Remembering Bisalla

We stayed as one through the challenges of life, years of pains, joy, happiness and laughter. We stayed together and survived the tumbles, harshness and roughness of life. We shared everything together. I miss and mourn you, my dear. The pains and discomfort of losing someone dear to us make us never the same again. What matters is how we handle our different circumstances. I was dazed and shocked when I was told I lost my companion. Inna lillahi wa inna illaihir raji’un. As a Muslim, I know every soul shall taste death at its appointed time.
When I called you at about 3:30pm on that fateful day, you picked and talked in a hurry. I wondered why. Then I called again, you told me to pay the DSTV bill before you come back, which you never did. That was the last time I heard your voice. Immediately after asri prayer, I picked my phone to read the news, the headline was “There is an explosion at Bannex Plaza, six people confirmed dead”. I was shocked but it never occurred to me you were among the dead. I called your line immediately to know the details of the blast but the line is switched off. I finally reached you around 5:30pm. I was relieved and certain that nothing happened to you, until someone picked the phone and told me that you were among the victims of the blast. I panicked and then I summoned the courage to call your brother, Uncle Muhammad, and Auntie Dije.
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t feel a small flutter or shed a tear because I really miss you. My dear, you were such a rear gem, you came into the life of people and make a huge impact. You were such a great husband and father, who listened carefully and made everyone happy. We will surely miss you. May Allah (SWT) forgive all your short comings and grant you aljannah firdausi till we meet to part no more. I love you.

Sa’adatu Suleiman Bisalla is the widow of the late Managing Editor of the New Telegraph Newspaper Suleiman Bisalla. She wrote this from Abuja.