Death is no doubt a painful inevitable reality. When it hits, especially a loved one, the pain is unexplainable and can only be understood by those who have travelled that road.
The pain keeps ‘rebooting’ at regular intervals, leaving one with the feeling of a terrible nightmare that would soon be woken up from. This was what my family faced with the sudden loss of our beloved father, husband, grandfather, brother – Alhaji Sani Madaha, on Friday October 11, 2019, after a brief illness.
I am writing this tribute as a proud daughter of a great father, who lived a life worthy of emulation and left behind so many legacies. He was a humble, simple and easy going person despite having an affluent background. He was honest and gentle, and also held trust in high esteem. He was excellent in time management and had a daily routine which he followed diligently.
I chose to use this platform to write this tribute because he was an ardent reader of Trust Newspapers. Daddy never missed reading the Daily and Weekly Trust.
Alhaji Sani Sulen-Jebu was born on September 23, in the early sixties to the family of the famous Alhaji Sulen-Jebu and his wife Hajiya Khadija in Jos. He got his middle name Madaha after he was taken to Kano under the care of his uncle Alhaji Madaha and his wife Hajiya Bara Dantata both of blessed memory.
He had his primary school education at Dantata Memorial School in Kano. His secondary school education started at Government Secondary School Dambatta Kano (1975-1978) before he proceeded to Senior Secondary School Dawakin Tofa from 1978-1980. He later came back to Jos and studied Animal Science at the National Veterinary Research Institute and from there, proceeded to study Agric Extension and Management. He was a smart and intelligent student and finished school with excellent grades.
Alhaji Sani Madaha worked with Union Bank Plc for 24 years, between 1989 and 2013. He was a diligent, hardworking and dedicated staff who was never found wanting during his service years. He served in the computer room though he didn’t have any formal training in computers; he was naturally gifted in that aspect and played a great role in the computerisation of the bank. He received so many awards while in the bank as a punctual, dedicated and hardworking staff.
He got married to his amiable friend Hajiya Aisha Aboki in 1986 and the marriage was blessed with four children. He lived an exemplary married life with my mum as we grew up, seeing them love each other and build a happy and conducive home for us – the children, which played a vital role in grooming us in our various careers. He treated my mum with so much love and respect which made me pray for a husband with similar attributes and which I got by Allah’s grace.
The best thing my husband did for me was naming our first child after my father. This act made my father very excited and he thanked us profusely. He visited us regularly and created fond memories with his grandchildren, especially his namesake whom he said he wanted to always remember him as a caring grandfather.
My father had great passion for education – both Islamic and Western. His dream of seeing us through our education was realized as he left behind two graduates (my humble self in Information Technology and Kubra in Electrical Engineering), Bara’atu, a final year medical student and Sulaiman, a 200 level Electrical Engineering student. He will always tell our mother that he wouldn’t mind pushing a wheel barrow if that’s the only thing he could do to see us through school. We are indeed grateful to Allah for fulfilling this dream although he left when he was about reaping the fruits of his labour.
Also, his dream of educating us Islamically was achieved. Not only for his children but also for the community as he dedicated a large building to be used as an Islamic school beside the Sulen-Jebu family house and whenever we went to the Madrasa, he took along as many kids in our neighbourhood as his vehicle could carry.
Being the first child, my father groomed me to be strong and caring with my younger siblings as he shared most of his life experiences with me. He was a friend to all his children and moulded us morally and academically and also taught us about the realities of life. He wasn’t rich but we got almost everything we needed.
Our father was a confidant to many. He treated people equally without preference to religious differences. He was simple and easy going and ready to render assistance to anyone he came across. He kept the ties of kinship with both close and far relatives and would always go the extra mile to meet the needs of others. He was friendly to the less privileged and felt comfortable in their company. He was a jovial person but also serious minded. He was especially humble and appreciated every gesture done for him no matter how little. He would always say “Thank you and may Allah bless you.”
My father was a pious man and increased his good deeds and worship during his final sojourn. Most people remember him as that man who always had his Quran in his hands to observe the night prayer.
Though it’s been more than a month since his demise which feels like years without him, it’s indeed a painful irreparable loss but I want to urge our mother to especially take heart because he lived a life worthy of emulation and he left after showering her and us in general with numerous blessings. Most importantly, he departed on a blessed Friday night during an uncommon rainfall.
Allah ya jaddada Rahama a gareka Daddynmu na Ummanmu. We all miss you!
Nabila Sani Sulen-Jebu sent in this tribute from Jos, Plateau State.
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