A YEAR WITHOUT BALA SHEHU, HAIDAR’S UNCLE

We may also recall that indeed Bala was hastening home from Kebbi State having heard the tragic calamity that had occurred in the family – the kidnap and murder of Haidar. Alas! His trip and his life were cut short near Bakori when he and his driver were crushed to death by a brake-less water […]

We may also recall that indeed Bala was hastening home from Kebbi State having heard the tragic calamity that had occurred in the family – the kidnap and murder of Haidar. Alas! His trip and his life were cut short near Bakori when he and his driver were crushed to death by a brake-less water tanker hurtling in the opposite direction. Today, Bala’s daughter, Dr. Fatima ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>😉 assisted by her sister Aisha, remember their father in a Tribute they title “A Year Without Our Father, Bala Shehu”.
People say the passage of time will heal all wounds, but the greater the loss, the deeper the cut, and the more difficult the process to become whole again!
Our dear Baba, I can’t believe it’s been a year already! The pain of losing you isn’t getting any better wallahi. However, our hopes that your grave is a garden in Jannah grow stronger by the day, as never a week goes by without someone talking about the impact you’ve had in their lives, and your contribution towards Allah’s cause! In sha Allah the ‘life’ you are ‘living’ there is much better than the one you’ve lived here – you’ve been given the best of two worlds by the Grace of The Most Merciful!
My beloved Baba! Who would have ever thought September 22, 2013 would be our last good goodbye. How I wish I had seen you even once after then, or have spoken to you on that fateful Thursday. How I wish I had seen your body and prayed over it before you were buried. How I wish you had made it to my graduation and watched me go on stage as the 2nd topper in my class. How I wish you saw me become a practising doctor, and Bibi become a legal practitioner, and little Deeja doing well in her studies…
Oh how I wish you saw my babies, played with them and be their guiding star. How I wish you saw all your siblings become fully-fledged and self-sufficient. How I wish you saw Sa’ada and Aunty Farida being sent off to their husbands just like you did with the rest. How I wish you saw She-Line become the most eminent brand in town. How I wish you saw the effect of your mentorship in the thousands of lives you’ve touched. How I wish I had told you how much I loved and adored you every single day of my life. Oh how I wish…
The wish list is endless. I’ve always prayed to Allah to grant you a long life and prosperity! Yet He decided to take you away from us. So I’m sure He has greater plans for you over there. In sha Allah you are in a better place wrapped up in the shrouds of Jannah with Allah’s Love and Mercy Babana.
You shall never be forgotten Baban Fati; always close to our hearts, number one in our du’as, and your memories shall linger in us forever. May Allah continue to give us the strength to bear your loss and the ability to work on getting re-united with you in sha Allah. We love you, and we miss you so much! May we continue on the straight path, die as Muslims and be granted a good afterlife, neighbours to the Prophets (AS), Sahaba and our loved ones, Ameen Ya Rabb!
You were a father to all (still can’t believe I’m using the past tense to refer to you); our Baban fati, our Yaya Bala, our Babasco, our Haji Baba, our crying shoulder, consoler, our mentor, disciplinarian and role model. Such a rare gem, such a treasure! Still can’t believe you are gone! But surely Allah loves you more!
You were always there for anyone you came across. You used your time, energy and resources in the service of others. People say spending just a minute with you was worth an hour of insight. May Allah have mercy on you just like you’ve brought us up with so much love, kindness, and affection. You’ve given us all that a child would ever wish for, and much more; you’ve moulded us into responsible, capable individuals. We will surely continue to love and cherish you till the end of time. Missing you has become a part of every second of our lives. Muhammad will miss you and your ‘ka ga rawar tuwo’ song so much…
The fruits of the good character and sound education you’ve instilled in us and in many others will surely follow you to your grave Baba. Indeed, the society as a whole has lost an insightful, foresighted, exceptional, rational, intelligent, humble and judicious human being, an upholder of the truth and of good conduct, and an advocator of sound education.
