MY FIRST MEETING WITH ALHAJI INUSAH FUSEINI...... Most often, from afar, things normally seem to be what they are not...but closer, they are what they really seem not to be. I can only say may God forgive us for the things we hear and believe - which later turn out not to be true. I narrate this story for not the Minister I met, not the politician I met, but the humanbeing I met in Inusah Fuseini. I definitely would pardon you if you begun to measure the amount of politics we could have discussed. However, politics was just a perihery. I met not the politician but rather, an immeasurably passionate person who sacrificed all his time to inspire me with his own story. Indeed, I got to learn that sad stories do inspire hope and confidence in better ways than joyous ones. Rabiu, he pronounced me soberly....and started to tell me a few things he had heard about me. Good things he mentioned but I couldnt say what I had heard about him. I leave that to my first sentence ab initio. He began to tell me how he started and how he suffered in life. He narrated to me the trials and tribulations to which he had to go through to reach where he is. Calling my name for the second time, he said, education, education, education!!! He intimated most of us, especially from the North hide under the cloak of poverty to shut our dreams in education - a matter which gives him sleepless nights. In his conviction, if poverty could prevent a young man from achieving his dream in education, then his story would have been different. He pointed out to me that even if it comes to cleaning peoples toilet and bath or washing their clothing to support my education, especially where theres no support, I should gladly do it. He then genuinely situated his words in the storm he went through in his educational endeavour - which if I should narrate may likely make this piece voluminous or a peroration. Remaining tongue-tied for a long time, I then respectfully decided to interrogate him - Honourable, as a young politician, I have suffered a lot for this party. I thought you were gonna tell me things about how I can reap the benefits of my contributions... but why sing education so loudly into my ears? He sighed heavily and told me, if I can get you inspired to believe that you can do it all by yourself through education, then Alhamdulillah; I have given you everything you need in life, including political success. I dont doubt the political br****nce in you, but all will come to nothing if you dont back it with education. He continued, the pain burdens me beyond my limits of power to endure, when I see young but very brilliant chaps abandonig education either because of poverty, or because they lack the needed advice and encouragement. Hmmmm, sitting quitely for a moment, I couldnt believe I was listening to Hon. Inusah Fuseini. The man whom I long castigated politically but whom I visited politically had succeeded in awakening the sleeping giant in me. There and then, I vowed to rise to greater educational heights pulling along people, irrespective of their creed, tribe, identity or what so ever. Wailing in my mind for the bad things I might have ever said about him to others based on hear-say, I told him I never thought he could be such humble and so inspiring. He smiled and said, Rabiu considering the teachings of my religion, my humble beginning, my unpalatable story and the suffering I have experienced in life, if I fail to be humble, then I have not be grateful to Allah...and people like that can cause humility to lose its existential significance. If you know me very well, you might have realised Im not a fan of cheaply writing to heap unnecesary praises on politicians, especially when they do what is mandatorily theirs to do...but I think this story deserves a telling. I have saved it for a rainy, and I believe today is that day. Barka da Sallah!
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 10:16:46 +0000
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