Malam: The Right Honourable Journalist

The death of Mallam Adamu Abubakar Gidado, simply known as Malam on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at the age of 63 after a brief illness in Jalingo, is not only shocking, depressing and devastating, but also heartbreaking and saddening to his family, relations, colleagues, associates and well-wishers. The deep sense of loss is boldly written […]

The death of Mallam Adamu Abubakar Gidado, simply known as Malam on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at the age of 63 after a brief illness in Jalingo, is not only shocking, depressing and devastating, but also heartbreaking and saddening to his family, relations, colleagues, associates and well-wishers. The deep sense of loss is boldly written on the faces of all the people residing in the same neighbourhood with him as reflected in the general outpouring of grief and lamentations over the demise of someone they regarded as their benefactor, rallying point and community leader.
Born in 1950 in the town of Mayo-Ranewo in present Ardo-Kola Local Government Area (LGA) of Taraba State, Malam’s emergence as a likeable personality, who is blessed with a distinct sense of humour, compassion, accommodation and friendliness, is traceable to his antecedents and to a certain extent, his professional calling.
Being a prince of the Mayo-Ranewo royal family, he was understandably exposed to different classes of people (old, young, wealthy, poor, educated and illiterate) and groomed in the art of leadership, diplomacy and public relations at an early age; which ultimately prepared him well for all the challenges he encountered and gracefully overcome.
Malam remained faithful to these princely virtues in his over six decades of existence which made him to excel in any sphere of human endeavour he found himself in, particularly teaching and journalism.
He started his working career as a teacher after obtaining his Teachers’ Grade II certificate at the defunct Government Teachers’ College (GTC), Yola, Adamawa in 1975 and taught for about 13 years. This, therefore, explains why he is generally called Malam (teacher), because he proved to be an ideal teacher who was so dedicated not only to his classroom duties but extra ones by guiding and counselling the pupils/students on their academic abilities and character-development. Till today, most of his former pupils/students looked up to him as a true character moulder who impacted positively in their lives.
It was, however, in the journalism profession, which Malam joined in 1988, about eight years after obtaining a diploma in Library Science from Bayero University, Kano (BUK) in 1980 that made him a household name in the defunct Gongola State up to the present Taraba State. He has an exceptionally brilliant working record in the electronic media when he served at different times as a correspondent and producer with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Yola and later, NTA Jalingo where he retired in 2000.
He briefly ventured into partisan politics for three years ,but because of his passion for journalism, he joined the print media and at different times, served as the Taraba State correspondent of the Tempo and Fresh Facts newspapers respectively. In 2010, he re-joined the electronic media as Radio Gotel’s correspondent in Taraba State and continued in that capacity till he breathed his last.
When it comes to journalism in the state, Malam is an iconic figure whom the history of the profession in the state is incomplete without a mention of his immense contribution to its development.
Popularly addressed as ‘elder’ by his colleagues, especially members of the Government House Correspondents’ Chapel (COSHAP), Jalingo due to his fatherly and democratic approach to how the profession can be run in the state, Malam is, in a way, the peace-broker, idea-builder and interest-leveller for both the COSHAP and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Taraba State chapter.
Thus, the journalism profession in the state is mourning, Mayo-Ranewo town/Ardo-Kola LGA and indeed the whole state is mourning, as well as the Radio Gotel family and its millions of listeners all over the North-East region. With the exception of his immediate family though, no one mourns the painful exit of Malam from this world than his  fada  (an informal assembly in front of his house) of which I am a member. Even as members of this fada are still in great shock over the sad event and struggling to come to terms with the fact that our Malam is no more.
Malam, you are always fond of surprising us with pleasant jokes. But leaving us for good without a real “notice” even to your dearest “Chair” (Jibrin Lamido) is a surprise taken too far, a bitter pill to swallow and a debt you have taken that we (members of your fada) are all eager to join you there one day and pay you back in equal measure.
Before then, we will continue to take solace in all the wonderful and sweet memories you left us with. Yours is a story of an amiable man, a charismatic prince, a skilful footballer (in his youthful days), a good husband, a lovely father, a responsible family man, a dependable neighbour, a consummate writer, an intelligent analyst of topical issues, a noble teacher, an honourable journalist, a God-fearing fellow, a reliable friend and a likeable public figure who spent a lifetime in the service of humanity, his state/country and Allah (SWT).
Your humility is legendary just as your simplicity, generosity and tolerance are extra-ordinary. We are sorely missing you already! May Allah (SWT) grant you Aljannatul-Firdaus and grant the three wives, 10 children, many grandchildren and members of the fada you left behind the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss, ameen!!!
Zongre wrote in from Jalingo.  [email protected]