Lagosians await Gawat’s return four years after ‘mysterious’ disappearance

Four years after his mysterious disappearance, family members, friends and associates of the popular Islamic cleric, Alhaji Aremu Rasaq Gawat, last Sunday converged at the the premises of Muri International Television (MITV), Ikeja to offer prayer in anticipation of his safe return. His sudden disappearance  is still shrouded in  intrigues which discerning minds still find […]

Four years after his mysterious disappearance, family members, friends and associates of the popular Islamic cleric, Alhaji Aremu Rasaq Gawat, last Sunday converged at the the premises of Muri International Television (MITV), Ikeja to offer prayer in anticipation of his safe return.
His sudden disappearance  is still shrouded in  intrigues which discerning minds still find difficult to explain. He is veteran broadcaster, musician and host of the popular E dide E ji saari Ramadan programme on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Lagos Channel 10.
 Gawat’s car which was to be found on Eko Bridge few days after he was declared missing, indeed left behind a riddle difficult to unknot.
In the account of the former General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Babatunde Edu, Gawat’s vehicle, a 4Runner black Toyota SUV with number plate RE 77 AAA, was found by officials of the traffic management agency, parked very close to the kerb, with its light on.
According to Edu, the state of the parked vehicle simply gave impression of someone who had a brief stopover and will soon return.
But in Gawat’s case he was nowhere to be found hours, days, weeks, months and years after.
“We had thought it was a kidnap case,” Alhaji Qamardeen Ajala, a close friend of Gawat said as he made painful recollection of the incident.
“The family kept waiting for the supposed kidnappers to call and even demand for ransom. But nothing of such happened. Rather, the call received was that of the police that the car was seen and his agbada was inside. There was no sign of struggle or blood to show if he was forcefully taken away,” he said.
Ajala recalled how former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola,  SAN even went a notch higher, promising to give N10 million as reward to anyone who could trace Gawat’s whereabout. He was not alone in the ultimate search of the ace broadcaster.
Another philanthropist was also said to have promised to give as much as N10 million to anyone who has useful information about the broadcaster’s disappearance.
Ajala, also an Islamic cleric, however expressed regret about how some people have had to point accusing fingers at Gawat’s wife, alleging that she was the one who must have been responsible for her husband’s disappearance.
Such accusations however, do not seem to resonate with Gawat’s children, some of who have expressed unshakable belief about their father’s return.
Rukayat Gawat Oyefeso, the broadcaster’s first daughter leads others in this regard.
At a safety and remembrance prayer session convened at the premises of MITV, Rukayat said despite the adversity, her  mother and siblings have had to weather the storm and closely knitted  after their father’s disappearance.  
“I believe my father is only missing and not dead. Though it is even more painful that he has not been reaping what he invested in us – his children, we, nonetheless will keep hosting this remembrance prayer in his honour until he returns again to our warm embrace,” Rukayat said.
Reflecting on Gawat’s open-heartedness, his intimate friend and co-programme presenter, Alhaji Tajudeen Uzamot said though his missing friend isn’t wealthy, yet he has had to sponsor many people in law and
medical schools, among other humanitarian gestures.
“Gawat, when he was around did help to settle marital disputes, assist the disabled and give succor to the needy. In fact, he was instrumental to how I built my house. On regular occasions, he would
be giving me money and unknown to him; I did save such monetary gifts to build a house. I surprised him the day I took him to the house to see what I have been able to achieve with his money and out of his generousity, he asked around if there was anybody seeking for accommodation that he could give the apartment to live in, for free,” Uzamot said.
The  co-presenter who recalled how many do take him and Gawat as “twins”, also disclosed that though he alone still continues to run the E dide E ji saari Ramadan programme, he still leaves intact, all of
Gawat’s documents, bed, and other belongings within the same office they shared with the hope that he will return one day and reclaim them.
Another colleague, Alhaji Hussein Abdul Salam recounted how the ace broadcaster had an impact in his life. He said it was Gawat who gave him N200, 000 used in buying and fixing the ceiling of his house,
after he learnt that he (Abdul Salam) was building a house.
Gawat’s elder brother, Alhaji Ganiu Gawat who was quite emotional about his brother’s predicament said he often cries whenever he remembers his brother especially for the many impactful roles he
played in his life.
That aspiration was also shared by Gawat’s half-brother, Wasiu Disu.
He recalled all the assistance the missing broadcaster rendered to him when he was around. He also expressed optimism about his return.
Also, an Islamic scholar in Oworonshoki, Lagos, Sheikh Muhammad Rabiu described Gawat as a knowledgeable person who taught the Islamic scholars many things they don’t know about the Quran. He prayed fervently for his family members, adding that, Gawat influenced many people’s lives by motivating both young and old to know more about their religion and reward them accordingly.
Other Islamic scholars including Sheikh AbdulHakeem Awwal, Sheikh Ridwan Kuku, among others all extolled the virtues of Gawat, even as they enjoined the gathering to pray for him and the family left behind in the last four years.
Born in 1961 in Lagos to Mr Ishola and Mrs Falilat Gawat, the ace broadcaster studied English at the Lagos State University (LASU). He later worked at the Printing and Minting Company before joining NTA where he worked for 27 years. He subsequently  established his own media outfit, known as Gawat Communications.
To  Gawat’s credit were a total of 58 different awards.