Muhammad Gidado: A prime time exit

Born on August 20, 1978 in Gusau; present day capital of Zamfara State. Muhammad Gidado commenced his formal western education at Yola Capital School, then Kano Capital School and finished his primary education at Federal Polytechnic Staff School, Bauchi. From there he proceeded to F.G.C Azare where he completed his secondary education. He obtained his […]

Born on August 20, 1978 in Gusau; present day capital of Zamfara State. Muhammad Gidado commenced his formal western education at Yola Capital School, then Kano Capital School and finished his primary education at Federal Polytechnic Staff School, Bauchi. From there he proceeded to F.G.C Azare where he completed his secondary education. He obtained his B.Sc. in Accounting from the  University of Maiduguri. Besides all these, he has various certifications related to Information Technology (I.T). After completing his studies, he was posted to Imo State for his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2005. He got employed by the Bauchi State Civil Service Commission and was posted to the office of the Accountant General. He was serving in that capacity till his departure to eternity.
During his stay in Bauchi, he developed a strong interest for I.T and mining. His zeal, commitment and enthusiasm towards these ventures were indeed outstanding and remarkable. As I observed above, my brother was a person that does not have the word “impossible” in his dictionary. No challenge for him is insurmountable; he never despairs or gets wearied. Always focused and goal-oriented he was. He was indeed the person who inspired and motivated me to pursue a Masters (M.Sc.) degree in I.T of which I owe him gratitude. While in Malaysia; nearing completion of my M.Sc. I was called only to be told the sad news. How many a night I cried; how many a day I sobbed with no near relative of mine to console me. My only consolation and refuge at that time was solely Allah and His words (Qur’an). Indeed, we came from Allah and to Him we shall ultimately return. This few lines are dedicated to our beloved brother:

ADIEU O BROTHER MINE:
MUHAMMAD GIDADO
O my beloved brother,
You left so soon when we needed you most;
You left in haste without saying goodbye;
You left when the world was about to open its treasures to you;
You left when the world was about to kneel before your bidden;
You left at the peak of your youth;
at the prime of your life;
You left when you were at the top-most level of enthusiasm,
action and dedication;
You left when brilliant ideas were flowing like ocean waves in your brain;
You left when you were at the highest point of activity;
You left when you were full of noble aspirations;
You left for a place that is eternal; wherein justice is never tampered with;
You left for a world wherein actions are rewarded;
You left to honour an appointment with the Sovereign Omnipotent;
You left in haste to answer the call of the Beloved;
You left for your home country
 after completing your sojourn in this temporary world;
You were but a soldier who was recalled
to be rewarded and honoured in his home country;
We cry from the heart when we reminisce the time we shared together;
The happy moments and the sad moments;
the endeavors and the struggle we made together;
Though you were not without defects
for thou art like other mortals bound to be imperfect;
Nevertheless, you were outstanding in your own ways;
A true devotee to the call of prayers;
frequent in observing optional fasting;
Constantly dedicated to night vigil;
a lover of places of Allah’s remembrance;
A sincere adviser to fellow brethren;
straightforward in saying the truth,
never bending or swerving in that respect;
Adieu O my beloved brother;
Adieu O my beloved friend;
Adieu O my sincere advisor;
You will forever remain fresh in our memories;
You will forever remain blessed in our prayers;
You drank your cup at thy youthful age;
A drink no mortal can escape from;
Alas, we sojourn on earth for a term appointed;
and when the term ends then the drink comes handy;
neither been delayed or hasted;
A drink that we dread to take; a drink that severs all kinship;
A drink decreed to destroy all worldly pleasures;
A drink that makes the body rot and turn to dust;
A drink that reveals the reality;
a drink that takes us back to the Beloved;
Alas, what preparation have we made to meet the Beloved?
What provisions have we sent forth for the impending journey?
What legacy have we left behind?
Verily, we shall certainly taste the drink of death either today or tomorrow;
In our youth or old age; it shall come like a blink of an eye
and we (all) shall pass into oblivion;
Only to be remembered as distant memories;
We shall soon meet O brother mine when the time comes;
Adieu O Muhammad Gidado.
Abdulkadir wrote from Kano.