Farouk: Shocking exit of ‘La Tahzan’
If my guess is right, the reader’s curiosity over the title of this tribute, would be the Arabic phrase, ‘La Tahzan’ and how a brother and colleague, Farouk Musa connects with it. Soon, I will tell, but before then let me make a confession: I had one very bad character trait. I used to be […]
If my guess is right, the reader’s curiosity over the title of this tribute, would be the Arabic phrase, ‘La Tahzan’ and how a brother and colleague, Farouk Musa connects with it. Soon, I will tell, but before then let me make a confession: I had one very bad character trait. I used to be unforgiving. By nature, I was hardly the first offender in peer quarrels and other battles associated with the struggles of life but whenever someone offended me, I believed forgiveness was a form of weakness. In retaliation for one form of attitude towards me, I struck twice or more. Though never associated with any form of violence, I could use an entire week, painstakingly crafting how to efficiently fight back, aiming ‘below the belt’. In most cases, those who looked for my trouble, wished they never started it in the first place. I could even keep malice for an entire year provided the other party was ready. I avoided anything to do with whoever I marked for ‘no-talking’ even if my life depended on him or her.
Now, in 2009, something totally changed me from being retaliatory to becoming reconciliatory. I forgive so easily, unconditionally and reasonably. I hardly keep malice for an hour without a feeling of acute moral deficiency. So, what changed me? A book did. From it, I saw forgiveness as strength and vengeance, a weakness. Musa Umar Gusau, the simplest of my five elder brothers, recommended the book to me eight years ago. In its original form, the book’s title is ‘La Tahzan’, an Arabic phrase. It was authored around 2003 by Dr. Aidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni, a Saudi scholar and philosopher. ‘La Tahzan’ was translated into English by another scholar, Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq with the title, ‘Don’t Be Sad’ a meaning of ‘La Tahzan’. The book has 289 practical guidelines to helping the reader replace all emotional worries with endless peace of mind. As the author captures it, “Don’t Be Sad exposes to the modern reader how Islam teaches us to deal with the tests and tribulations of this world. Contains verses of the Holy Qur’an, sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and of his Companions; contains sayings of Western and Eastern thinkers and philosophers. It is actually a book for all. The culmination of deep and organized thought, says in short: Be happy, at peace, and joyful; and don’t be sad.”
From 2009, I regarded ‘La Tahzan’ as the exclusive illustration to how one can live in our interesting nation, Nigeria, and still remain happy, most (or at least some) of the time.
In 2012, I met and began working with a young man, from whose overall behaviors I saw the human form of the book, ‘La Tahzan’. Till his recent death, Farouk Musa personified everything I read. For one month, I delayed this tribute because I had one question I kept asking those who knew him. Each time I asked the question, I got the same answer but I kept asking more persons whether I could hear something else. I asked if anyone could remember a single day Farouk was seen with the slightest rate of anger on his face. I knew him only for five years but we had too many engagements. I simply couldn’t remember a single day he was angered. Even when his job as Senior Special Assistant on Inter-governmental Affairs to Governor Kashim Shettima demanded interaction with hundreds of people at all federal establishments and foreign institutions, Farouk kept a permanent calm and never for a day did he look worried or sad. He smiled from morning till night and made everyone his friend. He was always ready to offer help and was good at solving problems. He flawlessly gave intelligent solutions to complex problems and whenever his suggestions seemed insufficient, he gave better options with ease, sincerity, humility and kindness. His versatility and connections in Abuja surely made him the best for a job that required perfection.
Prior to his appointment by Governor Shettima, Farouk had worked at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja; he had at various times, worked at the Federal Ministries of Budget and National Planning, Transport, Works and Housing and with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). He didn’t join the federal civil service by accident. He had prepared himself with a Degree in Public Administration earned at the University of Abuja. Before his Degree, Farouk was at Ramat Polytechnic in Maiduguri. He obtained a National Diploma in Marketing which must have shaped his natural friendliness. He was one of Borno’s most eligible sons because he had history with the three senatorial districts in the state. For instance, he hailed from Biu in Southern Borno senatorial district; began his education at Ali-Askiri primary school in Maiduguri, within the Central senatorial district and had his secondary education at Government Secondary School, Monguno located in Borno’s northern senatorial district.
His deep connection with the three senatorial districts and incidentally, the headquarters of the zones, made him at once ‘belong to everybody and no-one’. His death on Friday, the 10th of March, 2017 was the rudest shock I have had in many years. I was supposed to be in the vehicle that took away Farouk on Kaduna-Abuja highway. Along with convoy staff from the Borno Liaison Office in Abuja, Farouk was in Kaduna to receive Governor Shettima for onward movement to Abuja. This was due to the temporary closure of Abuja Airport. On arrival minutes past 3:00pm, I tried joining the vehicle carrying Farouk and the Permanent Secretary in charge of Abuja Liaison Office. They often reserved a seat for me but that day, there wasn’t enough space for me, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Ahmed Ningi and a camera man. I thought it was selfish to secure a seat while my subordinates were standing. Unusually, I opted for an airport taxi. As the convoy was moving to Abuja, Farouk called me twice and on each occasion, he asked to know if I didn’t feel offended and wasn’t stranded. Seven minutes after I answered his last call to assure him that I was fine, the Hilux driving him was involved in a fatal accident.
As we rushed towards him immediately after the accident, Farouk kept reciting ‘La ilaha illallah’. Terrified, Governor Shettima aborted his trip and led the convoy to hospital in Kaduna. We were all afraid but optimistic Farouk was going to be fine like the four survivors. His injuries were internal and severe. Around 6pm, he was pronounced dead. He was 45.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi Raaji’un! May Allah forgive his shortcomings. May Allah admit him into Aljanna Firdaus. May Allah guide, bless and protect his four surviving children and may He give his family the strength to bear the endless pain of losing a man whose time on earth gave sufficient meaning to the creed of ‘La Tahzan’.
Gusau, Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy to Governor Shettima, wrote from Maiduguri.