He was full of life when he retired and in 1998 after undergoing a two-year after service scheme at the Nigerian Army Resettlement Center, Oshodi, Lagos. Things began to change health wise for our dad. From 2010, he started falling sick too frequently. Before we know what was happening, he was diagnosed of hypertension. We thought as someone who has spent about 28 years in the Nigeria Army Medical Corps, MRS as it is known in military circle – he could manage the situation before it got out of control. Of course, he did just that, but it got worse. Our dad who hardly falls sick became too vulnerable.
He encountered a couple of health challenges with the final bout starting on April 4, last year, when he went for eight hours lying motionless, speechless. The next day Umoru Faruk and I were at home to once more take him to Kaduna for real check. Despite all persuasions, he refused, but in turn he persuaded us that he was ok, and that we should not fear and worry, that the whole thing was temporary. Though we returned to our various destinations, we were literarily looking back. We became really worried, so much that we planned to evacuate him forcefully, but that was not to be, because any time we bid for that, he would turn it down. At this time, he was strong, but not as we used to know him. However, November last year was the turning point when he was hospitalized for two days. A week later, he went into coma for almost 48 hours, just like the April 4 episode, we were back home to take him out for treatment. For him to travel, doctors said, he has to be revived. Now that was the real battle we fought till Thursday, February 21, 2013, when our father, upon only whom we depended on to get our foothold, our right place, in an emerging new Odagbo, breathed his last at about 6:15a.m. at a popular hospital in Ika oj’nehu.
When our elder sister called me at that point, my heart beat missed in quick session. It was a 30-minute motionless movement for me. Yes! We have lost our torch bearer in the journey of this challenging life. As Umoru Faruk would relay when we met the next day in the village, it was a dream. He was the first our elder sister we fondly call Yaya Jummai called seconds after our dad passed. Umoru Faruk immediately got down reaching who needed to be reached. He reached all of us – brothers and sisters, cousins, in-laws, friends, well wishers and some of our late dad’s friends. I also did my part.
By Saturday, nearly all of us had touched down in Odagbo, to pray for the departed soul of our dear father who, in the midst of near nothing, worked tirelessly for our welfare and members of the extended family without discrimination. Three days to the eight day prayer, all of us, our wives and some of our children, each day we recited the Holy Qur’an in respect and memory of our fallen father. And on the eight day, it was non-stop prayers for the peaceful repose of our late father’s soul. It is just impossible to relay the good, fine and too numerous to be counted praises, eulogies and what looked like testimonies and encomiums powered on our father. The message immediately dawned on us. It was a body language too loud to the ear, that our dad has left a legacy of doing good to all without discrimination. May Allah give us the wisdom to do just that, and more other good things. He lived his life and how he treated people had bestowed a great honour to us and members of our extended family..
At this stage, I extend my profound gratitude to two of my cousins – Malams Kassim Yusuf and Abubakar Suleimen who abandoned all their personal engagements and catered for our father before his last breathe. Ibrahim Shaibu also known as Adi ( Adukanya) was very helpful, he was always coming to treating our father. And my other two uncles Shuaibu and Usman who always slept over nights with my father before his final second, you were all marvellous and father figures. I cannot thank all of you enough, but Allah shall surely reward you for the resources you spent on my father. Thank you all.
Our father had his family, events at the eight day prayer revealed to us that the people actually owned him.
He and a late uncle of his Malam Ibrahim Ameloko otherwise known as Anyaka set the tone to address the injustice meted to Odagbo as a result of being a host community to coal mine since 1967. First, there was a change in the name of the coal mine considering the perceived benefits that was to follow when mining begins. Instead of Odagbo, the Nigerian Coal Corporation was mislead and it named the host community. When mining finally commenced, true to the fears of my father and Anyaka, Odagbo was short changed. It was with the coal from Odagbo the federal troops were moved in locomotives during the civil war as access to the Onyeama coal mine in Enugu became impossible. Okaba and her indigenes were benefiting instead of Odagbo. All these needed to be reversed. In view of all these, and being one of the very few surviving elders in Imooh clan among the four clans in Odagbo, there was at that time some yearning for him to return home.
While in service, our dad sensitised the youths of Odagbo on the need for them to continue in the struggle they had started. This he did in Kaduna, Lagos where Odagbo indigenes operate under the ages of Odagbo Community Development Association (OCDA) as well as any time he was back home in the village. In no time, the struggle caught fire at a point that youths in the village barricaded the road that leads into the mine site to register not just their displeasure with the change in name but to also press for compensation for farm lands acquired to expand mining o the solid mineral as well as construction of the road damaged due to prolong use that led to its damage and provision of amenities as host community.
In mid 1999, our father returned home to continue the struggle that at this time had gained momentum. The result of the struggle begun to bear fruits as Odagbo indigenes began to gain employment thought at lower cadre in Nigeria Coal Corporation, there was establishment of health center which currently has gone underground as well as some form of compensation that was not commensurate with the land of farmers acquired for mine expansion. The name of Odagbo became popular from the struggle, and coupled with the increasing population, a primary school was established. Now, all these were in the 90s.
Our father’s returning home in 1999 sort of ignited the struggles again, because the feeling as at that time was: here is one of the men who started it all – and with him still believing in the fight against the injustice – he became the rallying point. No sooner he returned home than he was made the home branch chairman of Odagbo Community Development Association. There are salient challenges that have to be resolved if the struggle is to be sustained to achieve the desired results.
April 1, certainly is not going to be a fool’s day for us, that is next Monday, it is for the 40th day prayer for our late dad. A near replica of the eight day prayer session would be replicated for him.
A devout Muslim, he was the head of a twin committee: that of the village’s central mosque and its tafsir committee. Because of his consistent to stand for truth, discipline, commitment and morality, he was entrusted with a couple of community responsibilities. Until his death, he was Chair, Odagbo LGEA Primary School and Secretary, Nigeria Legion Service, Okaba District. All these endeared him to the people especially for Odagbo youths. For us his children, it is an honour, because even before our father’s passing on, we are listened to and taken seriously whenever we are with our people. Indeed, to our dear father goes the immeasurable thanks, and glory be to Allah.
He left behind wives, 17 of us among them Umoru Faruk Salifu our eldest brother who is Chief Sub-Editor at Daily Trust, many grand children, a sister among others.
Salihu writes from no. 10 Luwawu Road off Fulani Road U/Rimi, Kaduna.
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