Ya Allah! Do not let us go astray after him; help us continue on the path You’ve guided us through him; help Umma, Hajiya, Baba and all of us endure this great loss! Strengthen the bond and love between us all. Give us the ability to make him proud even in his absence!
Ya Arhamar Rahimin! Have mercy upon him, forgive all his sins, pardon him, widen and light up his grave, protect him from the trials of the grave and the day of judgement, admit him into the highest of gardens – Jannatul Firdausil A’laa – for he was an obedient son, a good husband, a good father, a good grandfather, a good brother, a good father-in-law, a good friend, and a just master to his employees.
AND FATIMA’S SISTER AISHA ADDS: It has been a year since we lost our TRUE LOVE, a Great Father, a father like no other! Enduring his loss has been a devastating experience, and the pain still stings. But as Muslims we know the essence of tawakkul and we trust Allah’s decision, for He knows what we know not. We are glad for the life he has lived; for indeed humanity has judged him right and attested to his righteousness and humility. He has lived a good life in this duniya and we hope for a much better one in the hereafter in sha Allah. Our prayers are with him now, always and for eternity. Our lives will never be the same without him but truly inna lilLahi wa inna ilaiHi raji’un! We are from Allah, and to Him shall we return!
That was the Tribute of Fatima and Aisha for their departed father, our good friend, Bala Shehu. We also remember that when the tragic news of Bala’s death was broken to his father, Alhaji Shehu Azare (my own late father’s closest confidante), the calm old man had said: “Wannan yaro ya rike amanarmu, ya taimaka mana. Allah Ya ba mu ikon rike amanarsa kamar yadda ya rike tamu”. (This boy was very reliable and had helped us immensely. May Allah give us the ability to also look after what he has left behind.”) Alhamdu lilLah, two of Bala’s daughters have become a doctor and a lawyer.
And here we are, on that our journey, still at HasbunalLahu wa ni’imal Wakeel! (Allah is Sufficient for us and He is the Best Disposer of affairs). And to this we add Inna lilLahi wa inna ilaiHi raji’un! (We are from Allah, and to Him shall we return).Today we are again back to our “taba kidi taba karatu” (or, today Politics, tomorrow Tribute). Readers may recall that a year ago again on this page we narrated the tragic death due to road accident of our good friend Bala Shehu, uncle of that boy Haidar whom we remembered here a couple of weeks ago. We may also recall that indeed Bala was hastening home from Kebbi State having heard the tragic calamity that had occurred in the family – the kidnap and murder of Haidar. Alas! His trip and his life were cut short near Bakori when he and his driver were crushed to death by a brake-less water tanker hurtling in the opposite direction. Today, Bala’s daughter, Dr. Fatima ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>😉 assisted by her sister Aisha, remember their father in a Tribute they title “A Year Without Our Father, Bala Shehu”.
People say the passage of time will heal all wounds, but the greater the loss, the deeper the cut, and the more difficult the process to become whole again!
Our dear Baba, I can’t believe it’s been a year already! The pain of losing you isn’t getting any better wallahi. However, our hopes that your grave is a garden in Jannah grow stronger by the day, as never a week goes by without someone talking about the impact you’ve had in their lives, and your contribution towards Allah’s cause! In sha Allah the ‘life’ you are ‘living’ there is much better than the one you’ve lived here – you’ve been given the best of two worlds by the Grace of The Most Merciful!
My beloved Baba! Who would have ever thought September 22, 2013 would be our last good goodbye. How I wish I had seen you even once after then, or have spoken to you on that fateful Thursday. How I wish I had seen your body and prayed over it before you were buried. How I wish you had made it to my graduation and watched me go on stage as the 2nd topper in my class. How I wish you saw me become a practising doctor, and Bibi become a legal practitioner, and little Deeja doing well in her studies…
Oh how I wish you saw my babies, played with them and be their guiding star. How I wish you saw all your siblings become fully-fledged and self-sufficient. How I wish you saw Sa’ada and Aunty Farida being sent off to their husbands just like you did with the rest. How I wish you saw She-Line become the most eminent brand in town. How I wish you saw the effect of your mentorship in the thousands of lives you’ve touched. How I wish I had told you how much I loved and adored you every single day of my life. Oh how I wish…
The wish list is endless. I’ve always prayed to Allah to grant you a long life and prosperity! Yet He decided to take you away from us. So I’m sure He has greater plans for you over there. In sha Allah you are in a better place wrapped up in the shrouds of Jannah with Allah’s Love and Mercy Babana.
