Gana: A benefit, even after death

Late Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abdulkadir Gana, benefits his family even in death. People who knew him and those who simply know the Gana family always make reference to them in terms of discipline, piety, humility, humbleness, which we owe to Allah (SWT) having made our father instrumental for such an upright and close-knit family, […]

Late Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abdulkadir Gana, benefits his family even in death. People who knew him and those who simply know the Gana family always make reference to them in terms of discipline, piety, humility, humbleness, which we owe to Allah (SWT) having made our father instrumental for such an upright and close-knit family, even with our large number. I was barely 10 when my father answered the ultimate call 25 years ago, in 1990 but the uniqueness of his personality remains fresh in my memory.
My late father maintained the same routine throughout his life, going from home to work and back home, day in, day out.  His wives and children were the only friends he had, except for cordial relationships with colleagues. Though he rose to a respectable rank in the police force, he never amassed wealth nor sought recognition. He maintained a low profile in all his dealings with people.  For his tenacity and doggedness to uphold the truth, many times he had many adversaries and setbacks in his career. Mostly, it was due to his firmness and refusal to be manipulated. Though I was a little girl at the time, I can still recall he always repeated that no child of his will join the police force or study Law. His reason being that although the police is a noble profession, some people have adulterated its core values.
How many families enjoy a sit-out with family in the evening, snacking, loving, sharing, laughing until the children start to fall asleep? That was my father, always upholding a family tradition which has kept us close-knit, and which we still practice till date.  It was during such a family time months back when Boko Haram captured Gwoza and its surrounding villages, that our mothers were recounting stories of the family’s sojourn to North-Eastern towns of Gwoza, Potiskum, Maiduguri on transfer in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  At the time, my father was the paymaster for that locality, a position he held for more than 10 years.  Due to his honesty, dedication, hard work and trustworthiness, he remained a paymaster even as a Superintendent of Police.
Our mothers narrate to us when it was pay time, my father could stay late at work sometimes till 1 am until the last man on the queue received his salary.  When asked why he took so much trouble, his response always was that personnel were bound to be paid that day and should be paid.  Time constraints or not, if he could make that sacrifice, then why shouldn’t he?  This he always backed up with the Islamic teaching which recommends that workers be paid their dues before their sweat dries off.  He rendered immense assistance to numerous people but never let anyone knew about it; not until his demise did many recount how he had impacted positively on their lives, financially and otherwise.
My father stopped at nothing in ensuring that we had qualitative education.  I remember clearly he always said to us that the only legacy he would bequeath to us is education which will be a guide to lead a righteous but fulfilled life.  He always admonished us to be moderate in everything we  do in life, to always be within the confines of Islam and morals; quick to remind us of the inevitability of death however long anyone may live on earth. Alhamdulillah! Today, the baby of the house which never met him as she was only five-days-old when he died in an accident coming home for her naming ceremony, has long completed learning how to recite the glorious Qur’an and is now a graduate of Chemistry.  Indeed, “Which of the favors of ALLAH (SWT) can we deny?” (Qur’an).  May ALLAH (SWT) honour him in death as he had honored all around him during his brief sojourn on earth (AMIN).  We miss you so very much, dad.
Gana can be reached on [email protected]