Following the death of renowned Islamic scholar and khadi, Dr Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, (OON, OFR) on Thursday, December 24, Daily Trust revisits this extensive interview with the scholar published on May 4, 2013, in which he talked about his life and more. Excerpts.
Dr Sheikh Ahmed Lemu is not a strange name in contemporary Nigeria. Can we meet you sir?
Let me correct an impression. Sheikh is part of my name.
It is neither a title nor a name given for my old age. My father named me Shehu.
When I got into the Shari’ah Law School (now School for Arabic Studies), Kano, in 1949 and became a student of intensive Arabic course,
I discovered that Sheikh is the Arabic equivalent of Shehu.
Due to youthful exuberance, I felt that if Sheikh is the correct Arabic pronunciation of Shehu, why shouldn’t I change it.
And since then, I started using Sheikh in place of Shehu.
And Sheikh has remained your name till date?
Yes, but I later realized the embarrassment I caused myself.
When I started having contact with Arab scholars in 1969, after the formation of the Islamic Education Trust (IET), I was not comfortable introducing myself as Sheikh each time I met with such scholars at meetings and conferences because sheikh to the Arabs is a title used for the learned or aged and I was neither.
What about the Ahmad in your name?
My father named me Shehu Ahmadu. And so the two names go together. If you call me Shehu, Ahmad is implied.
Which Shehu Ahmadu were you named after?
Shehu Ahmadu Tijani. Parents do name their children after renowned scholars because of their knowledge, age or reputation to seek their blessings.
Then, what’s your father’s name?
His name is Malam Abubakar and my mother was Hajiya Amina. Both of them were from the house of malams (i.e. Islamic scholars). May Allah have mercy on them.
When were you born?
I was born in December 1929. I was born and brought up in Lemu.
The first time I travelled out of Lemu to stay somewhere else for months was in 1944 when I went to the Middle School, Bida as a student.
Are you missing anything today from the rural life you lived in childhood?
First and foremost, the weather in Lemu was very friendly and healthy.
The early morning breeze was very unlike the polluted air in urban towns of today.
You could hear the birds singing and I liked that natural environment.
Two, the moral standard among rural dwellers was very high.
People who lived in rural communities in those days did not know how to tell lies because the moment an individual starts to lie while speaking, he would start stammering.
And so, the rural populace before now was very honest, sincere and kind as well.
When do you see the other side of rural natives of Nupe?
You would find them cruel if you decide to have any hanky-panky affairs with girls or women.
They could fight such behaviours through poisoning or similar means. They had zero tolerance for immorality.
How did you get into the judiciary?
When 19 states including Niger were created in 1976, my name was forwarded for appointment into the Niger State Judiciary without my knowledge or consultation.
When I didn’t see my name on the list of those going to Niger or staying back in Sokoto, I was told of the recommendation in respect of my appointment as a Shari’ah Court judge. I felt seriously disappointed, because I never liked the job at all.
Why didn’t you like the job?
When I told my father in 1948 that I was admitted into the Shairah Law School, he gave me a nod but added, “I don’t want you to be a judge”.
His fears emanated from what he knew at that time of the limited powers of judges whose decision could be over-ruled by emirs or district heads.
He couldn’t see how I could escape such interferences if I became a judge.
Why did you retire before your retirement age?
I thought I was not going to live long. Maybe not more than five years.
But by Allah’s grace, it is over 20 years since I retired.
What makes you happy in retirement?
The fact that I don’t have to think about going late to office makes me happy.
I do not have any cause to be sad over court cases or proceedings that present agonizing scenes.
I am happy that I am out of the judiciary, which I never liked. I never applied to be a judge. I was actually forced.
How and where did you meet Hajiya Aisha B. Lemu?
We met as students at the University of London.
We discovered each other’s virtues and Allah brought us together.
I returned to Nigeria in 1964.
She was posted after her graduation to Nigeria as a technical assistant to the School for Arabic Studies, Sokoto.
Our relationship continued until it ended in marriage.
Was she a Muslim when you met her in London?
In a way, she was. Someone gave her a copy of the translated Qur’an on the train.
Reading through it, Allah guided her and she became convinced of the truth in it and she embraced Islam.
I was not the one who converted Aisha to Islam.
So, I cannot claim any credit for that.
When she got to know that I specialized in Arabic and Islamic Studies before crossing to History, she asked me each time we met about various issues in Islam.
And that’s how our relationship grew.
Did her father support her marriage to you?
Her mother had died before we got married, but you know British parents, her father didn’t care about whom she married.
I have been visiting the family without any problem.
What day in your life do you love to remember?
I was extremely happy the day I got admission in to the Shari’ah Law School, Kano.
It is at this school I acquired most of my knowledge about Islam.
What about a day you hate to remember?
There are two of such days in my life. The first was when I was at the Middle School Bida.
One night, Abubakar Lemu asked me to accompany him to go and drop food for his mate.
When we got there, I sat under the mango tree by the farm prefect’s room and waited for Abubakar Lemu.
When he came out, we both moved to go and answer the roll call.
Shortly, two students ran after us and said we stole from the milk in the farm prefect’s room.
After the roll call, the farm prefect sent for me in particular.
I was baffled when the farm prefect said I was one of the thieves who used to steal from the milk in his room.
He was in charge of the milk brought for students from Aliyu Makama’s farm.
I didn’t know that students used to go and steal from the milk.
What pained me, for which reason I will never forget the day, was when the prefect said, “I will not expose you to other students because you are Aliyu Lemu’s brother, who is my friend, provided you accept that you stole from the milk”.
Can you remember the name of the farm prefect or the two students that came to call you?
Certainly, I will never forget the names of the two chaps who ran after me and reported that I stole milk.
Although I’ve forgotten the names of my classmates with whom I studied for five years, I will never forget their names but I don’t want to mention them.
Which is the second day you hate to remember and cannot forget?
It was in Sokoto when I received an anonymous letter, which alleged that the wife of one of my neighbours was my mistress.
I felt terribe and passed the letter to my wife, Aisha, whom I knew had some knowledge of detective stories.
She applied her experience and was able to detect the source of the letter.
To be accused of having an affair with the wife of your neighbour is really painful.
More so, Aisha was still a bride at that time; and so for anybody to think that was the time for me to go after somebody’s wife is indeed painful.
I will never forget these two days or occasions in my life.
What would you like to be remembered for?
I wake up every day to thank Allah and improve upon my relationship with Him. Whatever people care to remember about me after death is their business. I never do anything to be remembered for it.
You can read the full interview in the Daily Trust website on this link: https://dailytrust.com/two-things-i-hate-to-remember-sheikh-ahmed-lemu.
