This Week’s Guest: Alhaji Abubakar Gimba OFR, past president of the Association of Nigerian Authors, two time bank executive director, poet,essayist, novelist, public servant,passionate Nigerian
Alhaji Abubakar Gimba is a financial expert whose success in the writing world is legendary. A multi-genre writer, he recently launched three books, Conversations from the Letterbox, Thoughts of Yesterday and A Matter of Faith at Government Secondary school, Minna, popularly known as ‘Makarantan Paadah because of the Principal of the school, Reverend Father J.D. […]
This Week’s Guest: Alhaji Abubakar Gimba OFR, past president of the Association of Nigerian Authors, two time bank executive director, poet,essayist, novelist, public servant,passionate Nigerian
Alhaji Abubakar Gimba is a financial expert whose success in the writing world is legendary. A multi-genre writer, he recently launched three books, Conversations from the Letterbox, Thoughts of Yesterday and A Matter of Faith at Government Secondary school, Minna, popularly known as ‘Makarantan Paadah because of the Principal of the school, Reverend Father J.D. O’connell, a catholic priest who has been there since 1967. I am intrigued by his writing prowess. When I grow up, I want to be like this very special writer who addresses me as “a sister like no other” and encourages me to keep writing. His conversations are profound, his writings, thought-provoking. When I asked him if he wanted to add The Qu’ran to his list of books, he said it’s like being asked to name his best friends and he begins to add his mother, father and members of his family. “They are classics,” he says, “your favourite persons will include your friends, but your parents are classic, they don’t compare with your friends, same with The Qu’ran. I don’t believe it compares with one’s favourite books.” As we seek for peace in the nation, Alhaji Gimba is an important voice at this time. “I read the Bible,” he says, “and I try to compare it with what The Qu’ran says and believe me, if you remove the titles of the books, they are the same. The Old Testament is the Attaura and the New Testament is the Az’zabura. They preach the same values, no divergence and the content of religion is about values.” How profound! Be enriched by my big brother’s five favourite books.
