RE: ADO SUNUSI SABONGIDA

‘A picture is worth a thousand words,’ they say. On this page, you may perhaps see the subject of last week’s column, Ado Sunusi Sabongida (‘Ability in Disability’) shaking hands with Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje while former Minister of Finance in the Yar’adua Administration Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman looks on admirably. Dr. Shamsuddeen had just ‘adopted’ Ado and had introduced him to the Governor, based on Saturday Column telling Ado’s story. Occasion was Closing Ceremony of First Kano Youth Summit Thursday 26 July at 7pm. 

Long story short, here is the gist from Ado himself:

“Salam Sir. Thank you very much for telling my story. I am happy to announce that Hon. Minister Shamsuddeen has introduced me to His Excellency Governor Ganduje who has promised to give me a job while I study. The Minister himself has given me a scholarship up to the end of my degree. All this is as a result of your featuring me in your Column. May Almighty Allah bless you and the Editor of Daily Trust Saturday, and the Editor in Chief and all the staff. As you helped me, may Almighty Allah also help you and ease your affairs as you helped ease mine.”

Well, Ado, actually it is not our doing. With God, nothing is impossible. The Arabs say ‘Iza aradal Lahu shai’an, hayya’a asbabahu’ (meaning: if Allah intends to do something, He causes causes that will make it happen). So we were only tools in the Hands of Allah to perfect His plan. 

We didn’t envisage this; we didn’t plan this; we didn’t expect this. But Allah planned it all along  “I wrote Column; Youth Summit invited me as Resource Person; I left Abuja in a hurry to attend; I noticed you were not in the audience; I invited you to quickly come; I was moderating a plenary on social issues; you were my perfect example of overcoming challenges…and the rest is…a job and a scholarship! All part of Allah’s perfect plan.

ADAMU ABUBAKAR BAPPAH ([email protected]): I have been following your write-ups but none has touched me so deeply as this. I feel duty-bound to contribute in seeing that this gentleman realises his dream. May Allah reward all those who have helped him. I will be glad if you can guide me to contribute in my own small way to ensure my namesake completes his studies and one day contribute in moving this society forward in sha Allah.

COLUMNIST: Adamu, as you can see, Allah has accepted your prayer. Your intention will not go to naught, however. Niyyatul Mu’min…Meanwhile, you may contact Senior Brother and Philanthropist Alhaji Lawal Idris, Chairman Trustees of Indigent Student Fund (ISF) at [email protected] who will guide you on how to contribute. Copy your email to Fund Administrator Dr. Hajara Sanda [email protected].

KABIRU MUSA JAMMAJE, Founder, Jammaje English Academy (where Ado perfected his English): Thank you for featuring Ado in your popular Saturday Column. I actually motivate my students of Jammaje English Academy by making reference to Ado. I frequently tell my students, especially those who cannot speak English confidently, that Ado should be their role model because, despite his physical deformity, he speaks English confidently and correctly. “So, if Ado, who has such a challenge, can speak English with confidence and accuracy, what about you (my students) who are physically fit and able?”, I often ask rhetorically.

RABIU SHAMMA, friend of Ado and Executive Director Fasaha English and Computer Academy (FECA): I really appreciate your piece on my friend Ado. There is certainly ability in disability, Ado is a courageous young man who, despite his challenges, is never a burden on anyone “he does not beg or even ask for assistance. Most people don’t know that Ado is into Dabino (Dates) business around Ramadan. He makes lots of profit as many people buy their Ramadan Dabino only from him. This encourages and enables him to depend on himself. May your piece open more windows of opportunities for him.

COLUMNIST: Well, Rabi’u, as you can see (and you were there at the event), Allah has answered your prayers and opened those windows. All the more poignant as you sent your response many days before the Thursday event.

BARRISTER AISHA ABUBAKAR, Faculty of Law, Bauchi State University: ‘May Allah make it easy for Ado Sunusi Sabongida and us all.’

BARRISTER: Amin! And it is already so, Allahu Akbar!

SAGIR TANIMU, Dept of Computer Science, BUK ([email protected]): After reading your column ‘Ability in Disability’, I decided to call your attention to another person with the same ‘Ability’: Usman Gezawa here at Computer Science. He comes to comes to class in a wheelchair, but you will be surprised to learn that he is maintaining a perfect GPA of 5.0 on a 5.0 Scale, that is 100%! This is all through his three semesters so far!

COLUMNIST: Tanimu, may Allah’s plan for Gezawa come through us. Ado is but only one out of millions who are in need of such interventions, and may Allah use us to fulfil such duties. 

We may remember this story we narrated here in the distant past in ‘ON MAKING A DIFFERENCE’: ‘A man was walking along the beach at dawn and noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish out of the millions washed ashore, beached and stranded, and flinging them back into the sea. Finally catching up with the youth, the man asked him, “How can your effort make any difference?” The young man replied, ‘Yes, millions of these beached starfish would die if left until the morning sun.’ But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of them,” said the other man. The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves. “It makes a difference to that one,” he said.

May Allah make us make a difference.