A day to meet God

No matter man’s choice of path, there is a day to meethis creator, Allah (SWT); that is the day to give account of his deeds. It was in fulfillment of this Qur’anic prophecy that Bello Masaba passed on last week Saturday January 28, 2017 in Bida, Niger state. Mohammed BelloAbubakarMasaba made news headlinesin 2008 as the Nupe man with 86 wives. At death, he had 130 wives. This piece is not intended to speak ill of him because such is against the teachings of the Prophet (SAW). His death, like the demise of other departed souls,conveys a message for those of us left behind who, sooner or later, will also have a taste of the inevitable end of life.

Although late Bello Masaba survived all attempts separately made by His Royal Highness the EtsuNupe, Alhaji (Dr) YahayaAbubakarCFR, the Muslim community in Bida and the Niger state judiciary to dissuade the thenoctogenarian from violating Allah’s divine law on the number of women a Muslim is permitted to marry at a time, heamazingly got away with hisstrange marital life and lived that way until his death.The fact that man gets away with a sinful act in his lifetime does not, however, absolve or acquit him from Allah’s perfect judgment.

The period during which man “gets away with an act”is only a respite given by Allah (SWT) for him to seek guidance and forgiveness. Allah (SWT) reminds us in Qur’an 35:45 that “If Allah were to punish men according to what they deserve, He would not leave on the back of the (earth) a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated term: When their term expires, verily Allah has in His sight all His servants”. The message here for us all is that although man at a point in life may prove or be seen to be above the law, such does not in any waypre-empt Allah’svow to hold every soul accountable for his deeds; the good and the evil.

While it is not for us to enumerate allthe spiritual claims and doctrines believed in by the late super-polygamist, it stood out clear that his marriage to more than four wives at a time was an obvious contradiction of the orthodox teachings of Islam.This nonconformist practice was collectively seen bythe EtsuNupe as well as the league of Islamic scholars in Bida where Masaba hailed fromas heretical and a serious embarrassment to Islam.As required of those charged with authority in every Muslim community, Masaba was invited to EtsuNupe’s palace where he was advised to reduce the number of his wives to four as required by Islam.When Nda Bello (Masaba’s pet name) refused, he was sued by the Bida Emirate Council and the Jama’atuNasril Islam (JNI).

He wassubsequently arraigned and detained on September 15, 2008 at the Minna Prison on the orders of the Upper Shari’ah Court in Minna where he was standing trial for marrying 86 wives. Reacting to the detention of their husband, Masaba’s wives staged a peaceful but noisy proteston Thursday September 18, 2008 at the premises of the Niger State Ministry of Justice; demanding for the immediate release of their embattled husband. They argued that his continued detention was a violation of his fundamental human rights. One of the wives was quoted to have said that “If we are not complaining and our parents are not complaining, why should the Shari’ah Commission or the EtsuNupe complain for us?”

On September 25, 2008, an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice G. O. Kolawle ordered Masaba’s release from prison custody. Masaba had prayed the court in a motion filed by his counsel, Mr. Femi David Ikotun, to declare that the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeriais supreme and has a binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the country. He also wanted the court to declare the Fatwah, or legal opinion, issued by the JNI as a contravention of his right to life and personal liberty as enshrined in the country’s constitution. The Fatwah of the JNI was an order to the effect that Masabahad lost his right to life for marrying 86 wives at a time.

After securing his release from detention, Nda Bello became a man to envy as his residence in Bidawas provided with water-tight security that no other citizen or group in Bida enjoyed. Troops of armed mobile policemen and an Armoured Personnel Carrier were permanently stationed in front of Masaba’s residence.In the face of apparent helplessness and vulnerability, the Muslim community of Bida placed an advertorial signed by Umaru Mustapha Edotain the Daily Trust edition of Sunday November 23, 2008 requesting the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar’adua, to take Nda Bello out of Bida in order to forestall any breach of peace and public order. For the next nine years,Nda Bello continued to enjoy his fundamental human rights which he asked the Abuja High Court to enforce. Sometime in October last year, Nda Bello was rumoured to have died; a speculation he belied to journalists when they visited him.

After 93 years ofliving, it was time for Masabato meet God.Let us remember that man’s transgression and excesses in terms of power, wealth, women or other worldly privileges will one day come to an end. Man’s convictions to ignore calls to the righteous path, his influence to attract “simulated protection”, and his sophistication to live a life of his choice, are just for a while. Man’s only consolationshall be the good works he put forth. May Allah (SWT) forgive Nda Bello and guide us against treading the devil’s path, amin.