A FATHER IN-LAW PER EXCELLENCE The Auwal Anwar Column Leadership Weekend June 08, 2013. When I got married in 2001, after the wedding dinner, a very close friend of mine took me aside and said, ‘Auwal, I congratulate you today for marrying the love of your life; but I congratulate you more for the kind of father in-law you got in the process.’ I smiled, thanked him very much and went back to the merriments. In the morning when they were about to leave, another friend said to me, ‘You are one lucky chap.’ And as my mind surged towards my beautiful wife, he added, ‘I envy you for your father in-law.’ I have to confess I was a bit deflated. My uncle crowned it all when I went to thank him for the roles they played during the wedding. He said, ‘Thank you for linking us with that wonderful gentleman. I promise you, you will not have any problem in your house because her parents were the best I have met.’ These happened almost 12 years ago. But today, as I sit down here mourning the passing away of that remarkable gentleman, I can clearly confirm what they had seen that long ago and more. May Allah SWT accept Engr. Garba Abdullahi into the fold of his beloved, forgive him his mistakes and reward him with His paradise. One of the most remarkable things about Baba, as we all call him, were his open, welcoming heart that embraced all, young and old. Baba treated everyone he met like an old friend. He would receive you with the best of smiles. He would ask about the journey, ask if you had any trouble, and apologize for wrongs he did not cause. You would find the best food, drinks and accommodation anytime you visit. He would give you even what he could not eat. ‘I am already old, you need it more,’ he would say. When it came to things you needed, he would provide before you ask – always trying to make life easier for you. You are a son; not a son in-law. There was nothing like that in his dictionary. And then when it came to other issues, he would effortlessly metamorphose into a friend. He would discuss with you as if you knew all that he did and shared so much before. Baba would educate without sounding like a scary teacher. He would admonish without sounding like a difficult parent. He would advise without making one feel like he had erred. You would feel as if the message was coming from within you. Baba made life look too simple and lived it that way. No wonder the kinds of people that came to condole with us. Although Baba was fairly endowed by God, his friends never changed. You would find him in the company of date sellers, grocers, Islamiyya school teachers, hewers of wood, at the same time you would find him with the movers and shakers of the town. The stories of his efforts to assist the downtrodden are legendary. Those poor people came crying. They were crying more than some blood relations of ours. Baba was all-in-all to them. Engr. Garba Abdullahi was the former Director of the former Directorate for Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure in Katsina State before he retired in 1991. Before then, he lived in the United States and travelled widely before coming back to give a helping hand when Katsina State was created. After retirement, he became an engineering project consultant for some State and Federal works. Baba took me under his wings, not only personally but also professionally. Reclining on the sofa in his parlour, he would lead me into a brainstorming session about how science and technology would help rescue Nigeria. His depth, simplicity, fatherly and friendly dispositions were some of the reasons why my friends would travel hundreds of kilometres to visit him in Katsina, without me. He knew them all and remembered them all. Sometimes I got updates about them from him! Without doubt, the best thing that Baba did for me was respecting his daughter’s wish by giving her hand in marriage to churchrat me in spite of the gargantuan challenges from those affluent Goliaths of suitors. I cannot thank him enough for taking that chance with the have nots. But he did not stop there. When my wife went for internship in Katsina and I frequented the home, Baba drilled me in the rudiments of how to be a good husband. I watched carefully how he ran his home. He would ask me to accompany him to the market where he shopped for his family. He would not allow me to spend a penny no matter how much I tried. He was always full of pity, empathy and regard for all. I had no idea how to repay him until my boss, brother and mentor, Prof. Idris Bugaje, stepped in to give me a helping hand in showing appreciation. God bless them all. Now Baba is gone. We lost him on Friday, May 31, 2013, in the Cairo University Teaching Hospital. He was buried there according to Muslim rites. It is now time for us to begin trying to pay back by praying to Allah for the repose of his soul. We believe he is in a better place. Allah is taking care of him better than we ever can. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 09:35:22 +0000
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