December 25 in the last 23 years reminds me of the death of our father, late Bello (Sarki) Balarabe Wudil, a crop scientist who worked with the Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA).
It was on December 25, 2000, which coincidentally Muslims and Christians marked Eid el-Fitr and Christmas that year, that we mourned in pain and tears as our father was laid down to rest; leaving behind one wife and four little kids, with the youngest who was just eight months old. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal peace. Amen.
I still remember how he brought out his new clothes which were the same as ours, ironed and arranged them in preparation to go for the Eid prayer the following day.
Sadly, neither did he wear the clothes nor was he able to go to the Eid prayer because he died that fateful day. Subhanallahi!
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Our late father, Sarki Balarabe, was a son to late Balarabe Wudil (Dan Afi), a wealthy businessman and famous politician in Kano State during the Second Republic. The late senior Wudil was said to be among the 16 people that steered the movement for the creation of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP); demanding for positive change, and recruited Malam Aminu Kano.
While we are still entrapped in melancholy for the unavoidable that happened, we remain grateful to Allah that 23 years after the death of our dad we have all grown up and become great men.
Amina Bello, our eldest sister, is a graduate of geography and has a master’s in environmental management. She is happily married with three kids and has ventured into entrepreneurship.
Abdulkadir Bello, our second born, bagged a degree in animal science and is also happily married and working with an agro company in Kano.
For me, Usman Bello, the third child and daddy’s pampered son, I have a degree and master’s in mass communication. Interestingly, it was my dad’s dream that I become a journalist. Today, I feel proud to have made my father’s dream a reality because I am now a practising journalist in Abuja.
Our last born, Afiya Bello, who was just eight months old when our father died, is now a licensed community health practitioner in Kano.
While I fondly remember all the blessings of Allah on us 23 years after the death of our dad, I cherish and try to emulate some of his great qualities.
Our dad, I was told, was very obedient to his parents. He would do anything to please his mother. In fact, he always put before her his monthly salary before doing anything with it.
About his relationship with his siblings, step-mothers, relatives and everyone he crossed paths with, it was always in a positive light. He was an honest person who strove hard to pursue his own wealth regardless of his father’s status.
I was also told that he had a high IQ. He memorised parts of the Holy Quran and other Islamic books. He also had excellent academic records right from his primary up to tertiary education. I also saw in his CV which I keep with love, the numerous researches, book publications, awards, grants and certificates he earned, as well as all the national and international conferences and workshops he attended.
For his brilliance, a lot of his colleagues during and after school, called him “Waraqat”, meaning “paper” to describe his love for books and quest for knowledge.
I penned these things down for our generation to emulate my dad’s qualities. May we die as faithful believers and may the souls of the departed continue to rest in peace. Amen.
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