Arc. Nura Sabo: Twilight’s star, fallen too soon

On that fateful day, Thursday December 11, Nuran  Kachako as we fondly called him, was very agile, unknown to him, and all of us, his death was lurking by the corner; as he left for the great beyond without any premonition. That is the will and way of Allah which no mortal datres to raise eye brow over. No body could do anything to save him from the cruel hand of death. We human beings will only continue to lament his lost, but Allah knows better than us.

During his life time, Nura was really a gentleman to the core, as he lived a simple life. His life was characterized by honesty, patience and dedication till death forced a capital full stop to his activities on this earth.

He graduateed from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi in 2006, and proceeded to Kwara State for his National Youth Service Corps, from 2006 to 2007. After his service, instead of roaming the streets from one office to the other, looking for a non-existent white collar job, Nura teamed up with his friends, Aliyu, Isa and another Nura, where they started an architectural consulting firm, which was duly registered. Though the company started handling some minor jobs, Nura did not live to see the fruit of his ingenuity, but I am certain, along with his colleagues, will continue to remember the good live he lived on this earth.

Nura’s words on honesty are still ringing and reflecting in my memory. There was a day I met him at Na’ibawa wood marketn when  I asked him to help me convey a mattress to Kachako. At that moment, he was bitterly complaining about dishonesty and shoddy deals that were/are rampant in his profession, as well as the construction industry in general. He made the complain, on the very day he started handling his first project, as he was assigned to design and supervise the building of a house of a local government chairman then. In fact, he lamented how both professionals and non-professionals in the building and construction industry inflated contract figures, basically to get more than what they bargained for from the whole projects. Who knows, given his talent and inovation, he would have probably invented a realistic way of doing things in a much better way in his chosen career given his passion for the profession. Indications that he would have made the difference manifested in the remarkable ways he handled his work in the thriving industry where many Nigerians are itching to own house of their own, but cannot. Allah knows best. His penchant for doing things right is a symbolic voice of the oppressed in a society where corruption is the way of live. Indeded, the architectural world has lost one of its finest hands.

I also remember the word he often uttered, “Ta’a,” which means o.k. whenever I asked him to help me do something either on phone or physically

In a nutshell, I am short of words to  describe the life philosophy and good moral behavior of Nura Sabo who died a year ago. But Nura really lived a life worthy of emulation, though he was young, but he was deeply engrossed in religious activities; his deeds and actions were carried out in accordance with the  tenets of Islam, as stipulated in both the Qur’an and Sunnah of the holy prophet of Islam (SAW).

I hardly forget the missed call I received from Yahaya  Ahmad, Nura’s closest friend and brother, with whom they shared the same room. As I saw the missed call, immediately after Zuhr prayer, I called back, and the only thing  I heard from Yahaya was “Nura! Nura!” I then asked what happened to him? Then he replied, while he was crying “that Nura is dead.” As I received the bad news, I couldn’t control myself, as I also bursted into tears. The very day I received the news of his death, I left Abuja for Kano.

Nura left behind his father, brothers, sisters and an aged grandmother. We will continue to pray to Allah (SWT) to grant him Al-Jannatul Firdausi. May Allah in His infinite mercy grant his family and associates the fortitude to bear the lost. Amin.

Galadima is of Dallol Ward, Durbunde, Takai LGA, Kano State