In remembrance of Late General Nuhu Bamalli

“From God we came, to Him we shall all return”. This Quranic verse, (Surah 2, verse 156) explains the rationale of all deaths.

Alhaji Soja, the name we fondly called late General Nuhu Bamalli at home, met with his death on September 17, 2006. He was called Alhaji for two reasons, one as a mark of respect, because he was named Nuhu after our Grand father, late Mallam Nuhu Idris, and secondly he was borne during pilgrimage; and much later in his life the addition “Soja” featured after he chose to enroll in the military profession.

I recall my last talk with him on September 4, 2006, when my MD at Cement Company asked me, as the HR Director, to represent him at some functions organized by 1 Brigade, Sokoto, as the Special Guest of Honor. I immediately called Alhaji for his guidance, especially as the visiting guest was the GOC 1 Div. He advised that in case I was asked to speak, I should talk on the efforts the military high command was making in restoring professionalism and the loyalty of the military to democratic system. He said the GOC was his classmate. I was introduced to the GOC by the Brigade Commander, late Brig Gen J. Braimah, who also lost his life in the same plane crash.

After the above contact, I only received Alhaji’s last text message, at 21:13:25 on September 15, 2006, thus:

S’Alaikum, sorry for not hearing from me till now. We were with the COAS on his maiden visit to 2 Div formations since Monday and just finished today. We were in Ilorin, Benin and Abeokuta apart from Ibadan….”

Another of Alhaji’s last memorable communication occurred on September 7, 2006 when the wife of his second son, now the Sarkin Fada of Gumel, put to bed a baby boy. When contacted on the development, Alhaji, in his usual liberal way, asked his son what name he intended for the baby. And in a twist of fate, and history repeating itself, Naziru, the father, chose the name Nuhu for his son! Alhaji was so happy that he decided to absolve Naziru from any expenditure on the naming ceremony. The saddest part, however, was that Alhaji never saw his name-sake, as he died only 3 days after the naming ceremony!

On the fateful day of his demise, I was at our official residence house in Sokoto, the state I visited the first time in my life over 40 years ago, in 1977/78, when Alhaji was on posting as a Lt. That was the time his first son, Lasmar, now a Lt. Col in the Nigerian Army, was borne. Suddenly a close friend of mine, Abdulmumin Bello, then Chairman of the Board of Directors, Media Trust Nigeria Ltd called to ask me for more details on the military aircraft crash, which involved Gen Bamalli! Since that minute I had not rested my oars until around 11.00pm when I got the final confirmation of Alhaji’s death from his former classmate, a former Military Governor of Kaduna State and former DMI respectively.

By the next day I had arrived Kano in preparation for the arrival of Alhaji’s corpse, which we had planned to bury in Kano. Already Idris, one of our younger brothers had concluded arrangement for the grave, next to our late father’s. I recall at the time the spaces were preserved in 1992, we all wondered which of us in the family would join the ancestors first. Every one of us rejected the possibility, except Alhaji, who simply smiled, in his usual way and never commented.

All contacts with Army HQ in Abuja did not provide any in-road until on Tuesday, September 19, 2006, when a military delegation, mostly his classmate and colleagues, came to Kano and confirmed on the plan for a State burial arrangement and that our presence was required in Abuja. Up to the morning of 20th September, I had maintained the firm deceptive belief, in my mind, that Alhaji was still alive, until at around 7.00am when we saw him in the morgue. There he was as if in deep slumber, with peace and tranquility all over his slightly bruised face! It was indeed a very sad moment for us all, especially our mother!!!

I still remember when Alhaji was in class 1 at NMS, General Gowon, then Head of State, paid a visit to the school. Alhaji and one other student happened to be the smallest in size and were assigned as stick boys to the visitor. At a later time, sometime in 1992, I had cause to cross check the above statement from Gen Gowon, when he called Dodan Barracks to talk to Alhaji, who was not closely available. When Gen Gowon identified himself and left his message, I reminded him of that statement he made on Alhaji, which he easily recalled and still affirmed that Alhaji had a very bright future in the army and would surely rise to the peak of his career.

The level of seriousness and commitment Alhaji had had on every of his actions made him to stand out at all times. We were all there during his passing-out ceremony at NWC, course 9 and witnessed one of the special displayed gifts of Alhaji. We invited all family members, with our mother and his two wives and all his children and relations. When the moment of pride came, the first price of the Inspector General of Police was awarded to him. He collected and came straight to where we were sitting with our mother and handed the price to her. The next was the COAS Award, which he collected and went to his first wife and handed it over to her. Again he was called for the C-in-C Award, which he collected and handed over to his second wife, thus making a complete circle and balance.

Alhaji had always subjected his fate to God, without much struggle to seek for favors. He had strong believe that God’s choice was the best for him. Soon after Ghana he was sent to India and again to Pakistan, each for a year. On his return in 1988, he called me one night and said he was to be posted back to the Arty H/Q. By the next few days he called again to tell me that the posting was changed to MA of Gen Bali, then Minister of Defence. A few hours later he called once more to say that a former ADC of IBB had just called him from US, that he was posted to Dodan Barracks as Staff Officer to C-in-C. The last posting eventually prevailed.

As ADC, Alhaji had gone through many experiences, which helped to shape both his career and social life. His cordial working relationship with his boss was quite memorable and had tremendously changed his focus in life. I remember one evening, Alhaji asked me to accompany him to see the President. Momentarily he came out completely a changed man, as if in deep thoughts and uncertainties. It was like he finally came to terms with whatever bothered him and he offered explanations. The Military Secretary had then proposed him for accelerated promotion to Lt Col, but the President had called him to advise against it, insisting that he should grow normally, to avoid any future victimization and enmity from colleagues. Apparently Alhaji had wanted the new rank, but soon accepted the guidance. We prayed over the issue and he put the matter behind. Much later in his life, he recalled and thanked the good advise of Gen IBB, especially after the series of premature retirements at different regimes, which he survived until he achieved the rank of General.

Alhaji was a dutiful husband and a good father to his children. He cared about them and ensured they had the basic needs in life, without excesses. He was a brother and a father to his relations and a true friend to others. He respected all and sundry and lived a very simple life. He was unassuming and down to earth in all his dealings. He could keep his opinion to himself for as long as it was safe for him to express and could also be trusted with anything in this world. He was generous, loyal and obedient. His life had positively impacted the lives of so many people. But I do not know if it is true that the military gives injections to its men, so that they could be wild once in a while. Sometimes Alhaji could be as wild as a lion.

While we have lost a son, a brother, a husband and a father, his colleagues have lost a friend indeed and the nation has lost a General, popularly described as “a soldiers’ soldier” in his constituency. May the soul of Major General Nuhu Bamalli rest in perfect peace, amen.