Garba Leku: Exit of a peace maker
“Baban Musa is dead”, was how the news was broken to me. For some minutes I was speechless, not because it was sudden no, for he was 98. I was speechless because the world has lost one of its finest – a true community leader who believed in justice and fairness to all. The Sabo […]
“Baban Musa is dead”, was how the news was broken to me. For some minutes I was speechless, not because it was sudden no, for he was 98. I was speechless because the world has lost one of its finest – a true community leader who believed in justice and fairness to all. The Sabo Ibadan community where he had lived all his life and dedicated to its development and peaceful co-existence shall forever miss his wise counsel.
This was a man who all and sundry looked up to whenever there was a misunderstanding, for he was a good judge and an advocate of peace. Everyone listens whenever he talks because he always gave wise counsel such that at the end of the day his judgment is accepted by all without any grudge. This was because of his position as the community’s traditional Prime Minister (the Magajin gari). His house is a sort of a court where many cases were heard and tried to the satisfaction of all parties almost on a daily basis. Through his benevolence, and as a good and dedicated Muslim, many had the opportunity of performing one of the five pillars of Islam, which is the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. Not only had his immediate family benefitted, but also members of the Sabo community.
I learnt and imbibed the act of charity from him. I recall how we used to surround him and he shared money or dried dates or any other thing he had. On Fridays, most of the children would gather around him in the mosque after prayers and he, in turn, gave out one kobo to each child and we went home elated because Baban Musa gave us money. His act of charity is unparallel; he saved many families from the pangs of hunger by providing them with money and food items, not only to his Hausa brethren but to the Yoruba as well.
He was a father to all – his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and members of the community in general. To his children, he was a great father because he did not for once renege on his fatherly responsibility. To us his grandchildren, he was a play-mate, a counselor and our defender whenever we felt we were not treated fairly (according to our judgment as kids). To the orphans in the community, he was the father they no longer had. To the less privilege, he was the helper in times of need. To the widows, he was the husband they had lost.
As a kid, I can recall vividly that he was the only man in the community who goes around ensuring every one of us is safe. He will make sure we all got back home when it’s getting late. The story of his sojourn on earth was that of accomplishment and a life well spent. He was from the famous Atiku family of Sabo Ibadan. The community literally stood still when his death was announced. His burial witnessed a massive crowd, the kind that has not been seen in a very long time. The community cried because of the big vacuum created and which will be very difficult to fill. May Allah give Sabo-Ibadan community a new Magajin Gari who will follow his footsteps and act justly!
Few weeks after his death on May 1, 2017, I had a baby boy who naturally would have been named after him, but for the promise I had made to the creator that I will name my baby (a male) Muhammad if he blesses me with one. I had to keep the promise so I named him Muhammad Bello.
I will sum up this tribute with the words of two of his daughters, Hajiya Amina and Hajiya Rabi, who said “While we loved him dearly, whatever Allah takes away or gives belongs to Him. Everything has a fixed term in this world, may Allah forgive his soul and grant him Jannatul Firdaus to be his final resting place.” May Allah’s Rahma be with him and the entire Muslim Umma. May Allah grant us Sabr in these difficult times! AMIN
Haruna writes from Abuja and can be reached on [email protected]