TRIBUTE ON LATE GEN. SHEHU MUSA YAR’ADUA, TAFIDA KATSINA
By MOHAMMED G. POTISKUM
Once upon a time, there lives a famous man who can only be equated in battle field with Shakka the King of Zulu; in strategy and IQ with Vladimir Putin of Russia; in political travails with Nelson Mandela of South Africa and in patience, tolerance and perseverance by the likes of Jimmy Carter of America and a renowned strategic leader Pervez Musharraf, the 10th President of Pakistan.
From all honesty, this man is called and known as GEN. SHEHU MUSA YAR’ADUA (Tafida Katsina) of blessed memory.
SMY as a personality was a detribalized leader devoid of ethnic bias and religious or regional sentiment. His type of grassroots politics endeared many political associates to him, which cut across the length and breadth of the country and the international community. This can be confirmed from people who surrounded him while he was alive.
He was a master strategist who gave his all for the sustenance of our nascent democracy.
In today’s dispensation, his contemporaries, age mates… are ruling and running the affairs of countries in the world.”
He was the embodiment of democracy in Nigeria.
History has it on record that he contested for the Presidency in 1991-2 at the age of 50 years and made a tremendous landmark which has not been broken up to date in any primary election.
His greatest achievements are enormous within the 54 years of his life time. Today is 22 years (8th December, 2019) that he departed to the world beyond.
What a famous man of repute as the bridge of democracy of the present dispensation of our Nation.
Your ideals were for the social, political and economic emancipation of the Nigerian masses irrespective of ethnic background, religious beliefs, creed, ideology and gender.
You were a man of astute character, a thorough breed and a man of impeccable sense of responsibility.
You were firm with strong will and believe.
SMY never wavered from his focus whether by reason of friendship or of enmity. You were not of double standard. When you said something, it is exactly how you acted.
Time has made us accept the realities of our style of leadership.
Gen. Yar’Adua was never a day-light radical oppositionist and a night time collaborator. SMY was never a man of easy virtue and was not governed by his belly or by inordinate ambition. His cause was not for personal aggrandizement or glory but rather by a well-articulated lodestar.
SMY was fearless, a political juggernaut per excellence whose desire was to steer people off self-destroying lethargy which is presently empowering our oppressors and has made them untouchable.
Today, we remember you fondly, our mentor, father and hero who contributed greatly in shaping my view about life, work, ethics, morals, politics, friendship, loyalty and family values.
SMY was an impressive, smart, intelligent and interesting individual. He was not a charlatan and pretender. He was a man who believed that learning is predicated upon humility and he made certain that we imbibed this principle. SMY was a rare gem and his legacy should never be taken for granted.
We can attribute his beliefs to the selfless struggles and pains he went through towards instituting a formidable front for Democratic Governance in the nation. SMY fought the enemies of Democracy.
Tafida had built the Bridge of Political Transition in a Democratic Dispensation which we are all enjoying today with little or no viable representative of the mentors.
Whenever we visited Tafida at his Centre, his words echo and we reflect backwards, particularly when we analyze the unfolding events of today. Wallahi, it is glaring that we can no longer forecast the future. Allah knows best!! We recite your most popular Quran 55 Surah Ar-Rahman – “& which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?” Allahu Akbar.
Today, all your struggles to place our nation on the path of just Democratic Governance is like a mirage. The Constitutional Conferences were a mere circus and waste of resources. They were supposed to serve as a pivot to launching the nation into progress and peaceful co-existence.
Today, what we see is politics of exclusion, violence and bitterness. There is no fair play and the games aren’t played by the rules.
After you (SMY), the world has become technologically advanced where the social media has become a platform for disseminating hate speeches, religious intolerance, witch-hunting, fraud and other social vices. The Chess Master has left and the Board is now crowded with mediocre.
Morning Sir! From an honest perspective, most of your former loyalists have failed you for the sake of survival!! Things are not and will never be the way you envisaged and built to last.
“Is this what life is all about?” “O’ Allah forgive our wrongs! Sins! Mistakes!… as we are in a learning world of doubtful life!” “Loyalty was here at one time but gone forever.”
Honestly, I am scared of building an Empire today as it cannot stand the test of time!
Lucky enough, Tafida left behind composed, well-organized and mature children to keep his legacy alive and to hold on to the Ace with a Rainbow as a shield and guiding principle of survivals.
O’Allah today all lessons learnt, obstacles crossed, barriers broken, deceit, maneuvers, intrigues had been overcome with time by late Tafida’s offspring.
The eldest just over 50 years of age and the youngest at 30 years, what a world of Great changes as time flies! Though Tafida lived and died by what he believed upon but never lived to reap the fruits of his hard-earned labor. Today, he has a dynasty to carry on his beliefs.
Our Hearty prayer goes to the immediate family of late Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Tafida Katsina who ensures the sustenance in the believe of what late Tafida stood and died for, as they are mature enough to directly wear the Hard simple Shoes of their late father.
“Put behind all the past! Pages of yesterday cannot revise itself but pages of today and tomorrow are blank and you hold the pen, as the Pen is the present call for realignment, if only we hold strong together and fight the battle of growth and prosperity. No threat that cannot be overcome, Wallahi”
Always remember that united we stand and divided… Honestly, you are equal to the evolving challenges. We should all come together and ensure that what SMY left behind never go into limbo for posterity sake.
“To live in the hearts of those we left behind is not to die.” SMY is gone but his memories will always remain evergreen in our hearts.
SMY had given everything he had and has left a vacuum in our lives, society, family and the nation. I am very certain he is watching over us and hoping that we do him proud.
*“We urge all true believers to join us in a special prayer for the 22 years after the lifetime of late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and all others who lost their lives in the course of struggle for one Nigeria on Sunday, 8th December 2019”.*
*The value of freedom can never be appreciated until one is deprived of it, especially when one strongly believes he did absolutely nothing to be in castrated.*
No matter how intelligent you are, one cannot clap with one hand!
Always in our hearts. Adieu sir.
- *MOHAMMED G. POTISKUM
Security consultant, MD/CEO
HNB Security & Protective Co. Ltd.