You shall never be forgotten Baban Fati; always close to our hearts, number one in our du’as, and your memories shall linger in us forever. May Allah continue to give us the strength to bear your loss and the ability to work on getting re-united with you in sha Allah. We love you, and we miss you so much! May we continue on the straight path, die as Muslims and be granted a good afterlife, neighbours to the Prophets (AS), Sahaba and our loved ones, Ameen Ya Rabb!
You were a father to all (still can’t believe I’m using the past tense to refer to you); our Baban fati, our Yaya Bala, our Babasco, our Haji Baba, our crying shoulder, consoler, our mentor, disciplinarian and role model. Such a rare gem, such a treasure! Still can’t believe you are gone! But surely Allah loves you more!
You were always there for anyone you came across. You used your time, energy and resources in the service of others. People say spending just a minute with you was worth an hour of insight. May Allah have mercy on you just like you’ve brought us up with so much love, kindness, and affection. You’ve given us all that a child would ever wish for, and much more; you’ve moulded us into responsible, capable individuals. We will surely continue to love and cherish you till the end of time. Missing you has become a part of every second of our lives. Muhammad will miss you and your ‘ka ga rawar tuwo’ song so much…
The fruits of the good character and sound education you’ve instilled in us and in many others will surely follow you to your grave Baba. Indeed, the society as a whole has lost an insightful, foresighted, exceptional, rational, intelligent, humble and judicious human being, an upholder of the truth and of good conduct, and an advocator of sound education.
Ya Allah! Do not let us go astray after him; help us continue on the path You’ve guided us through him; help Umma, Hajiya, Baba and all of us endure this great loss! Strengthen the bond and love between us all. Give us the ability to make him proud even in his absence!
Ya Arhamar Rahimin! Have mercy upon him, forgive all his sins, pardon him, widen and light up his grave, protect him from the trials of the grave and the day of judgement, admit him into the highest of gardens – Jannatul Firdausil A’laa – for he was an obedient son, a good husband, a good father, a good grandfather, a good brother, a good father-in-law, a good friend, and a just master to his employees.
AND FATIMA’S SISTER AISHA ADDS: It has been a year since we lost our TRUE LOVE, a Great Father, a father like no other! Enduring his loss has been a devastating experience, and the pain still stings. But as Muslims we know the essence of tawakkul and we trust Allah’s decision, for He knows what we know not. We are glad for the life he has lived; for indeed humanity has judged him right and attested to his righteousness and humility. He has lived a good life in this duniya and we hope for a much better one in the hereafter in sha Allah. Our prayers are with him now, always and for eternity. Our lives will never be the same without him but truly inna lilLahi wa inna ilaiHi raji’un! We are from Allah, and to Him shall we return!
That was the Tribute of Fatima and Aisha for their departed father, our good friend, Bala Shehu. We also remember that when the tragic news of Bala’s death was broken to his father, Alhaji Shehu Azare (my own late father’s closest confidante), the calm old man had said: “Wannan yaro ya rike amanarmu, ya taimaka mana. Allah Ya ba mu ikon rike amanarsa kamar yadda ya rike tamu”. (This boy was very reliable and had helped us immensely. May Allah give us the ability to also look after what he has left behind.”) Alhamdu lilLah, two of Bala’s daughters have become a doctor and a lawyer.
And here we are, on that our journey, still at HasbunalLahu wa ni’imal Wakeel! (Allah is Sufficient for us and He is the Best Disposer of affairs). And to this we add Inna lilLahi wa inna ilaiHi raji’un! (We are from Allah, and to Him shall we return).