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My Last Moments With Adamu Yusuf By Sule Ya’u Sule
If only I knew I would never see him again, I would have made a video copy of my last moment with ace journalist, broadcaster and great humanist, Malam Adamu Yusuf. But how was I to know that the cold, cruel hands of death would snatch him from me and his now-grieving crowd of friends and associates.
For Adamu loved people and people loved him. The unprecedented crowd that witnessed his burial bore him witness that he lives his life, loving, helping, counseling and educating people. His jovial spirit loathed selfishness; he could only find joy and satisfaction serving other people, making meaning in their lives.
My last encounter with Adamu Yusuf was in London on his last Saturday on earth. While walking into an African Restaurant in Paddington on Saturday July 28, a very familiar voice called “Sule, you ‘re in town” and when I looked in the direction of the voice, there was Adamu Yusuf bearing his trademark empathy, sitting with Nigerian friends, including a former Minister in the last military government. Translated into vintage Adamu speak, it was “How come you came to London and have not come under my canopy”. For the hundreds of thousands who knew this great and charming man, hospitality was his second nature. He attracted friends like honey attracts bees and entertained them unselfishly. Before he settled my bill, we went into detailed discussion as two good friends would, his plans to set up a Radio Station in Kaduna, political issues back home in Nigeria. He asked me to call him the following day being Sunday when he would have returned to Nigeria. I did, but little. Did I know it would be my last conversation with his remarkable personality whose passage we shall mourn for the rest of our lives.
Adamu returned to Nigeria on Sunday, July 29, and we promised to meet again when I return to Nigeria myself. On Thursday morning, the ADC to His Excellency, my boss, called me to break the shocking news of Adamu’s death. We could not conclude the conversation because we both broke into tears. We wept over the sudden news, our helplessness, the tyranny of death, the loss of a dear one, the violent of separation, the memories we shared the sheer waste of human talent, the weight of sorrow. Even security officials at London Heathrow Airport were so concerned when they saw my sorry state that they offered to help in whatever way. But what could they do? Needles to say the remainder of my trip was overshadowed by this sad news.
One cannot question the wisdom of Almighty Allah who said in the Holy Qur’an “Every soul must test death”. Adamu has tested his own but left us in serious pain because we are going to miss his humility, friendliness and crisis management skills which he selflessly deployed in setting conflict between friends. A recent case in point was when some of our mutual friends who branched out to establish a newspaper had problems among them, it was Adamu Yusuf who called them together and resolved their crisis amicably. As far as I can remember Adamu was first and only journalist to set up a Vocational Training Centre to provide jobs for unemployed youths in Kaduna. If you needed a job, Adamu was always willing to talk to whoever is concerned. What a magnanimous and considerate person. For instance, he introduced me to the great IBB through which I am better informed about some significant political events in this country.
I cannot recall how many times Adamu called me to enquire about my job, about certain things he heard or read about the Kano State Government, I remember the sensational case when the EFCC on the eve of the April elections unjustifiably tried to malign my boss with the tar of corruption, Adamu was so concerned and bothered when he heard the news that he traveled all the way from Kaduna to Kano to get to the root of the matter. Unfortunately, I was not at home when he called but he persevered until he was linked up to me and was given a satisfactory explanation and only then was he comforted. When a female politician in Kano went to Kaduna to use Nagarta Radio to spread rumours and disinformation about the Shekarau administration, it was Adamu who arranged things so I can go down to Kaduna too to give our own side of the story and from the reaction of listeners during the live phone-in-programme, it was clear that the people were on the side of the Kano State Government despite the falsehood spread by some politicians who thought Malam was in government to enrich their pockets at the people’s expenses.
It was a tradition that anytime I passed through Kaduna, I must drop by his house for lunch or dinner and neither the size of my entourage (sometimes the entire Government House Press Crew) nor the time of the visit (sometimes at odd hours) intimidated him, he was always the courteous and generous host, too eager to place his resources to please others.
One of my Reporters, now the Press Secretary to our Deputy Governor, Malam Adamu Abdullahi was always asking me when we would visit Adamu Yusuf again because he always wanted more of a special type of Fura our host prepared for us.
Adamu was a journalist per excellence, a progressive reporter who carved a niche for himself through diligent and credible reporting. His days in New Nigerian Newspapers and especially the BBC brought him immense followership. He was a man of the people. It was normal to count as many as 100 persons in his house on an average day. He assisted lots of people with his connections. The caliber of personalities and large turnout at his burial attested to his grassroots support, a good ending for a man who lived for public good.
I am consoled that Adamu Yusuf has left this sinful world on a high note, he was too good for this society filled with liars, deceitful people, who preach what they do not practice, people who connive to pull down those who are progressing, people who cast aspersions on leaders for no offense other than they are not there themselves, people who take pleasure in discussing others’ businesses those who lie in the name of religion. I am glad Adamu has exited from the Society of Envy to Eternal Glory, into Paradise, from the sinful mortal to the immortal. You also ponder at the temporality of our human life, at the exaggerated sense of our positions or power when in a split of a second our life is snuffed out, the light out of our body, irredeemably and permanently, friends and mentors completely powerless over your lifeless body.
My friend Adamu Yusuf lived the good life, had his time, used it very well to serve God and humanity and has gone back to his God. He touched so many lives, including mine, in manner that I will never forget him in my life. For the remaining time of my life, I will continue to pray for Adamu’s soul. May his gentle soul find perfect peace in Allah’s paradise. Goodbye my dear friend, the tears will never dry from my eyes but all of us whose lives you touched in many ways will always be consoled by Allah’s promise and your own exemplary life.
Sule Ya’u Sule is the Director and Public Relations, Government House, Kano
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