I was on the football field for my normal morning training before reporting to work. I was jogging when a friend handed his phone to me that my friend wanted to talk to me. I was mad as to why didn't he wait until I finish training. "Where did you keep your phone?" He asked on the other end because he has been trying to reach out to me. I asked what the matter of urgency was and he replied, "Sani is dead!" I was paralyzed and dumbfounded.
He was a friend who died in his mid thirties, leaving behind an eigth months beautiful pregnant wife and a handsome young boy. The new baby boy was later named after him. And they resembled! Right before he died, even though he didn't foresaw himself dying that early years, but all his attention and plans were of his wife's pregnancy and seeing his baby. Death is surely inevitable. The queue is still moving, leaving everybody with no option but to prepare for it. That's inevitability of the law of nature.
Talking about the mystery behind his death, he was a person that despised hospital just like the way you find it difficult to convince degenerated person to go for proper medical treatment. He hardly goes to hospital unless it became too unbearable. He assumed to have ulcer and with long history of usual caught and he spit as though he ate cola nut. He was then diagnosed with a serious BP complications and was later started getting sick off and on. Even at this, he would sometimes lied of seeing a medical doctor but collected herbs from Islamic chemist.
In Africa, we are so kin in believing on superstition and witchcraft, this is why we always blame family and friends when business is not flourishing or not getting better posting or getting sacked from workplace or being too sick all these but to mention few. Even though it was clearly written on the wall he was sick and being eaten from the inside everyday and different medical professionals said there were certain results of diagnosis but he didn't agree or believe them. He preferred traditional treatment and was convinced to be believe it should be so.
He loved sports, specifically football. He supported Manchester United throughout his days. He played football and was one of the players of the great local football team, Rimi youth. I can still remember a beautiful free kick he scored some years back at a Ramadan Cup in LEA Unguwan Rimi, Low-cost. I still remember how he celebrated and the uproar from the spectators. We trained together three times every week until sickness drained all his energy. That day, he couldn't train more than fifteen minutes and said he could not continue. That was his last football training.
He died with a dream like every other person. He wanted to join the paramilitary and he was close. Part of our discussion anytime I visited him was to treat himself well so that he could undergo the physical strenuous activities. That motivated him and kept him going. I still see him in his usual jallabiya which Kamal didn't want to see. Part of that dream was to provide enough for the family. He loved seeing his wife and child in comfort. He just loved her like she's the only lady on earth. He was wary on anything about her.
He was an extrovert. I don't think he had a secret of his own. Everything was a news and he was a king of update amongst our circle. He's luxurious. I can remember how he loved buying latest phones right from secondary school. That time he would buy Sony Erickson Java phones, then BlackBerries and iPhones. Nice dresses and food were part of his hobbies. Ah food indeed! His heavily build body was the reflection of his diet that's why people noticed his deepening sickness when he began to drop in weight drastically.
He might look miser as the normal behavior of a business man but he likes sharing benefiting information. Whenever something good comes, he'll call his friends and he's a good source of information and connections. You hardly request for information that he didn't know anybody to call, whether in civil service, business, sports etc. He was good in keeping contacts. He liked confrontation. You erred him, he threw it at your face. Simple. He listened to advice even if he's not going to use it.
Saying I was touched is understatement. I was there when he studied abroad. In fact, I was the one standing as mediator between him and his father for his pocket money and other things. I was the one entrusted with his feeding allowances. I was the first person he talked to when he wanted to start dating his wife. Both the parents from two sides asked me for convenient and honest advice. I was there at every step in his wedding. I was there in most of his investments except crypto which I had no zero knowledge. He mostly came to my house late at night for a serious talk.
I believe he's now in a better place being proud of his wife for taking good care of his kids and for maintening her virtue. We'll continue to pray for the forgiveness of his shortcomings and for his kids to be better persons in life. One day, whether we like it or not, whether we prepare for it or not, we'll surely join you in the silent world where only deeds and actions speak. Adieu my friend.
No comments:
Post a Comment