Indeed, death is a necessary end for every mortal on earth. It does not respect anybody – whether highly placed or not. In fact, no body has immunity from it.
As living things have no guarantee to eternal life, therefore no body will live eternally, but only that some people live to attain old age while some die even before they are born. Yet some die at the peak of their career.
It is often said that good people die first. Perhaps this is the case of my dear colleague, Malam Yahaya Bin Mahmoud, who passed away on Monday, June 4, 2012, equivalent to Rajab 14, 1433 in Islamic calendar.
The news of his death was very shocking and unexpected to me. Malam Yahaya Mahmoud died at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano. He served in both public and private sectors diligently for about 50 years.
As a very close professional colleague, I knew Malam Yahaya as a very committed and dedicated educationist. He played a very significant role in the development of primary and secondary school education in Kano, Jigawa and Kogi states.
Indeed, he was popular in the educational sector not only in Kano state alone, but Nigeria as a whole. It is because of his popularity in the sector that a large number of his secondary school students attended his funeral and came for condolence to his family.
Among those who attended his funeral and condoled with the bereaved family included a veteran educationist and high profile economist in the country, Prof. Ibrahim Ayagi. Also at the funeral and condolence were Alhaji Bello Ahmad Mandawari, a retired educationist and member, Management Board of Trustees, Dr. Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo Secondary School; the current Head of Civil Service of Kano state, Alhaji Umar Shehu Minjibir, who was his former student; current and former commissioners from Kano and Jigawa states and permanent secretaries from the same states who were mostly his former students.
Others included Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Gwarzo, a neighbour and previously of NNPC, Abuja; Alhaji Rabiu Ado, a businessman; Alhaji Muhammad Amaryawa, a prominent businessman and formerly of GBO, Zaria and Alhaji Sani Gadanya, a veteran politician in the state. These close neighbours and friends spoke highly of his impeccable character particularly humility and commitment to serve his immediate community diligently.
The deceased was a very religious person and among four of us who formed a voluntary committee in the 1980s to look into the problems of primary education in the former Kano state which metamorphosed into Kano and Jigawa states.
Other members of the committee were my humble self, Malam Yahaya Sadiq and Alhaji Abdulkarim Hassan, Secretary to the Kano State Government (SSG) of the immediate past administration of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau. The committee could be said to be responsible for the current revolutionisation of basic education in the country.
With the help and contributions of late Malam Yahaya, the committee voluntarily came up with some recommendations on how best to revitalize the primary education sector in terms of funding, management, infrastructure and other educational inputs in the then Kano state for quality education delivery in the sub-sector.
The report of the committee was unanimously accepted by the then state government under the leadership of the military governor, Ndatsu Umoru. As a result of the approval of the committee’s recommendations and the implementation of the recommendations thereof, the first Primary School Management Board (PSMB) in the country was established in Kano state in 1987. The success of this body in two years made the federal government to establish National Primary Education Commission (NPEC) in 1989 with mandate to all states in the federation to establish such boards which are the forerunners of the current Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs). This is of course, a pride to the late education guru and by extension the four members of the 1984 voluntary committee to have pioneered in Kano the establishment of the first PSMB in the year 1987 in the country.
In this respect, therefore, it could be noted that Yahaya Mahmoud played a significant role in the primary/basic education development in the country. Additionally, he also made very important and positive contributions in the development of post primary education where he served in various capacities as a teacher, vice-principal, principal and educational administrator at zonal education levels.
Indeed, late Malam Yahaya Mahmoud will always be remembered for his commitment and dedication to the development of education in both Kano and Jigawa states and by extension his state of origin-Kogi and Nigeria in general.
Born in 1942, in Lokoja, Kogi state and was living at Yar’akwa Quarters of Kano metropolis where he died, Malam Yahaya obtained his primary school certificate in 1957 at Lokoja Primary School. Earlier on, he obtained his basic Qur’anic and Islamic education in Lokoja, the current capital of Kogi state. He then obtained a Grade III Teacher’s Certificate of education from School for Arabic Studies (SAS) Kano in the year 1960 and Grade II Teacher’s Certificate from Katsina Higher Training College in 1963. In 1970, he bagged a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria with Post Graduate Degree in Education from the same university in the year 1973.
His working experience saw him at Ringim Primary School (now in Jigawa state) as head teacher between 1963 and 1965; principal at Bagauda Secondary School in Kano state from 1970 to 1973; principal at Gaya Secondary School from 1973 to 1976 and principal, Bichi Teachers College between 1976 and 1980 all in Kano state.
In the Kano state public service, because of his qualification, experience and commitment to serve, he rose from the rank of a classroom teacher to the position of chairman of Bichi local government caretaker committee in 1977 as a result of the implementation of the 1976 Federal Government Dasuki Report on Local Government Reforms. Between 1980 and 1981, Malam Yahaya served as zonal education officer, Gaya/Jahun of the former Kano state. From 1981 to 1984, he was zonal education officer, Gwarzo/Karaye zone and between 1984 and 1986, he was posted to Hadejia zone (now in Jigawa state) as chief zonal education officer. In 1984, he served as a member of the earlier mentioned voluntary committee on primary education for its better improvement in the state. He voluntarily retired from public service in the year 1986.
Though retired, but not tired, Malam Yahaya was not the type of person who would stay idle without making contributions not only to his immediate environment, but also to the society in general. He therefore got himself involved in the public and private sectors’ service delivery.
Late Malam Yahaya joined private sector as General Manager, Nigerian Cereals Manufacturing Company from 1986 to 1988; General Manager, Kafal Industrial Enterprises from 1988 to 1994; General Manager, I.A.A Associates Limited, 1994 to 1997 and Project Manager, PTF Fund Management Consultants (North-west zone) from 1997 to 1998.
From 1998 to 1999, he served as permanent member, Kogi State Primary Schools Education Board. Member, Governing Council, Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education Kano State from 2003 to 2007. He was a member, School Management Board, Dr. Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo Secondary School in Kano and Associate member, I.A.A. Associates Limited.
Until his death, he was founder and proprietor of Mamuda International Nursery and Primary School at Yar’akwa quarters in Tarauni local government area of Kano state. He was also chairman, Board of Governors, Al-azhar International College, Lokoja, Kogi state. His hobbies included reading, research and traveling. He is survived by two wives and nine children – five males and four females.
From the foregoing, it could be observed that Malam Yahaya’s entire life was spent on positive contribution for human development, particularly in the education sector. And even his services after retirement were connected with education, health or socio-economic development of the people that were more akin to strongly enhancing and promoting quality life delivery among the humanity at both state and national levels. Malam Yahaya therefore deserves the above tribute but more importantly he deserves prayers from all and sundry for his his soul to be reposed in Aljanna Firdausi and for Allah to fully guide and support his family in their future life. It is also hoped that this piece will serve as a lesson for guidance for our young generation.
Finally, it will not be out of place, because of the important role he played in Kano, Jigawa and Kogi states in their human and socio-economic development to recommend to the state governments to immortalise his name.
May Allah grant his soul permanent peace, Aljanna Firdausi and give his family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss. Amin.
Adamu is former chairman, Universal Basic Education Board, Kano State.
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