Family, others relive memories
On Monday, May 4, 2020, old Sokoto State lost its second civilian governor, Dr Garba Nadama, at the age of 82.
It was an exit described by family members as a peaceful one on the 11th day of the Muslims holy month of Ramadan at his residence in Sokoto.
The high and low, family, friends, associates and aides have been reliving fond memories of a personality many referred to as very much a man of the people. A personage noted for academic excellence, diligence in public administration and abiding concern for humanity.
Forty-one years ago, at the age of 41, Dr Nadama launched into public life more glaringly as the number two citizen of a state that included parts of the present Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Nadama was deputy governor to the first civilian governor of old Sokoto, Alhaji Shehu Kangiwa from October 1979 to November 1981 under the platform of the National Party of Nigeria. He succeeded Kangiwa whose stewardship came to an abrupt end with his sudden demise in a polo accident.
Nadama returned for a second term in January 1982 after winning the governorship elections. A position he held for about a year and 11 months before the 1983 military coup that saw him out of office.
Alhaji Ahmed Shehu, 76, who was part of NPN campaign train that saw late Nadama’s victory at the poll, said Nadama preached tolerance, patience and righteousness.
The Ardo of Sanyinna, Alhaji Shehu Garba, who was Nadama’s Press Secretary, said his boss was tolerant, patient and accommodating. He recalled that people had wanted to create a frosty relationship between Nadama and Kangiwa.
“At the peak of the conspiracy, only five of us dared to visit his house, and he endured enough. I can tell you he has this ability to keep calm at the height of adversity. He possessed a great spirit of perseverance. But by the time he became the governor of Sokoto, the same people who conspired against him came following him.”
Though the administrations of Kangiwa and Nadama were short-lived, many opined that till today, no administration in the state had done half of the work they did within a short time with limited resources.
President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged the former governor’s academic excellence when he noted him as a great historian whose PhD thesis is still a source of reference for many students and researchers in the country. “Nadama didn’t come into prominence only because of political, but also because of his scholarly contributions in the country,” Buhari stated in his condolence message.
Likewise, Governor Aminu Tambuwal described Nadama as a reservoir of knowledge and experience.
Tambuwal called to memory how he was a personal beneficiary of his and late Governor Shehu Kangiwa’s policies, especially those on education as a secondary school student.
The Sokoto helmsman described the former governor’s death as a colossal loss to the country.
“People of such character, intelligence and experience are not very many. And, you can see that we are fast losing them,” he lamented.
“His death has left a vacuum here in Sokoto state and in all of our three states- Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara- that he had one time presided over.”
Nadama left behind four wives and 18 children. His first daughter Maryam Garba Nadama said her father was very loving and caring but a disciplinarian, and very strict.
She recalled that nobody from the family went on hajj on government sponsorship. “Anybody going on hajj from this house was either from a friend of his or family but not government sponsorship.”
She added: “He was somebody who doesn’t play with emotions, he was straight to the point, and he didn’t indulge his children.”
She said initially, they were not happy with his strict stance, but later they appreciated it because it moulded their character.
Hajiya Maryam, who would be 40 years in marriage next month, recalled, “When I was going to my husband’s house, my father sat me down, prayed for me and told me that if I should go by history and example, he married my mother when she was young like me, and he was not rich then,” she stated.
“So, he implored me to be patient and dedicated. When I got married, my husband didn’t even have a bike. And that was me going from the governor’s house to the house of somebody who didn’t even have a car. Thank God, I am reaping the blessing today.”
One of his sons, Mukhtar Nadama, said “Baba was a father to everybody. He took everyone for a son. He didn’t treat us differently from others. I remember when I got admission and one of my friends who stayed with us didn’t get it, he took us to the VC’s office in Zaria, and got access for him. When he came down, he said if it were any of his biological sons, he wouldn’t do what he just did. That was his life.”
Mukhtar asserted: “We are not grieving for the simple fact that the calibre of people that come here are not the rich people but the poor who have stories to tell. Every single one of them has a story to tell.
“There was one that made me shed tears yesterday, he said he didn’t know Baba from anywhere. He just entered the house one evening and told Baba he hadn’t eaten. He gave him money and said ‘anytime you are hungry, come to this house and eat’.”
He recalled Baba’s last moment: “After Subhi prayer, I went to stay with him, and my brother, who was with him overnight, went to sleep.
“Later, two of the grandsons came to stay with him. The phone of the grandson named after him called to Maghreb prayers at 6.55pm. Baba turned to his right side, and five minutes later he breathed twice and stretched his left leg. There was a fan close to his leg, and they shifted it. They didn’t know he had passed.”
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