticed. When not filmmaking, Bello spends his time volunteering in his community, making new friends in the city and writing narrative novel- IMDb Mini Biography By: Sand.

A dual citizen of the USA and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, writer/director Bello Galadanchi, made a name for himself after winning numerous awards at short film festivals around the globe. In 2012, at just 24, he wrote, directed and co-produced the feature film, A Dark Place.

Prior to making films Galadanchi obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering. Having also minored in sociology, the soft spoken filmmaker credits the “thought provoking” storylines commonly associated with his work to his humble upbringing in Jos, Plateau State of Nigeria.

Owner of Dalar Pictures, Galadanchi is also co-founder of To the Moon Productions, along with actor R. Tariq Powell. The filmmaker currently resides in central Pennsylvania.

 

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