A strict disciplinarian and a symbol of hard work, the late Malam Dogo as he was fondly called, was a star among the early people that embraced Western education in our locality. He was always by the side of our late dagaci or Village Head, Alhaji Illyasu Zakari as the Magatakarda or Secretary. He opens all letters from the District Office, read the content to the hearing of the village head as well as prepare replies to such letters.
His act of reading and writing then, earned my admiration. As a child I used to hang around the village head’s house after Friday prayer to witness how such task was carried out with fiat by the late Malam Dogo. What was exciting to me as a child was how an old man like him was literate. My thought was Western education was for the young ones. He was indeed the Magatakarda of his time. All replies to such letters were drafted by him.
The late Malam Dogo was a strict disciplinarian who makes sure all discipline issues bordering on order and peaceful coexistence was brought to the village head council and are objectively treated, thus, the right party is given his due and the guilty is punished.
The fact that the late Village Head, Alhaji Ilyasu Zakai was a bit soft enabled the strict disciplinarian in late Malam Dogo to always provide the village head with a tool to enforce objective and acceptable disciplinary measures.
He was also a leader by example, as can be seen on how he sent one of his children, the multiple-time commissioner in Kano State, Malam Musa Salihu to school at a time when parents were resisting Western education. Malam Musa who happened to be my late mother’s classmate in primary school and now a serving Commissioner of Education in Kano State has that disciplinarian tonic and composure as tutored by his late father running in his veins.
Another child of the late Magatakarda is Yahaya, an Engineering graduate who works with works department in a local government council. A close association I had with him was in 2004 when he supervised the building of my country home without a fee. I found him disciplined and honest. One of his grand children, Sani Dayaro, my classmate in the primary school is also a worthy ambassador of Malam, his patients and staff at Nassarawa hospital in Kano can attest to that.
My continuous analyses on the characters of the remaining 15 children of this late gentleman will consume the entire pages of this newspaper if it didn’t end here. However, the important lesson to be derived in the life and times of Malam Dogo is that leaving positive signs, especially among one’s offspring is better and much rewarding than leaving worldly things.
Malam, as we fondly called him, was a father to everyone in Riruwai town, he has spent 105 years on earth, a life span that made him the most elderly; the others now following his footsteps are two: my grandfather, Malam Muhammed Inuwa who is presently the Chief Imam of the town and another old woman at Unguwar Kanawa, whose name I cannot recall but whom I know is still alive.
As we pray for the repose of his soul, it is gratifying to note that Malam Dogo has spent the greater part of his lifetime serving Almighty God through the provision of high quality leadership to our town and beyond. May God in His infinite mercy grant him Aljannah firdaus and may He give all of us the fortitude to bear the loss.
Mohammed heads an Abuja multimedia company
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