Journey through grief: A Tribute to my late father, By Usama Jaafar

Journey through grief: A Tribute to My late Father, By Usama Jaafar

NEWS DIGEST – I miss every bit of family hood in your presence, our Laughter and our feeling of safety, joy with your presence is dwindling.

Because of the great reward that is attached to the holy month of Ramadan, excitement and pleasant memories it brings, the days are always special and we in the family always look forward to it.

The fasting, Tarawih, prayers at night,we remain  patient, steadfast among other great virtue for 29 days.

However, for me and my family, we would never forget the Ramadan period of last year and this year respectively.

That’s because it was the second Ramadan fasting period that we are going to witness  without our dad, Who died on 2nd of May 2017 after a breif illness.

Today is exactly one year since my  Dad departed. His Legacy both on and off his area of specialization will always be remembered.

He was a leader, a guide , a very humble man, hardworking, determined and one who
cared a lot for his family. Interms of community service, My late father made history. He was always around to assist people in need while lending commendable support to so many community development organizations.

One significant thing he has achieved during his sojourn on earth was mentoring new generation of teachers and politicians with the motivation to serve the society rather than illegitimately making millions of Naira out of public treasury. It is rightly pointed out by many who visited to sympathize with us and some on their social media platforms through tributes , shortly after his demise.

While,  every death has a cause and every living must taste its pain. When it comes knocking, it doesn’t expect the consent of victims before it snatches away souls to the world beyond. Many generations before us had lived and many would come and go after us.

I was in Kano State when the news of his death was announced.

A call was made around 11:30pm that my Dad passed away. I was agitated and frustrated. Before then i  was told that he was sick and rushed to the hospital. My elder sister who picked the call told had earlier told me that he was resting and fast recurperating.

Before then i planned to come home after my test, i was a Post-Graduate Student in Bayero University Kano,those periods were very vital for me and the death came like a very rude shock.

I became very speechless, and scared . I coudn’t sleep through out that night, lying helplessly with my eye fixed on the roof and feet lying on the bed. His last word was all I remembered which still echoes in my brain.

The funeral prayer which I missed the following day. I couldn’t make it in time, the journey from Kano to Jos took several hours. As one of his children, I have admit with all sense of humility that you provided me with sufficient guide I needed to manage my life
and become more responsible even as your son and a Young man learning from you.

Even though, I missed paying my last respect to you but my thought and prayers and that of my siblings are always with you.

I am very proud of the life you lived as you were humble, religious, very kind, friendly to us and others.

Its been one year since your death,one year since we have lost touch , but not a day goes by that I don’t think of you, missed you and how much you taught me.

My heart still aches to know that you are gone but I take comfort in knowing that you are now resting in Allah’s mercy. Continue to rest in peace till we meet to part no more.

Usama Jaafar

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