Mudi Sipikin’s death closes 1953 London constitutional conference page

Sipikin died at the age of 85 after a brief illness, leaving behind two wives, 23 children and over 60 grand and great grand children.
When our correspondents visited the deceased’s one storey residence at the densely populated area of Fagge quarters, the scene was a modest one, devoid of any sign of affluence expected at the home of a man who joined others to spearhead the fight for the independence of Nigeria.
He had lived among the masses, never bothered to seclude himself in opulent neighborhoods dominated by wealthy and influential people. He had toiled for the masses throughout his life as attested to by most of the people interviewed by Weekly Trust.
Through his poems, he was able to mobilize people to fight for their rights. He abhorred injustice and oppression of the masses and worked tirelessly to emancipate them.
Hajia Amina Mudi Sipikin the eldest daughter of the deceased, described her father, as a simple, humble and spiritual man. “Our father is a very simple man. He did not care about worldly possessions. On many occasions material things had been brought to him but he donated most of them to the needy people around him,” she said.
 “His life was totally dedicated to the service of humanity. Right from his political activities, to his literary work and his religious pursuits, it was all aimed at serving humanity.”
Corroborating Amina’s remarks about her father, Hajia Bilki Mudi Sipikin, the deceased’s second wife said her late husband was a very gentle and patient man who interacted with people in a respectable and amiable way. “He was a very patient man. You hardly see him quarrel with people and even the way he related with his children was very impressive.
It was learnt that towards the end of his life, Sipikin confined himself to his house, deeply engaged in religious activities.
It was also gathered that though Sipikin devoted his entire life to the service of his country and humanity, the nationalist was neither honoured nor assisted by either the state government or the federal government, to the extent that sometimes he found it difficult to even pay his children’s school fees. Despite his difficulties however, he still resisted the temptations to seek help from the government.
  Aminu Mudi, a younger brother to Alhaji Mudi Sipikin, told Weekly Trust that Sipikin was among the nationalistic frontrunners who struggled for Nigeria’s independence from British rule. “He lived an exemplary life and also liked helping the poor and the needy.  In fact apart from his residence, he left nothing else,” he said.
Aminu said his brother was survived by 2 wives, 23 children, grandchildren and many great grandchildren, adding that “his altruistic nature was the reason why many people were still trooping to commiserate with the bereaved family.”
Sipikin, according to his brother was a founding member of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), “a civilized Nigerian, who helped people irrespective of their ethnic community or religion, adding that he always regarded the welfare and emancipation of masses as the most important values which he held until his death.
“My last encounter with him was three days ago when he admonished us to adhere to religious teachings and shun injustice in all its forms.”
Also a younger sister of the deceased, Hajia Aisha Sipikin said her late brother meant everything to them and to their children and that “the vacuum he left would never be filled,” because according to her, “there is nobody among his relatives that could do what he had done for the family and society at large.”
  Alhaji Tanko Yakasai was a childhood friend of late Mudi Sipikin. In an interview with Weekly Trust, he described his friend’s death as “a great loss not only to members of his family and political associates but to the entire people of Kano and Nigeria in general.”
According to Yakasai, the deceased was among the first people who brought politics into the Northern part of this country. “He was among the eight founding fathers of Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU), a political party that became prominent for defending the interests of the masses.”
Yakasai added that Sipikin had through his poems inspired the people by spreading the political gospel of the party.
Sipikin pioneered the formation of a group of authors of Hausa literature and songs alongside Malam Gambo Hawaja, Malam Salihu Kontogora, Malam Yusufu Kantu, Malam Akilu Aliyu, and many other popular and prolific Hausa song writers.
Mudi Sipikin was until his death the last surviving member of the delegation that represented Nigeria at the 1953 London Constitutional Conference, which formalized the adoption of a federal system of government for Nigeria over five decades ago. 
While praying the Almighty Allah to grant eternal peace to the deceased, Yakasai lamented that, “the death of Malam Mudi Sipikin has created a huge void that will be difficult to fill.”