A painful goodbye to my dear cousin

I was on my way to Dubai Investment Park to visit a friend when I received a call from Auntie Zainab.  “Have you heard?” she asked.  Heard what?  “Sani is dead,” she announced.  What! I screamed loudly. I had just finished a very long conversation on the phone with my brother Mashkoor.  I was telling […]

I was on my way to Dubai Investment Park to visit a friend when I received a call from Auntie Zainab.  “Have you heard?” she asked.  Heard what?  “Sani is dead,” she announced.  What! I screamed loudly.
I had just finished a very long conversation on the phone with my brother Mashkoor.  I was telling him of the business proposal Sani brought to me the previous day. I immediately put a call back to him and there was no answer. Then I called my mom and all her phones were not answered. On a normal day, my friend Hamza would call and tell me of any recent death, so I put a call to his cell phone, but there was no answer.  At that point,I was confused and sad at the same time; and was still trying to make sense of the news; in that confused state, starting from my broken heart, my emotions somehow meshed and the cauldron found an outlet through the eyes – as I bled buckets of tears. 
At that point I started receiving a marathon of phone calls, all confirming, all laden with I wished had not been – Sani died from injuries sustained from a superbike accident.
Despite being older than me, Sani had been one of the closest people to me.  We share a lot of things in common; I can remember  the first laptop we got was  the same version.  We also shared the privilege of always using the same mobile devices till his death.  
My relationship with my dear cousin had been very cordial and mutual;  this was someone whom I was always on phone speaking with at least  10 minutes at a time.
I recall the last phone call we had the night before he passed away, which will forever linger in my mind. He had just recently sent someone money for me to buy some shoes for him, which I did and had sent the pictures to him, but was yet to send it before he passed away.  Dear Sani, I am utterly sad that I had to send it when you are no longer alive, brother.
I had even got admission for him to complete his studies here in the Emirates. Sani was a God-fearing man.  In his last few days he told me all the things he lost was test by Allah for his patience and perseverance.
We also talked recently about the biking to which you engaged.  I remember objecting to the adventure from time to time, due to the danger it can pose – but who are we to deny destiny!
As painful as your death is to the entire family, friends and admirers, we shall live to remember you as a kind, peaceful and loving person.  Those who knew you know that even if you wanted to, you couldn’t say ill of him.
Yet, no farewells were made, no time to say goodbye, you were gone before we knew it, and only God knows why.
  However, it was impossible for Mohammad to have gone quietly. The era of social media had foreclosed that possibility. Every family now has a stake in the new media that makes everyone an automatic reporter.  Thus, the caliber of good people with whom he associated made it evident for his death to go viral on most social media.
“Enter this paradise in peace,” says Qur’an 50:34. I pray my dear cousin will be among those who will be given this directive.
   “O Allah, forgive and have mercy upon him, excuse him and pardon him, and make honorable his reception. Expand his entry, and cleanse him with water, snow, and ice, and purify him of sin as a white robe is purified of filth. Exchange his home for a better home, and his family for a better family. Admit him into the Garden; protect him from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire.”
O Allaah, Mohammad Sani is under your care and protection, so protect him from the trial of the grave and torment of the Fire. Indeed you are faithful and truthful. Forgive and have mercy upon him, surely You are The Oft-Forgiving, The Most-Merciful.
Mohammad Sani Galadima tragically died in a fatal bike accident during the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) Bike Road show in Abuja on the 14th March 2014. He was born on 30th November 1988.
I pray we meet again in heaven!  Forever in my heart.
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Jabir Ibrahim Jibril is a 3rd year MBBS student. He writes from Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirate.