An oasis in the desert: Tribute to late Yahaya Mahmood

A man full of wisdom and extra-ordinary retentive memory, I had known him since I was 5 years. He was a strong family mobilizer as well as the driving force behind the real kinship ties. Having known that I am speech-impaired (stammerer), he would imitate how I talk and later compensate me with  sweets. That […]

A man full of wisdom and extra-ordinary retentive memory, I had known him since I was 5 years. He was a strong family mobilizer as well as the driving force behind the real kinship ties. Having known that I am speech-impaired (stammerer), he would imitate how I talk and later compensate me with  sweets. That was the beginning of our bond.
Between 2001 and 2004 when I was undergoing my first degree programme at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, he was the lawyer to the then Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa. On many occasions he visited sokoto, he gave me the privilege of a constant warm hand shake through a palatable envelop gift and free dinner. Within a short period, I realized we developed a strong bond of trust which I had not dared imagine at the outset. Despite the fact he was an uncle, our relationship blossomed into that of a biological father and son.
The Chairman of McNamara Nigeria Limited, educated both in Nigeria and England, a Zaria man born in 1952 with a constant smiling face was an administrator, a lawyer and a philanthropist. In 2010, the legal Practitioners Privileges committee recommended and in 2011 the Body of Benchers awarded him the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). In April this year, the Federal Government appointed him the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology, Akure in Ondo State. He sat on several boards.
Ever since I knew his house, it was like a charitable organization. He was a pillar for sustainable human development. He had sponsored lots of students from primary school to tertiary institution. He had settled medical bills of so many people. He had given hope, shelter, food and smiles to uncountable families, individuals and organizations. He was remarkable!  A day before he died, I visited him on my way home from office. Immediately I entered his office, in Hausa, he said; “Babangida, yauwa daman inanemanka. Ina da magana da kai kuma zaka rakani wani guri ranar asabar. Don Allah ka tuna min.” This means, “Babangida, as if you knew I wanted to see you. I have something to discuss with you and we have a place to visit on Saturday. Please remind me.” As God destined, he did not witness that particular Saturday. His death, just like Alhaji Maccido Dalhat’s, truly saddened me.
Extremely generous, intelligent, witty, calm and jovial. He was a gigantic pillar of support – the sort of man you can always rely on. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Yahaya Mahmood had just the sort of skills and humuor to unravel knotty problems and quite unlike several others ever privileged to occupy the corridor of success, was a humble, humane and simple personality. His death on Friday, 15th November, 2013 deprived Nigeria of an illustrious son and his friends and the family of a caring companion. He had left behind plenty indelible legacies, big vacuum, a wife (Maryam), five children (Mahmood, Abdulkarim, Fatima, Abubakar, and Haruna) and many relations. May his soul continue to rest in peace, amen.
Dalhat ([email protected]) wrote this piece from Stephen Shekari Estate, Kaduna-Nigeria.