Dr. F. D. Mshelia – A Tribute

Indeed Dr.   Mshelia possessed all the best desirable qualities   the Almighty can bestow   a human personality. My late friend Dr. Mshelia was a highly refined personality, so amiable, humble, caring and generous as well as exceptionally intelligent and professionally committed Medical Doctor.
The manifestation of Dr. Mshelia’s illness and the rapid deterioration of his condition leading to his final hour could be baffling especially considering his professional status as a medical doctor par excellence. But on a quick note, being a Muslim, my attention was drawn to the injunctions of the Almighty Allah, in Suratul Bakara, that “every soul shall taste of death”; we thank Almighty Allah under any circumstances.
Dr. Mshelia has remained so strong even in the worst condition he found himself. For instance, arrangement was made for him to travel out to United Kingdom for medical reference and I was to escort him to Abuja on a Sunday. He, however insisted that we should just drop him at the airport and return to Kaduna, apparently to avoid inconveniencing us.
I still recall with nostalgia when and where I first met   Dr. Mshelia in 1968 at Potiskum after the completion of our higher school certificate (HSC). After the completion of our assignment as teachers, which only lasted for about a year, he was admitted to the College of Medicine, Lagos to read Medicine, while I was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University Zaria to read Law. Even though the late Dr. Mshelia was in Lagos and I was in Zaria, we continued with our friendship which lasted for over 40 years.
After the completion of his university programme, the late Dr. Mshelia settled in Lagos as a private medical practitioner for many years, while I served in the Ministry of Justice in defunct North Eastern State for some years and subsequently I became a Judge of the Federal High Court and was  later appointed  the first Chief Judge of Yobe State, and subsequently Justice of the Court of Appeal.
Coincidently, we both found ourselves residing in Kaduna. His house was no 9A Kainji Road Kaduna while my house is No. 9A Lapai Road, Kaduna. We continued with our very good relationship almost having the same programmes such as attending public functions i.e. marriages, visits to friends and relations, traveling together to attend matters affecting each one of us up till date of death. As a result, the people who know us very well refer to us as ‘twin brothers’ and all the members of my family refer to him as ‘uncle doctor’.
Indeed the death of Dr. Mshelia was a great loss to me personally and the entire members of my family. May the Almighty Allah accept his gentle soul in Aljannatul Firdausi, amen.
Justice  Ba’aba,  rtd Justice of Appeal Court, Kaduna, sent this piece from Lapai Road, Kaduna.